Wood Ducks (Carolinas)

I've got a pair of Carolina ducks (American Wood Ducks) and yesterday morning I found the male dead in the pond. I've no idea what happened. He showed no signs of being sick and he wasn't old, younger than his female. As usual, he's the more colourful of the pair, with the female being beige and brown.

I did this painting of my pair of Carolinas this morning.

"Carolina Ducks" (American Wood Ducks) watercolour - Maree©

Male Carolina drake (Wood duck)

The female Carolina duck in the fore-ground with her drake at the pond...

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Birthday portrait 2009!

The portrait is one of the most curious art forms. It demands special qualities in the artist, and an almost total kinship with the model.

- Henri Matisse

It's my birthday today! Something I saw on Arty Velarde's site, she does a birthday rhyme every year. I've decided to also do this, if Arty doesn't mind, so here goes :

At 63, I am free to be ME!

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Rock Challenge : SEASCAPE

"Creative people, however, need to be stimulated,

inspired, nudged, cross-pollinated, and occasionally

kicked in the ass. Art both entertains and inspires

at the same time."

A daily practice of sketching and painting gives you a chance to exercise the big three P's - practice, practice, practice!

"Seascape" watercolour on Bockingford 300gsm watercolour paper - Maree

Taking your time with a painting can be highly rewarding. As I worked on this seascape, I stepped out of the room frequently and often got up to have a drink of water or make myself a cup of coffee. Returning to the painting gives you a fresh perspective and a new way of looking at it. I did this painting over the weekend, leaving it half finished on Saturday afternoon to visit some friends, finishing it off on Sunday afternoon after lunch.

Jeanette of Illustrated Life has a rock challenge starting up running until the 4th August 2009. This is one of my entries.

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Falcons

"The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself."

A daily practice of sketching and painting gives you a chance to exercise the big three P's - practice, practice, practice!

"Falcons" in Moleskine Sketch-book - Maree©

Published on 'SkineArt'

As the pages on the right-hand side of my sketch-book started filling up, I've resorted to the left-hand side, and as I was sketching this Falcon last night, I noticed the detail on the right was done exactly a year ago.

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A Sketch-a-Day

"Country Creek" watercolour - Maree©

I've decided to start doing a daily sketch and painting exercise again, which is something I used to do but due to, dare I say it, life that happens! I fell out of the habit. Daily sketching and painting gives you a chance to exercise the big three P's - practice, practice, practice!

I did this watercolour on Bockingford acid-free, 72lb (150g/m²) watercolour paper as part of my quest to try and do a painting or sketch-a-day.

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