Some Recent Happenings

One of my co-workers showed me where a pair of Merlins was nesting near his home. The nest was well hidden but I got a few mediochre shots of an adult against a bright, volcanic ash filled sky.

The distant volcano has since calmed down and we have no more ash to contend with. I believe that this is the female, but who knows?

The Arctic Terns are still at Westchester and various other places around town.

Seriously elegant birds.

A simple portrait of a Red-necked Grebe.

For about the last month or so I have been experiencing one of my frequent creative dry spells. I took one of my old paintings, 'Otter Lake Trumpeter',18x24", that sat unsold in a gallery, and decided to remodel it.

I had a few ideas for changes to make. First I thickened the neck a tad. Then I put in some atmosphere to create mood. That part did not improve it. I intended to add tall grasses in the foreground that will partially overlap the swan.

Before I got to that, I got burned out on this painting and decided to set it aside for awhile.

A detail shot of the head.

Last Wednesday I had the urge to paint something else. I got an idea for a Solitary Sandpiper. This is as far as I have gotten on it so far. I know that it does not look like much, but it actually is proceeding well. I have the advantage of knowing what the painting is intended to look like. You can only see these foundational layers to judge it by.

The head that I sketched before applying paint.