Thus begins the bird series…which may take some time because I am crazy about so many different birds! See Post #9 -THE BIRD FEEDER for the back story.
So as a gift my husband bought me the deluxe bird feeder. It has 5 different seed chambers, suet feeder, bells, whistles…you name it. Best gift of my life with the exception of my Cannon Rebel (other best gift of my life). Anyway, I just adore watching the birds that come through my yard.
When I first got the feeder, I had no idea which bird was which so I bought “my daughter” (really me) a bird field guide.
I kept telling my husband “there is this gorgeous iridescent bird that keeps coming to the feeder. It’s huge, It’s eyes glow, it’s the most gorgeous bird I’ve ever seen!”
So I get the guide, anxious to learn what the name of the most exotic looking bird I’ve ever seen was… It turns out it was the Common Grackle. How mean to give the bird a name that has common in it! These birds are abundant and widespread through most of the country and their song is compared to the sound of a rusty hinge. Poor Common Grackle. I still love you!
Spiritually speaking, humans lose their awareness of their surroundings by giving things names, classifications and judgements based on prior memories. If an individual has not been taught that this creature is a nuisance, run of the mill, squaky bird, then it is not so. If you choose to agree with that which you are taught it is so. On a spiritual path, you must constantly ask yourself all day? Is this so? Is this so? Is the human in front of me poor, uneducated, an authority, snotty, old, annoying….you name it? Does where I work stink? Is life passing me by? Is Wednesday really a sucky day or a lucky day? Is emptying the dishwasher really the end of the world?
As my mom would say, “Check your thoughts!”
Onto the art portion of this program…
I opted to go with two different techniques I have been working with lately. One is the cutting out and creating templates of my subject matter and two bees-wax crayons with watercolor resist. I’m just loving the bold graphic nature of the two.
TMI. So now you know what kind of cereal we eat!
I love that there is an element of recycling to this project. I am going to keep all the bird templates I create and then make one large image incorporating all of them. The feathers of this bird truly are iridescent. This is why I thought using the green and blue crayon amongst the black watercolor paint would give it the right effect. The paper for today’s work is 16×16 inches.
I will try my best to tie the future bird paintings all together, but we’ll see how I feel about the birds I pick, because that will have an impact on the style of the painting I’m sure.
OK. So keep in mind today. That which you do not label can be explored in a new way.
Oh, and never call something common, it suggests less than. Totally not cool!
Like me on Facebook: Be Creative Mary
Be Creative Mary 
grackle !! wow….. i absolutely love this painting !!
having been witness to the mysterious connection you have with grackles, i was
curious to see this painting. and i was not disappointed…… It is INCREDIBLY, WAY, FAR OUT, COOL !!
I don’t know where this strange connection has come from. It wasn’t always there, but then again nor was I always tuned in. I’ve been waking up around 5 am and just laying in bed for an hour with my eyes closed listening to all the spring bird songs. I can’t wait to get out there and live with them for the next 4 months!