chestnut breasted finch
chestnut breasted finches
(aka chestnut breasted mannikin)
by Tina Burke
Graphite and acrylic on Arches 300gsm watercolour paper
yellow-bellied sunbird
. . . also known as the Olive-backed Sunbird!
I just added this tiny jewel of a bird as a new 8x10 print to my shop.
Yellow-bellied Sunbird with Bell flowers
8x10 inch print
by Tina Burke
(I'm struggling a little to get my Etsy visuals to match the clean colours of the prints — on my monitor this is a better reproduction!).
I'm hoping to go for some long walks this weekend and enjoy the spring blooms and some more colourful inspiration. The lilacs are in full bloom, the peonies are about to explode, and the bird life is back . . . happy sigh . . .
sketches
Yesterday I went to the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) to sketch some of their stuffed birds.
As much as I love seeing a bird in the wild ... ie; alive ... this is a great way to get up close and personal to see how they're put together - how the feathers grow, how the wings fold up so neatly, like an umbrella, and the actual size of the different species - something that can be difficult to gauge when looking through binoculars or using photo reference. Even if I'm not drawing a bird "life-size" I like having an awareness of how they fit into their world - like the hummingbirds whose bodies are literally the size of my thumb! So teensy!
I loved the woodpecker (above↑) - a Magellanic Woodpecker, of southern South America. I'm thinking he'll end up in a painting. He has this lovely strong profile with his shaggy crest and strong beak (plus he has a flame red head, on a jet black body with just a smattering of white on the wings - so dynamic). These kinds of interesting design elements really appeal to me when I'm choosing subject matter.
The feathers of museum specimens aren't always as glossy and preened as on a healthy, live bird - nor the colours as bright and accurate - but it's so helpful to study them. I find the more I know and understand about the subject, the easier it is to draw it - it's not that I want to draw every minute detail, but having a better understanding actually frees me up to make choices of what to include, or to be able to draw it at whatever angle I want.
And I love making little discoveries - like the delicate and unusual tail feathers on the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (the last sketch, just above ↑) - I've seen them in the wild many times, just never close enough to notice that. Apparently the central shaft very stiff, allowing them to use it for extra support as they hammer away at the tree (they're a type of woodpecker). We don't have woodpeckers in Australia, so it's such a novelty being in North America now and getting to see all these different birds and animals.
Such a nice way to spend an afternoon ... next time I'm taking a camera and a folding chair. And my iPod - those school groups are loud.
Welcome
Hello.
So after long intention, and much lurking, I finally have my little blog to display my art and join in on the conversation. I’m very excited!
I started an online course this week: In the Fishbowl: Life as an Artist Online after admiring Creative Thursday’s Marisa Haedike’s work, blog and generous spirit. I signed up 6 weeks ago, waited impatiently, and used the course as an impetus to finally get this website built and online.
Her first gentle and inspiring podcast got us thinking about what we do. The first question was “Why do you love what you create?” And with that, I finally found the focus for my first blog topic.
why do I love what I create?
I love trying to capture the magic I experience from nature - the intake of breath and flash of joy I get from an unexpected glimpse of a bright bird as it flashes past, or stumbling across a flower species that I’ve never seen before. I linger over the details in nature, but also love the simple peace and inspiration I feel from the natural world, and try to incorporate both in my artwork. I love the mixture of a misty and evocative atmosphere that can be represented by a dreamy smudge, leaving your imagination to fill in the gaps, combined with the tiny, intricate and beautiful details you only notice when looking closely at a bird or flower. I'm fascinated by the array of colours and ornate and fantastical designs that nature presents.
That never-ending journey as I try to capture all this - from an infinite supply of inspiration - brings me such pleasure and satisfaction.
And that’s why I love what I create.
It's an excellent question ... it reminded me why I do what I do, and how lucky I am to have something in my life that's so simple, yet brings me so much joy. A perfect headspace to be in as I launch my new site and gallery!
