Bird Paintings– Every Little Thing, DAY 18

Kingfisher, 6×6, oil on gessboard $75, SOLD

A good friend introduced me to the kingfisher bird yesterday.  She’s British (so obviously everything she says oozes with intellect and sophistication), and she described this particular bird as “England’s fishermen”.  I love the way birds (among many other things) remind us of both physical and emotional spaces and pull at us.

I am so grateful to everyone who has supported me in this 30 in 30 challenge and a little shocked at the number of people who have been following it.  Yesterday’s painting was inspired by a text and so was today’s.  My British friend wrote,  “I love your art and the new birds that show up on my instagram are peaceful and hopeful to me”.  I couldn’t help but think of the pelicans I used to watch obsessively when I was grieving the loss of my pregnancies and uncertain about the future.  Pelicans were, more than anything, hopeful to me.  The thought that one of my paintings could be similarly hopeful makes me want to paint every day for the rest of my life.  But then I remember that it’s only day 18 of my 30 in 30 and, well, this is bloody hard.

I painted this bird thinking about hope.  And wouldn’t you know the first song to come on my pandora station as I began was Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds”.  Don’t worry.  Every little thing is gonna be alright.

I believe that now.  Thanks, ya’ll.  You know who you are.

I got a lot of great feedback on yesterday’s progress photos so I’ve included a couple here.  I will say, I got really wrapped up in this one and forgot about photographing it.  I only have two.