Sunday, November 9, 2008

Birds are Keeping Me Company Today


"The Basis for a Finch Painting"
Sketch in Pencil and Pen & Ink




"Winter Companions"
Digital Watercolor Collage


I think in a past life I was either a flower or a bird, as I always feel a deep connection to each of them. Lately, I've been focusing on birds as flowers seem to have departed now to let Old Man Winter make his presence known. Also, I have been requested to work on several bird images nestled into a snowy, winter scene, so I'm sure this has influenced my decision to focus on birds as well. (Balancing what my soul wants to do with what the public wants from me, a delicate dance, indeed). I started with a pencil drawing accented with pen & ink. (I was in a serious mood at the time and trying to be precise). Then I decided to color the birds via the computer process, but that got too complicated. Then the fun voice within me kicked in, said "Enough already, Take a Break, It's Playtime" and the second painting above emerged. I combined several birds from past creations and then really worked with my imagination on a background. The two different sparrow sizes happened because I like to vary images. And better yet, maybe my growth as an artist can be depicted by the larger bird. Who knows? I sure do like to psychoanalyze myself regarding creativity, but I'm told to write about my passion, my love, so soul-searching ponderings are evident in some shape or form. I think my ideal career would be psychoanalyzing creative pieces, hm, a thought!!!! And they could be a captive audience, not speaking back to me. I like that even better.

I am beginning to like doing backgrounds. It's actually challenging to fill up the whole paper. Perhaps it helps me to make a more complete statement now about what I am creating. And from a psychological point of view, (can't keep my shrink voice quiet), the Whole is the Sum of its Parts, a gestalt kind of thing. I find that I am taking various parts of myself and putting them together, like a puzzle piece, into whatever I put down on paper. Well, I've certainly got off the track in creating my finch images, but I cannot control my creative process and I would not want to.

5 comments:

Doris said...

They are beautiful birds and are so very satisfied with your representation of them.

Soulsearcher said...

Your birds are beautiful and I always enjoy your reflection on your art and your creativity. I think you are learning a great deal about yourself through your creative endeavors. Keep it up! I miss you guys; did you decide to meet on Tuesday? I haven't heard anything...

Marjorie said...

I like your bird grouping and the interesing branch like background. It breaks up the space nicely and the texture is nice. Just enough to finish the picture. Love the blues!
Seagull

Tao Master said...

That posting was for the birds, but in a good way. I am glad to see that you are bringing more creations into the world. Thank you. We need all the beauty we can get.
Tao master

Laura said...

Love the watercolor winged ones! and the sketches too!
~v~