#7 Study: Two Looks of Buster

5" x 7" Oil on gessoed paper

This is our oldest pigeon, Buster.  As he has aged his coloring has gotten much darker and his beak now has a tiny hook at the end. He always looks a little surly to me.  The right look is a little odd but I kind of like it.  My son said it looked like two pigeons were looking in a window at us.

These were my preliminary sketches-

#6 Pigeon Study

6 1/2 " x 3 3/4" Oil on linen mounted on panel

I read that they have clocked a racing pigeon at 92.5 mph!  We don't race our pigeons, we just raise and care for them as pets. I originally wanted to start a carrier pigeon club for kids where participating families would trade pigeons then send them off to fly home with a message. Imagine getting a message from a friend via pigeon! I think it would be amazing but it's a hard sell---it's work and commitment to care for pigeons. I haven't found another family up for the adventure yet. So for now, we're content to have them bobbing about our yard, with watching them take baths and with hearing their coo's throughout the day.

#5 Portrait Study of a Pigeon

4 1/2" x 4 1/2" Oil on linen mounted on panel

In the previous post, I liked the way I painted the back pigeon more than the front one. So today I really tried to focus on suggestive marks rather than detailed.  Before I started painting, I drew several sketches and I think it helped me get the tight rendering need out of my system.

These are my preliminary sketches done in pastel. The bottom left is the last of the four I did and the one I decided to base my painting on.

 

#4 Study of Two Pigeons on the Roof

10" x 8" oil on stretched canvas


That's Beetle in the back. I'm happy to report that she was out flying today and seems to be doing well.

Portrait Study of Beetle

6" x 5" Oil on panel

This is our juvenile pigeon named Beetle that we've been nursing back to health. She's been recuperating in a big cage on our porch which gave me the perfect opportunity to observe her closely and attempt this little study. When pigeons are young their eyes are tannish brown. As they age they become more and more yellow-orange.  Her eyes just starting turning this week.

Coffee Cup and an Incoming Storm

4 1/2"  x  6 3/4", oil on linen mounted on panel

About twenty years ago I went to this giant city garage sale and this little cup was the only thing I came away with.  It's one of my favorite cups for tea.

Pink Soap

7" x 5" oil on panel

Study: Unintended Two

3 3/4" x 3 1/2",  oil on linen mounted on panel

This was a quick study of originally three tangerines. The third was on the right with its peel detached and curling down.  I was barely into the painting when the peel began to distort--- a lot.  I thought I could remember how it was but with just a few wrong brush strokes it looked too weird. I tried to fix it but it began to lose the sketchy and thinly painted quality I was aiming for---now the right was over worked in comparison to the left.  Darn it. I liked the composition and I liked so much of the linen exposed which I couldn't then fix.  I put it aside and was about to toss it when I thought, what it I just cut it off. And there you have, my unintended tiny painting of two tangerines.

Opened Tangerine

                    

4 1/8" x 4", oil on linen mounted on panel

I've painted a lot of tangerines, but I thought this one really had appeal.  Thanks for coming, I'll be here all week.

Tangerine Seeds

4" x 4 1/2", oil on linen mounted on panel

These sweet, small tangerines have an average of thirty seeds each. I ended up juicing most of them, but we did eat lots as well.  I only have a handful left and they're looking a bit tired. Maybe one or two paintings more…. I know---you can buy them at the store, but not like these, these are special: handpicked, lumpy, bright leaves, long stems, full of seeds, super tasty.

Study of Three Tangerines

3 3/4" x 6 1/2", oil on linen mounted on panel

Lone Tangerine

5"x 3 1/2", oil on linen mounted on panel

I tried again with the black and blue background and painting at night with one light source. Usually I have my still life set up within arm distance from me but his time I placed it about eight feet away.  I liked it this way, I'm going to explore this more though, I'm sad that my tangerines are on their way out---I only have a few remaining with their leaves intact.

A single tangerine

5" x 3 1/2",  oil on linen mounted on panel

This one I painted in the evening with only one light source which made it easier to see the contrast. The previous tangerines were painted during the day with light from two opposing windows. I'm going to keep painting these guys to see if I can figure out how to arrive at one I really like.

Lunaria #4

11" x 8", oil on paper

I'm preparing for a show in November so I won't be posting much for the next few weeks….

Frog Toy

4" x 6", oil on canvas panel

I've always been fond of this wooden pull toy and have thus held onto as it has collected dust. So this is a small, parting portrait before this guy is passed along to another family...

Revisiting

Stand Oil

7" x 5", oil on panel

I had painted this same stand oil bottle when it was new a couple years ago.  I recently came across that painting and I remembered I was never that happy with it.  So, on this overcast, rainy day, I painted over it---the new got some character, slimmed down and hopefully transformed into a better painting. Below was my first attempt :

2012

Raspberries

 in an espresso cup...

4" x 6" oil on canvas panel

6" x 4 1/2" oil on panel


A break from the Lunaria to do a little still life of an old can of bird seed.  In the yellow circle on the actual can (too tiny to paint) it reads " Hartz Mountain Bird Foods are Guaranteed by Good Housekeeping as advertised therein"---I love the "advertised therein". The can is from 1935---such pleasant graphics.

Lunaria #3

8" x 6",  Oil on paper (paper 14" x 11")

And another Lunaria cutting in a little handmade vase from our friend Chris Campbell ….

Lunaria #2

8" x 6" Oil on paper (paper 14" x 11")

Another Lunaria cutting...