An Attwater Prairie chick. The feather dusters give them a place to snuggle and to hide.
Thanksgiving may be behind me, but my gratitude for you still looms large. As 2023 begins its frantic culminating days, I can’t help but to look back and be amazed at the many blessings it bestowed upon me. Mother Nature has given me countless moments of inspiration and opportunities to ponder her largesse. New friends and old have come to see me at art & craft events. Shoppers have purchased my art in one form or another at Spiritual Rose, Hummingbird Fine Craft, and Gigi’s Hair Salon. You have read my blog and followed me on social media, and your patronage has not gone unnoticed. It encourages me to follow successes with experiments and failures with more experiments.
The year has also dealt a few blows, none harder than losing Django unexpectedly at Easter. And while we miss him and Carter everyday, we are finally beginning the search for a new four-legged companion.
Before I get distracted by the possibilities inherent in 2024, I have a few projects to wrap up in the next couple weeks. Namely, the 2023 Christmas art. I have Christmas art in the shop right now, but my most recent additions are still in the studio. A new Scissortail Flycatcher holiday art piece and an Attwater Prairie Chicken.
A what?! An Attwater Prairie Chicken! These birds look like Totoro and a bunny and a bird- all at the same time! When you hear one boom and see one perform a stomp dance to attract a mate, you can’t help but be transfixed! I had an amazing opportunity to visit Sutton Avian Research facility toward the end of the hatching season this Spring. I got to see the incubation rooms, newly hatched chicks, and adults passing time in the yard. The team at Sutton is helping to re-establish wild populations of this endangered bird. They are ground birds who live on the prairies among the tallgrasses.
I am not alone in my adoration of these birds who look as though they would prefer to be a rabbit. In fact, I admitted to a customer at Wildflower Cafe Art Market this summer that I intended to create some prairie chicken inspired art. It took a few months to get there, but I am in the midst of a Prairie Chicken holiday card. It’s no partridge in a pear tree, but hopefully you will give it a place in your holiday festivities this year.
The card to the right, the Scissortail with the Jingle Bells is art I created late last year. It began as black ink lines, like the work-in-progress pictured below. I then painted it in Photoshop.
To max out its impact, I have printed this card on ultra glossy heavy paper. It shines like jingle bells should! You will find this card and other holiday cards at Hummingbird Fine Craft.
In the Studio
As for the Scissortail Flycatcher holiday art- there are actually two “new” artworks. The first is the Scissortail with the jingle bells and it is available now. I created it last year as part of an ink challenge. But it was too late for the holiday season. This year I designed a second Scissortail holiday artwork. After composing it, I decided to use ink again. I like the quite deliberate process of inking. But in the spirit of experimenting, I will be watercoloring over the ink lines. If I don’t like it- I will simply start again. No biggie.
A close up of the watercolor art of the Attwater Prairie Chicken.
…and a Prairie Chicken in a Holly Wreath… holiday greeting card
Inked lines on watercolor paper. I will add paint this week.
What I’m Reading
- Circe by Madeline Miller – I love mythology! I love stories that build on literature we already know and love. So this book has been a joy to read.
- Food for Life by Tim Spector Yes, I am still reading this one. It’s a sizable tome, but it is actually an easy read. I spread it out amongst my other activities- like all reading. The chapter on bread was AMAZING.
- TheTriumph of the Moon by Ronald Hutton This one is going to be a true marathon! It’s a look at the history of paganism/witchcraft (specifically in Britain). It begins with etymology and promises to be a fascinating read.)
