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| "Cedar Waxwings" 10"w x 10"h |
Just when I think I've seen every bird there is in northern Minnesota, a new bird flies into town. This spring I had the delightful experience of watching four cedar waxwing couples build nests and eat the remaining berries off the mountain ash in by backyard. I always wondered which bird ate the berries, and I can see why they liked my yard as my trees had many dried berries hanging on their branches. I suppose a full bird bath and multiple bird feeders didn't hurt either. The cedar waxwings have the most interesting feather coloring. On the tips of their wings and tail there is a bright red and yellow, and their bodies have a streamlined look to them, so I could resist painting them, and this piece is titled
Cedar Waxwings and is 10"w x 10"h. They appeared to be very territorial, often chasing away robins, starlings, and any other bird that ventured too close.
They chose to build their nests in the gutters of my house along the upper roofline, and try as I might to change their minds, they just didn't listen to me. A couple weeks later I was treated to the cheep cheeps of baby birds as I drank my morning coffee, and frankly, it was a bit much at times as I'm sure I could also hear the starling and robin chicks squaking for morning breakfast to be delivered. Not every story has a happy ending, however, and after we received a weekend downpour of several inches of rain, the cheep cheeps of the chicks and colorful feathers and song of the cedar waxwings were never heard again. But it still doesn't diminish the wonderful experience I had watching these birds in the trees and lasting impression they made on me.
Please contact Sivertson Gallery in Grand Marais for more information on this piece.
Here is a pair of 6"w x 6"h cedar waxwings that complement a larger piece titled Cedar Waxwings that I shared last week. I departed from my usual minimalistic brushwork to layer the golds on thick in the background. There's something to the color of these birds that compelled me to focus on the background. I know it was the gold bellies of the birds which are full of mountain as berries, no doubt. :) The mountain ashes are in full bloom now, boasting big white bunches of tiny petals. Last year, I was sitting on the deck drinking my coffee when a gentle breeze hit the trees and the little petals all fell down like snow. It was a neat experience, I happened to be at the right place at the right time, and I had to get a new cup of coffee as mine was full of petals. I suppose it's about time to go fill my palette with color and listen to the singing of the songbirds outside, and the soft sound of the brush against the canvas ...
