Going through old correspondence and folders of sketches and studies is like walking back in time. So many memories, trips to the American Southwest to study hummingbirds, birding in New Mexico and Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan, countless hours spent wandering forests and marshlands in Ontario making sketches, and canoeing in Algonquin and Killarney Provincial Parks. Memories, so important, something to hold on to as one creeps closer, and closer, to retirement and old age.
Another folder and additional memories unlocked, precious moments to relive.....
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Canada Goose - Pencil Study
It seems that I made many studies of Canada Geese. It wasn't so much that Canada Geese are one of my favourite birds, but the fact that I spent some time down near Kingsville, Ontario, and would visit Jack Miner's sanctuary and observe the geese as they came whiffling in for a landing was cause for many sketches and paintings.
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Chipmunk - Pencil Study
This study was used in a painting commission, actually one of the very few commissions that I ever agreed to do. You see, commissions mean creating a vision other than your own, and often than not there are differences of opinion. Fortunately, in this instance I had a free hand to put together a painting, which fortunately was well received and immediately found a new home.
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| Female Downy Woodpecker - Pencil and watercolour study. |
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Upper - Winter Wren pencil studies.
Lower - Chickadee pencil and watercolour study. |
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| Downy Woodpecker on Suet Bag - Pencil Study 1994 |
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| Woodpecker in Flight - Pencil Study |
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Woodpecker Launching
The previous study, Woodpecker in Flight, became the detailed drawing of a Hairy Woodpecker launching from the trunk of a Maple tree.
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American Kestrel - Pencil Study.
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| Hummingbird - Pencil Study |
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| Barn Swallow Nestlings - Pencil Study |
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Barn Swallow about to land - Pencil Study 1992
I almost made a painting using this study, and the study of the nestlings, but I believe that halfway through the painting I discovered that I didn't like the composition and stopped painting thinking that I would go back to it, but I never did and ultimately, I believe that I destroyed the painting. Sometimes things don't work out, and rather than have a failure follow you around, it's best to simply let go.
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| Red-breasted Nuthatch - Pencil Studies |
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| Red-breasted Nuthatch - Pencil and Watercolour |
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Red-breasted Nuthatch
The previous pencil study became a detailed pencil drawing. |
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| Red-breasted Nuthatch - Pencil Studies |
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White-throated Sparrow - Pencil Study
This is the bird that first attracted me to the most perfect sport in the world - Bird Watching....It's a long story, so I won't get into the details here, but if you search through my 180 odd postings, I'm fairly certain that you will stumble upon my story.
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Detail of the hand-coloured etching "Downy Woodpecker"
I quite liked colouring this etching. Not so much inking and printing he plate, however. There was a tendency to over wipe the plate necessitating the repeating of the process. Hand-colouring, however, allowed for a bit of creativity.
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Poetry anyone..... I don't promise that my poetry or writings are all that great, and some I must admit are a bit discouraging, all about living and dying (what do you expect from an older person), but you may find some interesting. Here's the link.....
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