Cedar Waxwings and the Make-Up Artist

 

"Make Up Artist"
Original in Soft Pastel
10 x 8 inches

Cedar Waxwings get their name from the small red tips on the feathers of their inner wing, which reminded early naturalists of the red sealing wax used on important letters.  The birds' red markings are not wax, of course, but keratin ( the same substance as the rest of the feather) formed into a solid flat tip and decorated with red pigment.  Carotenoid compounds are common in fruits and seeds, and birds' bodies use these carotenoids to produce the range of red to yellow colors in their plumage.

Waxwings eat mainly fruit, and live an itinerant life, moving continuously through the winter.  They spend most of the year in small flocks simply wandering in search of fruit.  They will stay in an area only as long as the fruit lasts, then wander again in search of the next meal.

(From: What It's Like To Be A Bird  by David Allen Sibley)

This painting is inspired by a flock of these beauties that wandered through our backyard eating the berries of our cypress tree... Waxwings are also known to gorge on pyracantha berries and become "drunk" .  Scientists say that pyracantha berries contain hydrogen cyanide, which may act as a mild neurotoxin in birds if consumed in large amounts...

'Tis the season to be merry....

If you are interested in this painting, please visit my website:

DonnaTheresa Fine Art

Eastern Bluebird and the Color of Blue

 

Bluebird and Blossoms

There is no blue pigment in birds-

all blue color is produced by the microscopic structure of the feathers.  If you find a blue feather, you will notice that it is only blue on one side, and it looks drab brownish when light shines through it.  The bluebird's color relies on the same physical principles as iridescent hummingbird feathers, in which a coherent scattering of light reinforces some wavelengths and diminishes others, but the structure behind it is quite different.  Instead of multiple flat layers of material to reflect light, bluebirds have a spongy layer filled with tiny air pockets and channels.  These air pockets are all about the same size, and together they produce a patterned structure with the correct intervals to match the wavelength of blue light.  Waves of blue light scattered from one air pocket will be in phase with waves of blue light from some of the other air pockets.  Light of other wavelengths will be out of phase and mostly invisible.  Because the air pockets are evenly distributed throughout this spongy layer, the effects on light traveling in any direction are the same.

(From: What It's Like To Be A Bird  by

David Allen Sibley)

Hello friends!

Here is an original pastel painting on paper fresh off the easel of an Eastern Bluebird.  These birds can be seen in Southeast Arizona during migration as well.  I remember a birding excursion that my husband planned that took us to this region.  Up at the crack of dawn daily, we ventured out with binoculars and a packed lunch early to avoid the heat of the desert midday.  The vacation included an upgrade to a convertible which was a delightful surprise.  My husband introduced me to the world of birds and birdwatching.  I now find myself most attracted to the rendering of these feathered friends above other genres, and thus I embark on a commitment of weekly renderings of birds I've seen and studied with an accompanying blog post to share in the joy of art and birds.

This piece is available on my website:

donnatheresafineart.com

Staying in the Joy

 

"Bath Time"

What a time this is we find ourselves in.  You think these birds playing in the bird bath know?

Hardly...

I'm a birdwatcher and a painter.  I paint lots of birds. I sip coffee every morning and watch the birds compete for their turn at the bird feeder.  In fact, since no one is coming to visit anytime soon, we decided to turn the matching conversations chairs towards the front window to look out... 

no sense looking at the adjacent room...

JOY

Where can we find it?

I find it in the simplest of things...mostly I find it watching the natural world carry on despite the follies of

the human kind.  I need to turn away from the machinations of the human world to keep my sense of joy...

That's not to say I don't love humans...some humans, that is, like my dear family and friends and the smiling passers-by...

It's just that the busyness of the animal world, the complete abandon to their survival, the fact that to them I'm just another being moving in space...this captures my attention. 

We have taken over the world, we humans, and it's looking like we need to give it back to the birds...and the wildness that once was.  

I would love to know your thoughts....Please take a moment and click here to visit my collections of paintings...Just take a moment and relax and tell me....Do they bring you joy?  I hope so because it's the reason why I create...Take care and be well...

~Donna Theresa 

In the art world, there is a language one must learn. Outline translates to contour. Form to mass. Lightness or darkness of an image to value. Color = hue. In the pastel world, the surface you apply your pastel to is referred to as support.  There are an array of supports one can use... sanded surface, un-sanded surface, prepared surface with a grit substance called gesso.  Each has its own unique properties when receiving the application of pastel. I have tried them all and am convinced that SUPPORT MATTERS... Support matters....in life, too. Sometimes it's the make it or break it moment when the support you ask for is given or not... As a parent of two adult children who are in the productive "making it" phase of their lives, I am their cheerleader. I am their support. Their coach. Every moment is an opportunity to make their day .... or break it. Support matters.  As an artist, I am selective to whom I reach out to for support...Usually it is my fellow artists who offer the best support...they've been there. Making art is a solitary journey...even if you are in a studio full of others making art at the same moment. Each one of us is putting our creative juices out there for everyone to see...and judge. Be kind. Encouragement goes a long way for one to reach success......Support matters.   As a world citizen, how I live and make my footprint on the earth matters to me. I try to portray the beauty of my surroundings with my landscape paintings. I support the earth in my contributions to organizations that matter to me and the world.  https://www.nrdc.org https://earthjustice.org  Please check out these organizations to see the work they do to protect our environment.   Here is a recent painting now available! "Placidly Purple" http://donnatheresafineart.com    I love to paint birds and animals. I am a fierce advocate for humane treatment of all animals big and small. I contribute monthly to this organization and by supporting me you also contribute!  https://www.humanesociety.org "Fur Baby" http://donnatheresafineart.com    As a concerned ally of people of color and marginalized communities, I have intimate knowledge and experience having raised children, now adults, who are different in our world. Of course, to me , they are perfect! Unfortunately, some people perceive others different from them a threat .I support the organization, Southern Poverty Law Center, whose mission is to fight hate and teach tolerance. You can check out their work here: https://www.splcenter.org    I so hope you have continued this far in your reading of my message to you. While I love to share my art with you, I thought it important for you to know who you are supporting when you support me!   I now have fine art prints available in my print shop! The originals of these prints have sold and so I now offer premium giclée prints among other products. Please check it out at: https://geogalleries.com/DonnaTheresaFineArt/   https://geogalleries.com/DonnaTheresaFineArt/15414/img/292579/     https://geogalleries.com/DonnaTheresaFineArt/15414/img/292557/ Thank you for taking the time to read my latest newsletter. Be safe, be well, and take good care of one another.  Much love to you and yours, Donna Theresa

SPRING FLING!

Happy Spring to You!   Hello my friends in art and beauty.... This is just a quick hello to tell you all that I think of you in this uncertain time. Spring is here. The birds are busy building nests and feeding their babies and carrying on despite what is happening to the humans in their world.  Life is going on as it always does...Time continues to march on and life will likely be very different for all of us for some time to come.   I am hoping that you are all healthy and safe and somewhat sane!   I have been very busy in the studio challenging myself to complete a painting a day everyday for the month of April...I'm halfway there! I'm including some of my efforts for you to see and enjoy! My family and I are safe and healthy. The nest is full again with our adult children home from college early...Travel plans needed to be postponed and while that is just some of the disappointments in my little bubble, I cannot complain one bit because I have health and stability and a home full of love and art! These pieces of work I am sharing with you today are mostly small renderings and can be found on my website https://www.donnatheresafineart.com My time as an artist is largely spent in solitude...Life during this time of isolation has been a lesson in patience and gratitude and learning to use very little of everything! I find the silver linings in listening to the birds sing and reading stories of the animal world coming out to play! Perhaps the world is healing a little bit... Hoping you are all well and would love to hear from you!           "Turquoise Powder on a Flower"                              "Joyful"                                     "Waxing Beauty"

A NEW YEAR…A STUDY IN VALUES

Happy New Year my friends in art and life!

I hope this greeting finds you all in good health and good cheer!

Winter is a time for inward reflection for me. Spending more time indoors by a cozy fire with a good cup of coffee and the silence of a winter day allows me to evaluate , reassess, sit, and just be. My exploration of “tonalism” with winter landscape compositions has been my latest painting experience.

Tonalism was a short lived art movement during the early 20th century. Working within a carefully chosen palette of closely related colors, the Tonalists aspired to emulate musicality and inspire contemplation. By arranging color and forms, they believed that landscapes could evoke emotion and suggest deep, cosmic harmonies. Their gentle color schemes and softly brushed contours quickly became popular, influencing musicians and poets. Unlike their contemporaries, such as the Luminists and the Impressionists, the Tonalists favored cool palettes and often chose nocturnal or modest scenes of contemplative quiet. The simplicity and attention to composition found in Tonalism contributed to the abstractions that would develop in 20th-century American modernism.

A limited value range contributed to creating mood and emotion. Value, in art terms, is the lightness or darkness of a particular hue or color.

Using a limited value scale creates a subdued composition with little contrast. It’s much like an overcast winter day. Thus winter landscapes are the ideal way to explore this style. The paintings I share with you here are my attempts in a tonalistic approach to winter landscape.

The new year seems to be the universal time to reflect, renew, re-evaluate….and in this writing as with my previous entries, I often find myself connecting a life as an artist to living life. So many principles correlate.

Values in the human experience can be a compass to a good life. They can be large intangible concepts like kindness and generosity. They can be conditions desired for daily living like a quiet house or a lively one. They can be personality traits you may admire in others. Naming personal values can lead to self awareness and self improvement. I strive to improve in my art practice and in my human practice.

Having said that, I created a mantra for myself:

Be Kind

Be Helpful

No Judgement

No Opinion

What do you value? I would love to hear from you!

As always, I am grateful to share my artful journey with you all and from the bottom of my heart, I wish for you the very best in the New Year.

Cheers!

~Donna Theresa

Summer is Here!

"Gathering" Pastel 15.5 x 11.5 inches

"Ocean Beach"  9 x 12 inches

"Golden Evening" Pastel 9 x 12

In most of the country ( United States ) , summer is hot and sometimes humid...

Here in the coastal haven of Santa Cruz, our summers are naturally cool often waking to foggy mornings that give way to sunshine by midday.

When I first moved to this part of California coming from southern Cal, it was a bit dreary during the summer and I complained..  As time marched on and I aged a bit, I have come to cherish these cool mornings and evenings as it is nature's air- conditioning! I have become less tolerant of heat and so time has placed me in the perfect location!

These recent paintings are my newest additions to my portfolio. Seascapes are a new genre for me and I was spurned on to try them by artist friends and inspiration from other artists in my medium of soft pastel.  I may have found my muse... and to think, the inspiration is in my backyard!

How lucky am I!?

Check out my latest paintings on my gallery page @

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/Artists/donna-theresa-9223

Wishing you a cool summer!