Gone, but not forgotten
The woods are falling silent. Save for the call of jays and crows and the occasional chatter of chickadees and nuthatches, our songbirds have all flown to summer in the southern hemisphere. So, while it may seem odd to be painting yellow warblers in November, I am not quite ready to take up brown and blue paint and focus on winter birds just yet. This painting began in the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, where I recently sketched yellow warblers perched in display cases. Back at home, I worked from those studies, a variety of photos, and a previous painting of dogwoods to create this piece…a bit of spring to tide us over the long winter ahead until these little beauties return.
Yellow Warbler (female), watercolor on Fabriano soft press 140lb paper, 6”x8”; click to view larger
Arts & Birding– If you like birds, nature, and art, and are looking for fun workshop to improve your skills in either sketching/painting or photography, join me in Maine next June 11-16 for Arts & Birding. This workshop takes place on a beautiful island on the Maine Coast at the Hog Island Audubon Camp. Registration is open and spaces are filling quickly. This is a wonderful place to invest in yourself and your art!
Many thanks to Discover WordPress for featuring Drawn In this week and thanks to all of you who signed on to follow me! Your enthusiasm, nice comments, and likes are terrific!
Drawn In 
Awesome watercolor. Just hits the spot.
Thanks Mike! I am picturing your place– the mountains going from blazing colors to purple, green, and brown. A bit of frost on the wetland (or maybe a lot!). Be well!
Jean,
A sublime piece! And congratulations on being Editor’s Pick on WordPress You’re more than a shining light.
Juanita
Juanita Roushdy President Friends of Hog Island P.O. Box 242 Bremen, ME 04551 http://www.fohi.org 207-529-2355 910-233-8548 (cell)
Friends of Hog Island – Promises made; promises kept.
>
Thanks Juanita– it’s been a good week for art!
There will be spring! Thanks, Jean. Carolyn
Yes! Fall is still lovely here. And I have been painting that too this week. But happy to do the warbler as well.
lovely painting, very peaceful. I look forward to your new posts.
Thanks Vicki!
Congratulations, Jean! You are the highlight of my inbox, I feel fortunate to have discovered you to keep me delighted and inspired! Beautiful warbler!!
Thanks Sheryl! We are a mutual admiration society– I enjoy seeing what you are working on, too!
I’d better get posting, I’m backing up!! 🙂
Hi Jean – Wow! I love your sensitive and thoughtful use of colour and composition in all your works! I do not draw or paint, but I love photography – especially nature and people.
Thanks much, Michael! Glad you like what you see here. I checked out some of your photos and will have to explore more. Quite the goose and especially like the older man with the pigeons!
Ha Ha – Thanks Jean – Check out “Sunflower Sunset” in September Archives – I think it would make a nice watercolour painting.
Truly lovely, Jean … as Autumn colors fade and Winter moves in, it is always uplifting to remember Spring comes next. Dogwood shouts Spring. Thank you for the beauty you create, capture and share. I’m in awe of the softness of the background …
Thanks Jan-Yes, dogwoods are so very much spring! The background is just a wet in wet wash at the very start of the piece.
Fantastic color and the vivid feeling of the little bird-I do not know how to describe…;)
Thanks- I kept the colors very simple– mainly just ultramarine blue, permanent alizarin crimson, and Hansa yellow medium. These three give a lot of variation!
I have not been at my best today, and the soft, hopeful, peace of Yellow Warbler has made me smile. Thank you, Jean.
Thanks Susan– I checked on the print on Friday and I expect it early this week. SO sorry for the long delay! Hope you feel better soon.
No worries! And thanks for the well wishes. It’s just one of those retreat and regroup kind of days, which usually turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
And sort of oriental sensation…a little bit mysterious 🐤🐦
Maybe that’s the dogwood.
Dogwood 山茱萸 en chinois,in Chinese 😋🌸🌺I am Mongolian who can speak Chinese😛 Charming nature & your watercolor
Beautiful yellow warbler! 🙂
Thank you! They are sweet little birds.
Lovely painting, the softness gives it a wonderful dreamlike quality to it, just like a memory.
Yes…I suppose at this point in the year it is part memory and part much too early anticipation. Thanks!
Beautifully done.
Thanks Susan!
So beautiful, so delicate. I love this piece Jean.
Thanks Cindy! I took a risk to approach it this way, but I’m happy with how it turned out. I’ve got to look at my calendar and figure out when we can plan a day together.
lovely
Lovely work. We have a species of bird here in South Africa that comes to mind when I see your painting. The same feeling comes to me when I see your painting as when I see the birds over here, joy.
Keep it up. And I enjoy reading your blog. Thank you, its interesting.
Kind Regards.
Thanks. I’m glad this brought you a bit of joy! Can you tell me something…I notice that you have a blog title, so I went to see what you blog about, but found a blank template. Is this a placeholder, or am I missing something? Thanks!
Awesome….
Thank you!
Wow, that Yellow Warbler is beautiful!
Thanks! I took a risk to do the background that way and it paid off. Glad you like it.