A bit of weaving
Grass and twigs, pine needles and spider webs, plant fibers and lichen, pen and paint. We weave our nests over hours and days, the birds and I. The birds, of course, are the first artists. I’m just picking it up where they left off, in awe of the fine details and beautiful forms they’ve created.
Tips and Techniques- Sketched with a Micron 005 sepia pen and painted with combinations of ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, raw sienna, and burnt umber. Nests from the collection of the New York State Museum.
Drawn In 
I have many nests (fallen from trees
Exquisite nests and pages, Jean! The tireless efforts of the birds and you are worth every minute. I could stare at bird nests and your paintings for hours. Thx for sharing!Barb M Sent from my Galaxy
Thanks Barb. The museum collection has been a real gift. I photographed about eight from my visit to work with. I hope to go back for more.
Your nests are one of my favorite paintings!
I wonder if you take pictures then paint at home from the images and some preliminary sketches done on site. There is a nature center close to our home. I’d like to try drawing and weaving paint brush washes. My eye is not as refined as yours, nor is my hand as skilled with washes but….i am inspired to try. Thank you for sharing the beauty of natures finest artwork.
I like finding nests in the field (right around this time of year when the leaves fall and they are revealed) and drawing them outdoors. When I do that I often take photos and paint inside. For this page, I visited the museum and photographed there. I encourage you to try it. The more you do, the better you’ll become at looking and drawing. Nature center collections are a great source!
Very beautiful!!!! And nature is the best artist and teacher!!💖
Thanks Margaret!
Beautifully done, both you and the weavers. I learned that some birds will incorporate a piece of plastic (to imitate snake skin) sometimes in an attempt to scare off predators. Pleased to see the Blue Gray Gnatcatcher nest as I have been visited by this handsome little bird a few times.
I’ve seen bits of plastic in house sparrow nests. I have only seen the gnatcatcher nest in museum collections. It would be a stroke of luck to find one in the field!
Beautifully captured Jean! You have a magical way of bringing us all there with you.
Thank you Mary. That’s very sweet of you to say.
Incredible images! Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful work with us!
Thanks for following!
Love the layers you built in these painting. There is so much to see and look at from sticks to shadows to the curling of leaves. Thanks for sharing these. Do you know the ages of these nests? or when they were add to the museum?
Hi Joanne- There’s always a lot going on in a nest! These are old, dating from about 1890 to 1920.
So calming, beautiful, peaceful… Thank you
Much appreciated, Chris!
Wonderful drawings of beautiful nests, how fabulous it is that you are able to source them and draw them! You and the birds are truly masters of your art and craft. I love them.
I loved having a chance to go behind the scenes of the museum’s collection — it’s full of treasures.
these are just so lovely !!!
Thank you!
Jean, these are so beautiful – one of my favorites of yours!! I love birds nests too, and I have a couple which were abandoned on our property. I cherish them (and I draw them). With warm wishes,Janice Anthony
Thanks so much Janice. They are a wonderful thing to find, study, and draw.
There is a lifetime of inspiration in birds nests! These are wonderful Jean.
Thanks Anna!
Wonderful weaving, Jean!
Just beautiful. Do you make a spread like that over a few days or do you try to finish it in one sitting?
I often need more than one sitting— in part because I don’t have time to complete it all at once but also because it’s helpful to take breaks when working on something complex or detailed. It helps me come back with fresh eyes.