The Painting of a Chipping Sparrow```By MysticSilks

We began with a blank canvas, of course,covered it with white gesso.

Then I used a photo of a Chipping Sparrow perched on a branch of cherry blossoms.

Most of the background had been blurred,so that all the eye could see was a pink and green mist, then the sparrow perched upon the cherry branch.

I added a pale sun in the upper right hand corner of the painting: I seldom see a sun in a painting.

A strange idea crossed my mind in that there are plenty of paintings with a full moon, and different phases of the moon.

So in a thousand years , if people are still about, they will know of the moon. But perhaps they will wonder why so few paintings with a sun? So, I painted in the pale sun.

Painting the body of the bird was not as much of a challenge as painting the details of the head. You see in one photo where the head has yet to be painted on the body of the bird: I studied the photo of the head for many days and went back for five days adding a contrast here and there;making sure the eye had the light of life in it.

After I was pretty much finished, and I use that phrase, because I have the tendency to go back again and again, adding a touch of color , changing an angle, adding another leaf, or flower. I attached a real bird feather to the lower right hand corner of the painting, then photographed the painting. The feather looked so in its place, that I actually painted a feather in that corner.

I'd say I am pretty satisfied.

This painting is for sale on: http:mysticsilks.etsy.com/

Thank you for reading--:)

This Post Is For The Birds~~~By MysticSilks

It's towards the end of February, the longest yet shortest month of the year.

What makes it feel like the longest month? The seemingly long cold, snowy months of winter that precedes February.

It's the time of year , when the color of the snow left on the ground is the grayest and dirtiest: The time for " Over The River and Through The Woods" or " I'm Dreaming of A White Christmas" feeling is long gone.

It sounds like I am complaining; I can can feel me whining.

I wait longingly to hear the sounds of Blue birds, Robins, and the perky chittering of the Wren as she gathers twigs, stray pieces of yarn, and soft strands of animal fur to build her nest. The Wren is my favorite bird.

She is industrious, fastidious, and knows what she wants.

I had a wren house that housed the same wren and her yearly brood of chicks for many years.

One year a lonely chick-a-dee unfortunately came in early spring to claim the Wren's house. She built a nest and laid an egg. When she flew out of the bird-house, I did not see any mate standing guard till the female returned.

About a week later Mrs. Wren came to set up housekeeping. The chick-a-dee was out. The Wren popped in the birdhouse and began tossing nesting material out of the hole. Up she'd pop with a twig, some dried hay, and then, and then pieces of egg;she threw it all out. The little chick-a-dee returned , flew into the house. Soon she hopped out on the ledge with the most confused look on her face;she kept looking towards the hole. Can birds look sad? I swear this one did, or was I over sympathizing with the chick-a-dee?

Soon Mrs Wren did a dive bomb towards the chick-a -dee, and she flew off in dejected resignation. The Wren set to the business of building her nest, and chittering away for a mate. In a week or so she had a few interested suitors and finally there were Wren eggs in the nest. When she or her mate were away from the bird-house the other stayed behind. If anything threatening, such as our cat came near her house she, or the mate would chitter and dive bomb which would scare away any preditor. I didn't know the Wren could be such a little warrior.

She's got my respect.

Oh, the painting of the hot air balloons can be seen at: http://mysticsilks.etsy.com/