UNIQUE BIRDS AND STILL LIFE PAINTINGS IN OILS
The window in my studio looks out on the garden, where eight bird feeders are stocked with a variety of food. Whenever a coffee break is needed, I sit and watch the birds. So far, I have attracted a wide variety except for a nuthatch and a coal tit, which I’m desperate to see. Both feature in many of my paintings. One day, I began pondering ideas for a painting that combined my love of still life and birds. The first manifestation was a blue tit on a saxophone, a reference to blues music, which I also love. But it brought a few challenges to overcome, because photographing the two together was impossible—and I don’t own a sax! As such, artistic licence was called for, which meant adapting the blue tit’s pose and engineering the lighting. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it so much that I spent many happy hours conjuring up combinations featuring UK garden birds, many of which had a humorous narrative.
Birds and wellies. Oils on canvas.
This idea came whilst I was in my wellies and putting seeds in a bird feeder.
Warbler on a cello. Oils on canvas.
The red wood and the play on the word "warbling" made this painting.
Coal tits and a miner’s lamp. Oils on canvas
I saw the Davey lamp in an antique shop, and adding the coal tits created a story.
Hummingbird on a cello. Oils on canvas.
The perfect combination.
The envious wren. Oils on canvas.
Sometimes size does matter.
Cresting the rise. Crested tit on cherries. Oils on canvas.
Curiosity. Black cap and nuthatch. Oils on canvas.
The central composition and simplicity draws the eye to the birds.
Old Man River. Oils on canvas.
After I came up with the title, I couldn’t stop hearing the song in my head!
The poser. Oils on canvas.
This painting is a humorous take on my love of painting birds.
Bullfinches on a milk churn. Oils on canvas.
The combination brought a smile when I painted this.
Intrigue. Black cap and nuthatch. Oils on canvas.
These two chaps feature in a few of my paintings because they are amongst my favourite birds.
Ownership. Coal tit on strawberries. Oils on canvas.
The blues. Blue tit on an acoustic guitar. Oils on canvas.
I love birds, blues music, and playing the guitar, so why not paint about it?
Blue tit on an old saxophone. Oils on canvas.
I painted a tarnished, well-used sax for this, taken from a photograph of an old street performer
Trill. Coal tit on a trumpet. Oils on canvas.
Trill is both a trumpet technique and a brand of birdseed.
The eyes of innocence. Oils on canvas.
Last year, my seedlings were scoffed by doves, so I decided to make use of them!
Merlin on the sword in the stone. Oils on canvas.
Inspired by a bolt in a broken concrete block. And, my son’s second name is Merlin!
Singing the blues. Blue tit and microphone. Oils on canvas.
One of two microphone paintings. The other, is a kingfisher titled, ‘Cry me a river.’