#2757 "Bohemian Triplets"

#2757 "Bohemian Triplets"
20x16 by 1.5 inches 
Canvas Jack gallery wrapped canvas

A flock of Bohemian Waxwings will often pass through the Singleton Sanctuary. The flock might include ten to twenty individuals that seem to really enjoy the small, purple cones on the red cedars. They are a pleasure to watch as the birds bounce, boisterously through the limbs of the forest. They do not stay still in one spot for very long. 

The Bohemian waxwing is a starling-sized passerine bird that breeds in the northern forests of the Palearctic and North America. It has mainly buff-grey plumage, black face markings and a pointed crest. We frequently see a flock of these cheerful and busy birds in the red cedars around our home. It is commonly described as a "passerine" denoting birds distinguished by feet that are adapted for perching, including all songbirds. 

The English name "waxwing" refers to the bright red tips of the secondary feathers on its wings, which look like drops of sealing wax. "Bohemian" alludes to the bird's vagabond-like wanderings, or perhaps to presumed origin from Bohemia. 

The adult Bohemian Waxwing has a grey belly, colourful wings, and cinnamon under tail coverts. In contrast, the adult Cedar waxwing has a yellow belly and white under tail coverts. In addition, when the Cedar Waxwing is perched and viewed from behind, the tertials appear as two vertical white lines going partway up the bird's back. 

I had three palettes on the go for this series of bird paintings. I reserved specific colours for each palette … one for each colour emphasis. It is essential to keep the oils clean. 

Sometimes it is best to relax and charge the batteries before charging the canvas. Art is indeed work and one needs to be well-rested to produce the best effort. The spark of creativity that goes into the brush strokes needs a fully charged battery. If you do not feel the motivation or energy, it is best just to go for a paddle. I had to be patient and wait for this canvas to happen. 

This particular work is based on a terrific photo taken by my friend and naturalist John Verburg. John has graciously encouraged me to work from any of his fine images that chronicle the precious natural environment of the Frontenac Arch Biosphere. John has a gift for capturing the essence as well as the beauty of nature. Achieving these images requires more than skill and knowledge of optics and modern camera technology but also considerable patience waiting for that special moment. Our desire is that upon viewing nature through his photographs and perhaps my art, more people will appreciate the vital importance of protecting the natural world. A healthy habitat takes thousands of years to develop but can be irretrievably destroyed in brief hours under the guise of development. 

So far I have two paintings of Bohemian Waxwings: #2737 "Bohemian Waxwings" and #2757 "Bohemian Triplets". 

I also painted #2738 "Cedar Waxwings" and #2766 "Rainy Day Waxwings". 

For this and much more art, click on Pixels.

Warmest regards and keep your paddle in the water,

Phil Chadwick