#2841 "Blue Bird of Paradise"

#2841 "Blue Bird of Paradise"
14 X 18 inches oils on stretched canvas.
Started Saturday, February 17th, 2024 

I have constructed several hundred Peterson Blue Bird houses in my time. There were always construction scraps to turn into something useful. Waste not and want not. The northwest corner of King Township and the Greenbelt has most of those boxes but there are still a hundred within the Singleton Sanctuary. All varieties of birds enjoy the Peterson Blue Birdhouse design. (https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/build-a-bluebird-house/) When my workshop was functional, there would be twenty or more Peterson boxes in construction. There were jigs set up to make every cut perfect. The reward was to see several broods emerge from each Peterson Blue Birdhouse every summer. With climate change, the bluebirds are now year-round residents at Singleton Lake and seem to survive on the cones of red cedars. Bluebirds have been known to live for a decade so the birds that inhabit the sanctuary know us well. 

Blue Bird is supposed to be one word but the two words in the title ensure that the name of this painting is unique. I used a photo taken by my friend John Verburg for this painting. The bluebird sparkled against the autumn colours of the edge of the forest.

By the 1970s, bluebird numbers had declined by estimates ranging to 70 percent. The widespread use of pesticides was certainly a cause. However, unsuccessful competition with invasive species such as house sparrows and starlings is also cited. These birds all compete for nesting cavities. The unspoken elephant in the room is the widespread and serious decline in habitat both in amount and quality. An upsurge in bluebird numbers starting in the 1990s can be attributed largely to a movement of volunteers establishing and maintaining bluebird trails. Cornell University's Laboratory of Ornithology reports bluebird sightings across the southern U.S. as part of its yearly Backyard Bird Count, something that we participate in at Singleton Lake. 

Right to the brush... on the Studio easel

I was thinking of the countless other species that call this portion of the Frontenac Arch Biosphere home as I painted. We are very fortunate to witness nature every day in the Singleton Sanctuary. 

The bluebird is also the inspiration for many songs - not just paintings. "Bluebird of Happiness" is a song composed in 1934. "Bluebird" is another song written by Stephen Stills and recorded by the rock band Buffalo Springfield in 1967. It contains the lyrics "There she sits aloft at perch. Strangest colour blue." 

For this and much more art, click on Pixels or go straight to the Collections. Here is the new Wet Paint 2024 Collection. 

Warmest regards and keep your paddle in the water,

Phil Chadwick