Mourning Colors

Remember this photo? This is a mourning dove resting on a branch outside my window.
I love his pose. That's what mourning doves do. They flop on a branch and leisurely look around. They take their time and just chill.

Sometimes I need to just chill. I know so many other people that also would benefit from just chilling. LOL.

Here is my interpretation of Mr. Mourning Dove chillin' on his branch, happy as a bird on a branch could be, in all his colors!

This watercolor is 9x12. I let loose once again and assigned colors that aren't realistic.

He likes it that way.

So do I!

Welcome Spring Watercolor

I don't know...this maybe hopeful wishing because there is still snow on the ground, but today I felt inspired to paint this picture from earlier this month.....



Remember this post on "evidence of spring"?
Now in my painting, I used my artistic license and made the female sparrow larger and the birdhouse a little smaller, removed the wood fence background, and added nice watercolor drip marks representing rain for the spring season.
Oh it's so much fun to paint!

This watercolor painting is called "Welcome Spring" and will be on display at the LaGrange Art Gallery on March 31 through May 2nd 2008. If it does not sell, it will be made available after May 4th on Christine Kane Art.

I have taken on a part time job as a newsletter editor as well as holding down my full time job. This may cause me less time on the computer as I am realizing there are too little hours in a day! Posting may decrease, I hope everyone understands.
Thank you!

Watercolor Winter Tree

This is a watercolor painting I did after I was inspired at the Little Red Schoolhouse yesterday. It is called, "Little Red Schoolhouse Winter Tree" and was painted on a 12x9 piece of watercolor paper.
There are a few main things I wanted to bring out in this painting. First, I love the shape of the oak and how our heavy snow storm has left a few inches on all major branches. Second, I love the amber grasses peaking through the snow, that was real fun to paint, flick, flick, flick! Third, I also love a misty background and the snow covered fence.
Here is the actual photo I used for reference.....


As you can tell, the real photo does not have a misty background. That's when you just whip out you artistic license! Now the oak doesn't have to compete with the background trees.
I think there must be a painting hiding in every square foot of the Little Red Schoolhouse grounds, it is an endless source of inspiration for an artist, poet, writer, and hiker!

"Little Red Schoolhouse Winter Tree" watercolor painting is available on Christine Kane Art.

P.S. Don't forget to vote tomorrow!

Autumn Tree with Nest

I absolutely love when autumn trees look like this. I made my poor cousin take this picture from her phone before work one day.
I saw a million reasons right away, why I had to have this one on "film". I knew when driving by that I wanted to paint this tree someday because I fell in love with the way all it's leaves have dropped right below itself, I fell in love with the way the top is bare and the lower branches are clinging on to leaves yet, I feel in love with the yellow color and I also fell in love with the November sky behind it. This morning was a typical November morning with a little drizzle, with clouds meaner than they really are, and cool temperatures. My favorite.
Do you know what else attracted me to this tree? The fact that it looks like all the autumn trees Charles Schulz painted in his "Peanuts" cartoons! My all time favorite cartoon.


In my interpretation, the top of the tree has a nest exposed remember the post on exposed tree nests?
I had to give it one even though this tree really didn't have a nest. I pulled out my artistic license right here! This painting is also an action shot, see the leaf falling from the tree? LOL.

Any who, I'm please at how this watercolor turned out, not overworked at all, just the right amount of paint and light. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving and a lot of turkey leftovers!

For more info on how to purchase this painting click here.

Henry Immortalized in Watercolors

Henry shall live on! Forever! He is now immortalized and embedded in watercolor paper. Because I love him so, I painted him balancing on the suet feeder cage from the post a week ago or so. I sprayed the background with a misting water bottle sprayer, so that it was a little "out of focus" and Henry was able to come in loud and clear.

I love the patch of red on his head. Do you know Emeril, the cooking guy chef? Do you know how he says, "BAM!" When he throws in some spice?" Well, that is exactly what I said when I painted the red male trait part of Henry's head!

Anyway, I'm pleased at how he turned out. If I wasn't, I would have said so!
Henry is available for sale by clicking here.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Turkey Day tomorrow! Enjoy it with your family and friends.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Poison Autumn

Yesterday I painted this poisonous mushroom three times. When you don't succeed the first time, try, try again. Well I guess three's a charm, because I finally got it. Like I've said before, "You don't control the watercolors, the watercolors control you." The trick is to make it look airy and light and my previous attempts were much too overworked. We don't like anything overworked.
My inspiration for this painting was from a photo that Kurt took of this mushroom he found by his cottage in Wisconsin this autumn. He is a very talented photographer!
I am in the process or redesigning my web site, hopefully by the end of this week it will be up and running. This painting will be for sale on the new site.
PS Don't eat this mushroom!!!

Red Breasted Nuthatch Beauty

Yesterday a red breasted nut hatch landed on my suet feeder. I can't prove it because I didn't have my camera, so I painted his watercolor picture! At the time he landed, a male downy woodpecker was having breakfast, so the little nuthatch hopped around excitedly, but was too impatient to wait it's turn so he flew away. Little Stinker. That's OK, I'm sure he'll be back when I still don't have my camera.

Let's Learn About the Red Breasted Nuthatch:

In Chicago, only around in winter as opposed to white breasted nuthatch (year round).
Tiny bird 4.5 inches.
Black cap on head and black bandit eyes.
Chestnut-Russet colored tummy.
Hops down a tree head first, not up a tree.
Wedges seeds in crevices to hatch with bill.
Eats seeds, insects, & suet.

Thank you little red breasted nuthatch for your visit, please come again soon and stay much longer!

Artistic License

Inspired by the Orange Jewel Weed from the other day, I decided to paint a little watercolor picture and write a poem, giving their trumpets reason to sound.

As His gentle breath breathes,

They begin to wave and nod.

Their trumpets make a sound

Of Autumn growing near.

Not to human ears they sound…

But to bees, to trees, and the deer.

“Find food fast my friends.

For Autumn’s hold is broad.”

“Least she finds you not prepared

And leaves you nothing but awed.”

In this poem, I tried to describe how the jewel weed's trumpets warn the animals and plants to prepare for the coming cold. And how does the trumpets sound? By the breath of God of course. Now, I know that probably doesn't really happen, but I'm using an artistic license to escape reality and create whatever I want! HA. It's soooo much fun to use an artistic license, it never expires and you renew it every time you use it. I highly recommend using yours. Don't worry if you feel as if you don't have one yourself, you're never to old to receive one!

Start Collecting Those Leaves!

It's 60 degrees right now! I love it. The smell of Autumn is definitely in the air and with it sparks an energy of excitement in the atmosphere. Gone are the sweaty dog days of summer. Good ridden! I love my garden like the next guy and the long hours of sunlight, but an uncontrollable serge of happiness overtakes me when I see the first autumn leaf float to the ground. I will actually run to tell people. My neighbor has several black walnut trees. For some reason they're the first in the neighborhood to loose its leaves. Unseasonably early actually, I notice them start to fall in early August. That only gets me more excited about fall!
Anyway, on one of my walks, I picked up this sugar maple and white oak leaf that I ended up making a painting of. I like the insect eaten sections. One from the upper right hand side and a hole right beneath it. Insect evidence is beautiful. Nothing should be perfect I believe. Blemishes give character and makes for a more interesting subject. And it's real. There is such joy in things that are not fake.
Even though I like these paintings, the watercolors ended up being a little too tight for what I wanted. I was searching for a more flowing, free feel to it. It's amazing how attitude transfers into a painting. I painted this in the morning after much caffeine, mistake number one. I had a lot of running around to do that day and I think I was stressed, mistake number two. Lesson learned: Don't force a painting out before it's time!
I still like them and I'm thankful for the talent God has given me. I hope it brings autumn happiness to many. Start collecting those leaves now before they're gone with a blast from winter's breath!

Watercolor Goldfinch

Here is the male American Goldfinch. I painted this over the week-end. There is a happy accident going on here, which unfortunately you can't see because the scanner didn't pick it up. A happy accident is when you make a mistake that turns out good instead of bad. My mistake was that I mixed my green color with a little yellow that had glitter in it. Actually it's Iridescent Medium, Winsor & Newton, you mix it with your watercolor paint and it makes it nice and shimmery. It's very subtle and not obnoxious. It was on my pallet from the last watercolor painting of the meteor.

The male Goldfinch makes me happy and glitter makes me happy. I always buy Hallmark, or whatever brand cards, with glitter on it. My Christmas cards, if it has snow, better have glitter on it. It's just better.

So, after this watercolor dried and I realized the forest was shimmery, I was ever so glad, because the American Goldfinch brings happiness where ever he goes!

Here is an appropriate verse:
"I know every bird of the mountain, and everything that moves in the field is Mine." PS 50:11

God knew my happy accident before I made it. He knew which direction this goldfinch was going to face before I painted it. He knew whether I was going to hate it or like it and I'm glad. He's always in control and I'm not, nor do I want to be. Let's take comfort in knowing we have a God that is in control, even if it sometimes feels like He's not, and we can turn to Him for strength when we've run out.

It's Coming!

Yes that's right, I can smell it in the air. That distinctive swirl of leaves, the dance which releases an earthy aroma and the playful sounds of leaf "tag" fills the air. Who doesn't get excited over Autumn? I can actually see some change start at the tips of some branches even though the official start of autumn is still a month away. People in the North are probably enjoying even more color change than Chicago right now, because Autumn arrives earlier for them. I love Autumn, it's my favorite season by far. So here is a little watercolor pencil and ink tree to enjoy in order to hold you over until you can start to see the color change in your area. Let's celebrate Autumn, it comes and goes too fast!

He Visits Me at Dusk

This is a watercolor I did from the picture I took a couple days ago of my friend the cardinal. He visits me everyday right at dusk, when I think its too late for birds to be out. I love him.
I love watercolors too, although my favorite is pastels. Pastels because of the pure pigments in your hands, they translate such bright and true color; and watercolor because they're free and mysterious. You don't really have total control of the watercolor. It's like a compromise dance, I place you here (the color) and it moves where it wants. Don't get me wrong, artists can control watercolors and make a photo realistic painting, but if I want a photo, I'll take a photo. Let the paint be free and lose a little control and you'll be pleasantly surprised by the outcome. When you release control the painting gains emotion. Very fun.

Here is a little poem about the cardinal, I hope you enjoy:

He visits me at dusk,
To bid to me goodnight.
I hear him in the pines,
Of scarlet his disguise.
He brings me to the window,
A smile acquired at sight.
I'll look for you tomorrow,
My little fleeting prize.
© 2007 c.kane

If you would like to enjoy more paintings and poems, you can visit :
http://www.christinekaneart.com
Enjoy nature and enjoy what God has made you!

Going to the Country for Meteors

Saturday, I took a trip to my uncle's house in Grant Park, IL., so that I can view the meteors on their greatest viewing days, August 11 & 12. Because I live 20 minutes from Chicago, the sky is lightened by all the city lights, making the stars pretty dim. Grant Park is in the middle of nowhere. Nice farm land and dark skies. I first went out at 9pm and spotted a really fast meteor out of the corner of my eye. Wow wee! After about 10 minutes, another. Yeah boy! I kept hearing on the news that the best time to view is after 3am. 3am! OK, I'm doing it. I set my alarm, and quickly got out of bed when it went off. I was so excited. I stepped outside and what's this??? 70% cloud cover, and quickly more clouds coming! OH NO. Luckily, I viewed two more meteors before 3:23am when the clouds took over. By 4am we had a thunderstorm with high winds, I didn't want to think the "T" word (tornado), but I was thinking the T word on a count that I was literally in the middle of nowhere! Thank God none of the sort happened.

August is for the month for meteors and also the month of "The Tears of St. Lawrence." St. Lawrence (Laurentius) was a Christian deacon who was martyred by the Romans in 258AD. He was burned alive and the meteors have become known as St. Lawrence's fiery tears.
Interested, I decided to look up what it says in the bible about stars. I found 2 references about God and His stars:

"He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name." Ps 147:4

"...He calls them all by name.... Not one is missing." Is 40:26

All are named. All. I could not have counted them all if I tried. Then I remembered another counting verse. Jesus was trying to explain how much God loved us when he said, "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." Matt 10:30. We are very fortunate and sometimes in the rush of things, forget.
I couldn't take a picture of the meteors, so I painted this watercolor called, "St. Lawrence Tear."
More country pictures tomorrow.