Small Yard Bird Etchings

Here are a few of my small yard bird etchings. See what you think. This one is titled "Humming Along" It has an embossed border. It measures 6" x 8"These etchings are printed on 100% rag paper. I created the image on a zinc plate. Then I ink this zinc plate and wiping off the excess ink. Then the plate is put on my French tool press and pulled through.

Here is Spangles measuring 2 1/2" x 8"

and Cardinal Time measuring 4"x6"

Time to be Born 3"x4" &

Waiting for Mom, 2"x3'
American Redstart, image area 5"x7", You Rang image area , Common Yellowthroat COYE 5"x7"

Pine Warbler image 5"x7" Yellow-throated Warbler image 5"x7.





I hope you enjoy the images as much as I enjoyed creating them.

Sketching project continues

We have had a lot of duck right off Jekyll. Here is one of my sketches.

Yesterday I watched several Clapper Rails at the Jekyll Island Visitor Information Tower. Here a quick sketch.

Here is one more I worked on November 24.

Yellowthroat in the weeds

Sat down and did a little drawing today. This was a piece from the last studio session. Common Yellowthroats tend to blend into their surrounding. When I saw these plants I was intrigued by how wispy they were in the fields. There is always one or two Common Yellowthroats flitting around them in migration.

Great show inspires new art

I belong to a great group of creative artists. Last weekend our group, Georgia Coastal Artists, held our fall show at Glynn Art Association on St. Simons Island. It is a very quiet time of year but still a few people came to look and buy. Today, Ella Cart brought a painting to work on while sitting with her work. She invited me to get some paper and join her. Well, I looked in the van and found paper. What was I going to draw? I always have a sketch book so I took one of the sketches a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron. I started but I needed some native plants, so I walked around the building. Low and behold, there was beautiful fall red Virginia Creeper and palmetto. Here is what came out of the afternoon. Thanks Ella that was fun.

Art show November 12 & 13 on St. Simons Island Georgia

It is time to show off what I been working on lately. Drop by Glynn Art Association for our Georgia Coastal Artists Show and Sale. Glynn Art is in the village near the lighthouse on St. Simons Island, Georgia.

Sketching project

I am making time everyday to get back to sketching live wild birds, here is one of my sketches from last week. Practice, practice, practice.

Monotypes from Late July Studio session

Here are three monotypes that came out of the late July studio session. My french tool press is a wonderful press. I am always amazed at nature and the patterns it provides if we just look.

Swallow-tailed Kite sketching

Here are three sketches of Swallow-tailed Kites that were at the Skeen's Farm near Glenville, Ga.

It was an amazing time watching these birds catch June bugs.

Strolling

This etching is going out to a Shorebird Conference as a silent auction item. I gave it the title Strolling because the Black-bellied Plover was strolling back and forth in a runnel on the beach. I sat down and sketched this bird. It was one of those magical moments.

The etching is done on a zinc plate. All most of the color is ink onto the plate. I touch the eye with just a little black.

I wish I was going to the conference. But since I can't it is nice to know my strolling plover is.

Have fun Abby and I expect a full report.

July 21, 2011 in the studio

After selling my monotypes at the last art show, I had to get back to work. I have been watching an interesting leave pattern. I knew it would soon be mowed down so I didn’t feel bad gathering it up. I did learn it is important to take these plants right back to the studio. They wilted before the session began.

My press is a French Tool press. For years I worked as a printmaker for other printmakers and artists. In those days, I worked nine to ten hours days, so my press has a motor to turn the gears. After getting out my Daniel Smith water based inks, I move the gears up to pull up the roller. I don’t need a lot of pressure when pulling monotypes as I do when I pull an etching. I ink the Plexiglas and the session begins. As I have said before, it is a kinetic process. I begin with an idea of what I want and work toward that idea.

Here is an idea of what the process looks like.

Here is the plate ready for the first pull. I soak rag paper and blot it and place on this plate.Here is my press doing its job. The rag paper goes thru the press under pressure. It needs special blankets. I also put newsprint between the paper and the blankets.See the embossing! I love the idea of part of nature captured in the monotype.This is a few of the monotypes that came out of the studio time. Now there are other steps. But today it was a good session.

Painted Bunting sold

Here is one of the four monotypes of Painted Buntings I just completed. I enjoy doing these monotypes for they are a part of my experience in nature.

It is a process which requires a block of uninterrupted time in the studio. I work with Daniel Smith's water based etching inks on Plexiglass. It is a kinetic processes. The paper is damp so it is wet on wet. It is a challenge to get the crisp lines so I am thrilled when I do it.

What do you think?

This one and two other of these monotypes sold at the Georgia Coastal Artists' show this past weekend.

Red White and Blue

Monotypes are my fun art. I love walking in the woods, on the beach, near a marsh, where ever there is outside nature. When I walk, I see things. Textures, colors, plants and birds all catch my attention. Sometimes these things stick and I go to the studio to work. Here is one of those monotypes.

The size 10" x 20"

Going out on a limb for spoonbills

I keep telling people, I am a printmaker not a painter. However every once in a while I try. Here is a painting I am trying to finish. I thought I would go out on a limb and ask if anyone has some suggestion? What does it need?

Great Egret at the Amphitheater

It is nesting time on Jekyll. Sadly, the herons and egrets are not nesting in great numbers this year. Is it the fact that it is hot or the fact we have had very little rain? All good questions. We will see. We still have another month.

In the meantime, here is a Great Egret trying to get some attention.

Detail

Wilson's Plover Etching

Because I put the Wilson's Plover signs today,
I thought I would put up my little etching of the Wilson's Plover. The color is in the plate.

Red-cockaded Woodpecker for Dad

My father was a forester for a 50 year career and a conservationist. The last part of his life, he gave back to the pine woods he loved so much. He fought hard to get a workable Red-cockaded Woodpecker Conservation Plan for his profession society. The experience taught me that this work is not easy. Everyone has their own idea of how it should work. However in the end, it will be good for the birds and the environment.

Here is a multi-plate colored and embossed etching I did of a Red-cockaded Woodpecker. It mats out to 20" x 30"

Happy Fathers Day. Dad.

Big Red monotype

I did several bird surveys up at the north end of Jekyll. It is a pocket marsh area. There was dried Marsh Fleabane a native plant. I gather some up along with other grasses. Back in the studio, I began a printing session. When I was finished I had several monotypes. Here is a monotype construction from that session. I call it a construction because I have combined two monotypes to make one image. I am using Daniel Smith water based etching ink. The paper is 100% rag Arches Cover. I call this one Big Red, for the cardinal that posed for me. It measure 10 x 20 matted.

Drawing of Royal Terns

"Royal Terns Courting" is a new drawing that was inspired by my walks at the south end of Jekyll Island. The size is 22" x 17." It is graphite and colored pencils.

First things first

I have drawn all my life. I wanted to be a printmaker before I knew about printmaking. All I knew was I wanted a big wheel that I could get on and go round and round on. Walked into my drawing class, there was the etching press with a wheel I could get on and go round and round on. No, I didn’t try it. My drawing teacher Mr. Clifford would have killed me. I did ask, “What does that do?” He told me, “Etchings” “Where do I sign up?” I asked. It turned out there was no etching class but I found a way.

I was hooked so hooked that I never stopped looking for ways to do printmaking. I found printmakers who needed someone to edition for them. I signed on. I worked for five different printmakers by editioning their etchings. I also worked with a few artists to help them produce etching for their portfolios. With art, there are always trends and etchings were next replaced with the next trend. I had to shift with it. I moved on to my own printmaking.
My etchings and monotypes allow me to explore textures and designs in nature. Birds are a big part of my art. In order to study birds, natural textures and designs, I left my studio to explore birds and nature. It was a wake-up call. There are fewer birds. I create my art but I am also creating programs and projects on Jekyll Island to help bring awareness of our birds and their plight. As I post my monotypes and etchings if you see something you like comment on it.
The monies for your purchase of my art will enable the continuation of my work with the conservation of birds. Then my art will work for the birds.