Bird paintings in oils
I love painting birds and still life so it made sense to look for ideas where I could pair them. The trick was finding objects that could be linked to specific birds.
I never copy a painting as it would be disrespectful to the owner. However, I can adapt an idea to make it original.
Coal tits and miner’s lamp. Oil on canvas. 40x50cm. £750.
I found the Davey Lamp in a second-hand shop and had to buy it. Adding coal tits created the narrative.
Rock bunting. Oil on canvas. 30x40cm. £620
I have an old bass guitar in the loft left over from my wannabe rock star days. I changed the colour so that it didn’t detract from the bird and added a birdy logo.
Stargazing. Oil on canvas. 40x50cm. £720
Starlings are named after the starry marks on their feathers. When I discovered this, I thought about stargazing and came up with the telescope as a partner.
Hobby. Oil on canvas. 30x40cm. £620
This is more subtle in terms of meaning. The logic came from using a hobby bird of prey and a bonsai hobby. It being a tree added to the story.
Brass and gold. Oil on canvas. 30x40cm. £620
I came across an old car horn from a Rolls Royce. In my mind, it became a bugle, and with the addition of a goldfinch, it came to life.
Waxwing. Oil on canvas. 30x40cm. £650
This is one British bird I’ve always wanted to see, but I’m still waiting. A quick look in a cupboard and a candle holder materialised for the pairing.
Warbler. Oil on canvas. 30x40cm. £680
It’s an obvious bird to link with a musical instrument. Adding the classical cello and painting the picture in a classical style brought everything together.
Goddess of water. Oil on canvas. 40x50cm. £650
I saw this sculpture in a garden centre, but it was crumbling. After taking a picture on my phone, I restored her in the painting and came up with the theme.
