1037 Vacation Rental

 Each nest painting is a little different, and so much fun to create.  This painting was a commissioned piece.  The buyer picked a nest painting she liked and I tried to recreate it.  

1035 Double Occupancy

 

I know it must seem like nest overload, but I just had to paint this in a large format.  What do you think?

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/1035-double-occupancy/878946

1001 Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary

I was recently treated to one of Mother Nature's most amazing places---right here in the city of Chicago, the Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary.  There were so many people there to enjoy a beautiful day, and lots of very expensive cameras to photograph the birds.  It was a very peaceful place and I hope to visit again soon.  Here is how the website describes the sanctuary. 

"Located in Lincoln Park, Montrose Point is a 15-acre bird sanctuary that attracts tens of thousands of migratory birds of more than 300 different species, that stop here for rest, food and shelter. Within the natural area is “The Magic Hedge”, a 150 yard stretch of shrubs and several trees, so-called because it attracts a curiously high number of migratory birds. Important migrants include most species of Warblers seen in the Chicago area, Thrushes, Sparrows, Purple Martins, Woodpeckers and many others. Nesters include Common Yellowthroats, Catbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds, Mourning Doves, and Brown Thrashers. It is no wonder “The Magic Hedge” has become an internationally recognized birding area.

“The Magic Hedge” did not just appear on its own. During the 1950’s through 1970’s, the Army leased land at Montrose and built two barracks. Honeysuckle was planted to screen them from public view. Long after the Army left, the honeysuckle remained and formed the basic feature of “The Magic Hedge." During the 1980’s and early 1990’s birding organizations and the Park District began cooperating to enhance bird-friendly plantings around “The Magic Hedge”. These plantings included blackhaw and nannyberry viburnum, serviceberry, chokeberry, fragrant sumac, and other shrubs. "

https://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/1001--montrose-point-bird-sanctuary/840727

609 Common Tern

I enjoyed incorporating calligraphy in this painting, and I think I will continue with this practice in the future for this type of painting.  I am currently taking a class where seeing the minute details of nature is key and we will be using watercolor, colored pencils and ink.  I know I will enjoy the opportunity to paint things owl and nature related.

"609 Common Tern"
watercolor - 4x12 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/609-common-tern/373980

583 New Mama

We have a new family in our neighborhood and I am over the moon smitten by them.  I visit them many times each day and take photos with my 20x zoom lensed camera.  Mom and Dad have two or three kids.  They are Great Horned Owls and the babies have just recently become visible.  The babies are SO adorable---like little puffs of cotton with perfectly round eyes and little hooked beaks.  Did you know that what look like ears are not really ears at all?  (I hope I got that correct.)   We find feathers, squirrel tails and tufts of fur throughout the neighborhood, and everyone is hoping they keep the rabbit population at bay this summer. 

579 So Happy Together

Still working on the greys so prevalent on a dreary winter day, as this was.  These two swans were so beautiful.  The photo reference was taken on the back roads of Plymouth, Massachusetts. 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/579-so-happy-together/364971

407 Wingspan

This painting is currently on 11 x 15" paper, but will be sewn on to a larger paper and matted.  I will update the photo  as soon as possible.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/407-wingspan/243063

404 Aerodynamic

When I return home from the holiday, the painting will be sewn on to watercolor paper and matted.  I will post an updated picture when complete.

395 Wild Ones

Image as shown inside mat is 9.5 x 7.5".  Top photo is 14x11. 

391 Blue Feather

The mat in this image is really a dark brown, the same as in the painting.  Image is 7x5, matted to 10x8, ready to fit in a standard size frame.

To see all 391 of my daily paintings in the Daily Paintworks Gallery, or to purchase, click here:
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/391-blue-feather/239048

386 Another Full House

Once again, credit is due to Eugene for sharing his beautiful photo with me.  After painting with watercolors yesterday,  I wanted to paint it with acrylics to see which I felt better represented the subject. 

Here is the link to purchase and to be directed to the Daily Paintworks site.  http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/386-another-full-house/237473

381 Occupied

We have nests in our gutters where they meet a corner of the house.  In many past Springs, we found baby birds by the back door, kicked out of the nest by mother.  So sad.  Mother Nature can be so cruel.

click here to visit Daily Paintworks, or to purchase this painting:
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/381-occupied/236330

380 Abandoned

I am writing this prior to the finished painting so I can remember this moment.  It is a perfect day as I paint my little abandoned housefinch nest on the patio.  A mourning dove has just taken occupancy in our gutter, his hooo OOOO oooo, reverberating with such soothing and perfect painting music.  Other birds are busy flying too and fro.  Oliver doesn't like the mourning dove and has just scared him/her away.

p.s.  It was really hard to represent the down that is woven into this nest. 

To be directed to the Daily Paintworks site or to purchase, click here:  http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/380-abandoned/236187

376 Two Feathers and an Egg

I am running out of feathers to paint!  The painted feathers have a little shimmer to them, which I love.
To be directed to the daily paintworks site, or to purchase, click here:  http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/376-two-feathers-and-an-egg/235345

375 Desperate Measures

It took a great deal of patience and resourcefulness to retrieve these red feathers from our window well.  Last year, a beautiful male cardinal got stuck in there while snacking on fallen birdseed.  We tried to free him by lifting the enormously heavy iron grate, but he crashed into it while trying to escape, and died very quickly.  It was so sad.

My stash of feathers is void of red feathers, so today I remembered the cardinal, and I was very determined to retrieve whatever I could from this beautiful bird. "Desperate times require desperate measures."

Click here to go to Daily Paintworks site, or to purchase:    http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/375-desperate-measures/235082

374 Feathers Side by Side

The pearl and metallic watercolor paints look particularly nice in this painting.

This painting will fit in a standard 5x7 frame or can be matted and framed to a larger size.
Purchase this painting here:  http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/374-feathers-side-by-side/234913

373 Subtle Shimmer

As I was studying the feathers, I realized that there are very subtle colors to the "black," even though it may appear to be all black.  The feather on the left is a good example of this---it was all black, ...but not really.  I wanted to paint the others feathers in colors other than their natural colors for a little variety.  There are subtle metallic glistens in this painting also.   

Painting can be framed as is in a standard 8x10 frame, or matted and framed to your liking.

371 More Feathers

I am re-learning a lot about watercolor and enjoying this experience

188 You Go First

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/188--you-go-first/174258