Blossom Crow

This one took AGES. There were times were it sat on the easel for days in that middle "ugly phase" where you've got your mid-tones down but no detail but I'm glad I persisted because in real life it's cerise and creamy powdery blue. Very happy with this one!

As for my titling process, I go with what I call it in my head while I work on it. Perhaps "High-Wire Act" would be better, but I got so used to calling it "Blossom Crow"- as in "gotta get back to work on that Blossom Crow monstrosity" - that I couldn't bear to call it anything else.

Acrylic on canvas, 16"x20", 2010

Lookout

I've been taking photos of this pair of eagles for years now (they are a regular feature atop the church at Princess and East Pender) and I've put off painting them because, well, eagles are almost too iconic to paint, but I think I captured them as menacing and judicial. Having a man-made object in the painting also helps: you pretty much only see representations of eagles in the Bateman mode, ie. flying or perched in the wild, or swooping down with talons extended ready to grab a fish. And it was during this painting that I realized how much more interesting I find birds when they're surrounded by non-natural materials.

I call this my "edgy piece" because I didn't refrain from painting the crap that's all over the cross. :)

12"x9", Acrylic on canvas, 2010

Twig

It was fascinating watching this crow snapping twigs to make a nest. Quite happy with the way the fence turned out!
12"x9", Acrylic on canvas, 2010

the Pecking Order

Capturing movement and the texture of roofing tiles were my main goals with this painting.
12"x9", Acrylic on canvas, 2010

Ivy Crow

12"x12" Acrylic on Canvas, 2009

Roadrunner

My Mom loves roadrunners so I painted her this for Christmas. I was really happy with how realistic it turned out - and so was she!

acrylic on canvas 9"x12", 2009

(original reference photo copyright Ron Reznick. He's an amazing photographer - check him out:
http://www.digital-images.net/index.html )

Duck!

Acrylic on canvas, 2009
8" x 10"

Brick Ledge Pigeons

I posted a detail before - here's the final piece.

Acrylic and ink on canvas, 23.5" x 20", 2009

Buoyed

Floating along on a summer's day.
Acrylic on canvas, 2009
11.75" x 9.75"

Happy Crow, Sad Rat

Ah, the circle of life...

Acrylic and ink on canvas, 2009
16" x 12"

Chickadee Hotel

Ah, the downtown eastside. Old brick hotels, telephone poles and wires, gingko trees, and chickadees.
Acrylic and ink on canvas, 2009
15.5" x 22"

Seed Bin Pigeon

Caught this cocky guy in Chinatown, having a snack at the dried food bins.

Chinatown Goose

A Canadian Goose and an old restaurant on Pender Street, across from the Sun Yat Sen Gardens. That old storefront had such a groovy design: I miss it! Awfully glad I got a photo of it, and just as happy with this painting. It makes me laugh.

Acrylic and ink on canvas, 2009
20"x16"

Blue Eagle Barn Swallow

A colourful barn swallow and the Blue Eagle Cafe sign.

Acrylic and ink on canvas, 2009
20"x16"

Crab Park Robin

I love those dockyard cranes. And I love a well-fed bird!

Acrylic and ink on canvas, 15.5" x 20.5", 2009

Crab Park Robin - detail

Detail of "Crab Park Robin." I've always loved the dockyard cranes that look like the snow walkers in "The Empire Strikes Back" and I was lucky enough to catch a shot of a robin with a worm. It was patiently waiting for me to move so it could get to the nest in the tree I was sitting underneath.

Crows outside the Ukranian Hall *sold*

Because you can't depict any kind of wildlife in Vancouver without some crows...

Acrylic and ink on canvas, 20" x 15.5", 2009

More pigeons...

Here's a detail of pigeons on a brick ledge, a work in progress...

Acrylic and ink on canvas, 23.5" x 20", 2009

Pigeon detail

Detail of brushwork. Colour's off, but you get the idea..

Pigeon

No shortage of pigeons - here or anywhere - but this one, nestled in amongst rusty pipes, caught my eye.

Acrylic and ink on canvas, 12" x 9", 2009