Lewis's Woodpecker

With the completion of the Lewis's Woodpecker portrait, I have done all the species that are found in my home county of Deschutes in Oregon. This is the Lewis's Woodpecker, one of the larger woodpeckers.  These birds differ from most woodpeckers in that a majority of their food comes from flying insects so they are seen "flychatching" during the months of May through about October when they are present in Oregon.  Lewis's woodpecker was named by famed explorer Meriweather Lewis on that great exploration expedition back in 1803 and 1804.  In recent years in central Oregon, they have been somewhat in decline until a very successful nest box campaign was started by the East Cascade Bird Conservancy back in about 2006.  They were declining because their nest choice of dead pine snags were vigorously cleared to help deter forest fires.  The nest box project has worked very well and in any give year at least 85% have been occupied.

Mixed Media         4" x 4"      $75.00

For check payment or other payment arrangements email

birdartist@mindspring.com

Watercolor Canvas Board

I decided to experiment with a new surface today, Fredrix Watercolor Canvas Board.  I have done a couple watercolors on high plate illustration board over the years so thought this would be similar.  It is is some ways but there is a strange "absorption" quality to this canvas that is somewhat hard to control  The advantage of these smooth surfaces is that the paint sits on top and you can move it around freely but I found it strangely hard to get the paint to "settle" down once I reconstituted it.  One try is certainly not the final word but I am not happy with some aspects of this painting so I may try to go over it with Acrylic and see if I can produce an image I am more pleased with.  Stay tuned.