Backyard Birds
A little video of me working on….
“Too Early for Ripe Cherries”
“Too Early for Ripe Cherries”
A bright Eastern Bluebird perches briefly on a branch of soon to be ripe wild cherries. The bird’s vivid blue feathers and warm rust-colored breast stand out against the soft cream background. They summer and nest along the edge of my woods and seeing that vivid flash of blue always feels like a special gift! Endangered in the 1980s, eastern bluebirds have made a strong comeback thanks to birdhouses and conservation efforts. They prefer insects and berries, often ignoring feeders unless mealworms are offered. This scene feels hopeful — the promise of a tasty fruit, vibrant life, and nature unfolding in it’s time.
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee from a gouache & pencil original
“Sapphire Among Sassafras”
Blue Jay and Sassafras
I love the boldness and the wonderful coloring of blue jays. When I was a youngster in Kansas City I found a just-fledged jay in the yard, picked it up and marveled at the fragile life in my hands. That’s one of the memories that I believe led me to focus on birds. Blue jays often act as sentinels for birds and small creatures. They loudly warn of predators in the neighborhood causing the small birds to flee bird feeders and little critters to dive for their holes. They can even be aggressive towards those predators driving them away. Jays are part of the very smart corvid family which includes the crows, ravens and mockingbirds.
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee from a gouache & pencil original
“Wake-up Call”
Carolina Wren
It’s hard to believe something so small can produce such volume! It’s good they have a beautiful song, described as “teakettle-teakettle”. They are very bold, quick, curious and often establish nests in flower pots, work boots and outdoor grills. That would be a problem if they weren't so charming. Wrens are always around my house and often slip inside causing dog chaos till the bird finds his way back out. They are monogamous, don’t migrate and have a huge year-round range east of the Rockies.
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee from a gouache & pencil original
“Goldfinch & Thistle”
The male goldfinch’s bright yellow plumage and black cap pairs well with the vivid rosy-purple of the thistle. I really like the strong and happy color of this one! Thistle seed is a favorite food for goldfinch but not a favorite for farmers and gardeners. Nyjer seed is a similar size and birders use that in feeders instead. Goldfinch frequently come in large groups and are quite possessive about controlling the food supply. They will stay and stay at a feeder driving others away and chowing down. That bright and beautiful color is a welcome sign of spring!
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee from a gouache, pastel & pencil original
“Catching the Wind”
Scissor-tailed Flycatchers
Common in the southern plains of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas we are just close enough in western Arkansas to see them too. They like open country and will watch from a perch swooping out to catch an insect mid-air and returning to the perch to eat it. Courtship displays are spectacular with sharp dives, assents and even backward sumersaults. A beautiful and wonderfully graceful bird and a treat to see!
signed and numbered limited edition giclee from a gouache & pencil original
“Birds, Bugs, and Berries”
Eastern Bluebird
A fun lesson in the life of an eastern bluebird! Lovely spring dogwood, a nest box plan, a menu of insects and berries and a youngster begging for a meal…. This is like a page from a fancy bird book! Back in the 1980’s bluebirds were in trouble and people got serious about building nest boxes for them. That effort has brought the population back to strong and healthy.
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee (500) from a gouache & pencil original
“Birds, Bugs, and Berries”
Black-capped Chickadee
My chickadees ran wild through this one! Perching and hovering they took center stage amid the redbud, seeds and spiders and even a nest full of eggs. They are lively little birds with an amazing memory. They stash seeds in tree bark all summer and when winter’s scarcity arrives they remember precisely where they stored thousands of seeds. Their brains actually grow 30% in size to accomplish this and then reduce back come spring. They are also brave little guys and will come within just a couple of feet of you to get a seed or just because they’re curious. They are definitely a favorite of mine!
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee (500) from a gouache & pencil original
“Carolina Wren and Jasmine”
A little fella with a very perky tail this guy has posed for us among some very fragrant blossoms. Never still for long - or quiet! - Carolina wrens are always welcome visitors. Carolina jasmine is an evergreen blooming in late winter/early spring. It is a climbing vine but will also server as a ground cover. It’s deer resistant - I suppose because it’s toxic to both humans and livestock. The wren isn’t bothered by that and is enjoying the temporary perch.
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee (500) from a gouache & pencil original
“Early Morning Jays”
Blue Jays and Morning Glory
A tangle of morning glories is a brief host to a young pair of blue jays. Their expression says the world is brand new to them and they feel bold and ready! The birds and flowers are done in gouache - opaque watercolor and I use a cream colored paper instead of white. That cream paper gives me a color difference, important for my white paint. You can see that contrast in both the birds and the flowers. I think the cream also recedes and gives a softer, gentler look to my pieces. White can seem harsh and even disturbing.
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee (500) from a gouache & pencil original
“Gentle Spring”
Eastern Bluebird
A very simple piece and beautiful in the simplicity. This is early spring when the tiny and delicate “whirlies” of the red maple mature. At this early stage they are a delicate pink with the seeds within still green. Officially called a samara, to kids they are whirlies and fun to toss and watch spiral down. The solitary eastern bluebird is in the midst of his spring thoughts - hoping to find a mate to share his nest box.
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee (500) from a gouache & pencil original
“Have I Told You ‘I Love You’ Today?”
This tender, thoughtfully balanced composition, portrays a quiet moment between a male and female cardinal resting among blooming dogwood branches. The male’s vivid crimson feathers glow with warmth, while the female’s softer olive and rose tones offer a gentle, complementary presence. Their posture suggests a private exchange—an intimate conversation shared in stillness.
Creamy white dogwood blossoms wind gracefully through the scene, each petal shaped carefully by soft layers of gouache. Tucked among the blooms, small ladybugs invite discovery, adding a subtle touch of life and surprise for the attentive viewer.
Set against a light, open background, the piece feels calm and reflective. The scene is a quiet celebration of companionship and reminder of everyday love.
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee (500) from a gouache & pencil original
“Juicy Breakfast”
“Juicy Breakfast” captures a lively moment among ripening blackberry brambles. Two mockingbirds move through the tangle—one perched with a berry in his beak, the other mid-flight—while a grasshopper, garden spider, and ladybugs secretly share the scene. The mockingbird perched in the brambles has indulged in so many berries that purple juice stains his chest giving the piece it’s title.. Meticulous work defines each leaf and thorn, while vivid gouache brings depth and color to the glossy fruit and soft gray plumage, celebrating summer’s sweet abundance.
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee (500) from a gouache & pencil original
“Mulberry Harvest”
Black-capped Chickadee and Mulberries
Chickadees are lively little birds and frequent backyard visitors. This one is enjoying a summer treat of luscious mulberries!
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee (500) from a gouache & pencil original
“Top of the Morning”
American robin and Morning Glories
Robins begin to head north in February and March so they are a first sign of the coming spring. Reported as the most abundant land bird in North America the population is estimated at 370 million individuals. In addition to hunting for worms visually it can also hear the worm’s movement underground! (Wikipedia)
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee (500) from a gouache & pencil original
“Common Yellow-throat Warbler & Wild Grapevine”
A lovely little warbler often found foraging acrobatically in tall trees. They often hang upside down like a nuthatch while they hunt for insects. This is a unique composition formed from lots of triangles. I didn’t realize I was doing that until it was finished. Even the bird is composed of triangles.
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee (500) from a gouache & pencil original
“Keeping Watch”
Male and Female Red-winged Blackbirds, a Spider, a Frog and a Grasshopper!
I love doing tangles and this is full of them! I start with triangles and just keep breaking them into more and more pieces. Then light and dark gives the illusion of depth. I enjoy the challenge! Red-winged blackbirds are seriously territorial especially during breeding season. This one is guarding his mates nest and will take on any perceived predator including a human! They are often found in marshy areas and their distinctive call “chuck-a-leee” is a sure sign of spring.
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee (500) from a gouache, pencil and pastel original
Original available - $4200
“Territorial Dispute”
American Crow
This fella is loudly protesting a trespasser. A brilliant member of the corvid family they are known for problem-solving, tool use and recognizing individual humans. Omnivorous, they easily adapt to urban areas and watching their antics and strategies can be very entertaining.
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee from a gouache, pencil and pastel original. Original available - $650.
“There’s Always One”
carolina wrens and dandelions
Wrens are round little birds with a big, big voice and they love to use it! This guy is sounding off and his companion is not impressed. He’s heard it all before. Dandelions are considered weeds by people desiring a manicured lawn but they’re an important early food source for pollinators and they are both edible and medicinal. Those bright yellow faces are quite pretty too!
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee (500) from a gouache, pencil and pastel original
“Hidden in the Pines”
Summer Tanagers
Summer tanagers have a unique niche in the bird world. They specialize in catching bees and wasps midair giving them the nickname “bee bird”. They rub the insect against tree bark to remove the stinger and then it’s a meal. They summer in the eastern and southern U.S and are long distance migrants wintering in central and northern South America. The males red coloring is very different from the female’s mustard-yellow or olive-yellow plumage. Here they’ve stopped for just a moment nestled in a pine - alert and curious.
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee (500) from a gouache, pencil and pastel original
“Watching from the Hickory”
Two blue jays are caught poised among arching hickory branches, alert and observant in their woodland perch. Delicate and subdued pencil work captures the texture of leaves, bark, and clustered nuts, while vibrant gouache brings the jays’ cool blue plumage and patterned wings to life. Set against a soft, open background, the composition conveys alert vigilance and the layered beauty of the forest canopy.
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee (500) from a gouache, pencil and pastel original
“Morning Chat”
“Morning Chat” gathers nine unrelated songbirds along a single branch, posed as if sharing the day’s first conversation. Each bird in this fantasy displays its own distinct posture and personality with the meadow lark taking charge. Of course, the wren has something to say about who is the proper chairman and the blue jay is ready to put the wren in his place. The cedar waxwing is anxious for breakfast but everyone else is polite and respectful. This collection was gathered from nine of my paintings and celebrates diversity, harmony, and the lively spirit of a woodland morning - and it’s fun.
Signed and numbered limited edition giclee (500) from a gouache, pencil and pastel original
All of the prints are archival giclees produced by us and in our studio. The term "giclee" refers to the printing process. This process provides wonderful color accuracy and detail without the dot pattern of an offset lithograph. David scans the original and uses photoshop to correct colors. Color correcting is a skill and can go quickly or take days of trying. We have a large format Epson printer and use Epson's archival inks on acid-free Somerset Velvet paper. The inks are light-fast and under normal household conditions will not fade for 100 years.
Birds are literally everywhere and a stage as little as a window ledge can spark an interest in them. My own interest began on a city street lined by old American elms. I was about eight years old and it was the raucous and beautiful blue jays that seemed ever present. One day, I came across a fledgling on the ground and the wonder of holding that bit of life in my hands has never left me! That moment woke a deep interest and from that time on I watched for stray feathers and took notice of the life in the trees.
There are so many reasons for a fascination with birds but the first has to be accessibility. Even if you don’t lure them to a feeder you will see them. They drop quickly into our world and just as easily lift off and are gone! Just a little time watching and you’ll notice individual characters and habits, wonderful colors and different flight patterns. Curiosity may send you to a bird guide and then you’re hooked!
More than fifty-two million Americans feed wild birds or other wildlife around their homes. It’s our second biggest hobby - right after gardening.