Blackbirds

Blackbirds: watercolour on canvas with gold leaf

The blackbirds fight for food and territory, their yellow beaks and eyes flashing as the sun catches the black of their plumage. This painting captures the dance and tussle of the birds.

I listened to Blackbird by Martyn Bennett, a haunting fusion of traditional Scottish folk song, and electronic base…. I expect there is a better way of describing it! It was incredibly moving and evoked something more wild than a back-garden fight between two birds. This tussle for survival has been going on for millenia. So I distressed and aged the gold background to give it a more rugged feel and to capture the light dancing through the branches.

This painting will bring a little of the wild part of wildlife into your home. I have tried to capture the wonder and joy I feel when I see the animals and birds around me – however humble or everyday they might be. I hope that it will bring a sense of that wonder into your home.