I want to thank everyone who came out for Open Studios this weekend. Trish and I both received mountains of love and support, making this one of our most successful Open Studios to date. This piece is now in Lee Cline's home, and now I have one of her amazing water colors. We traded a bird for birds. Yeah!
I caught this guy hanging out on my neighbor's roof and managed to get one shot off before he flew away. Have you noticed there are more crows around lately? According to the Birmingham News, crows have begun migrating to urban areas, preferring the luxury of easy pickings on garbage days and the safety of fewer predators. And I was just thinking it's because I've begun to look up.
Here's a little preview of what you'll see if you come out to Open Studios next weekend. I'll be showing at 1890 Bryant with Trish and all the other fabulous artists at the 1890 Bryant Street Studios. I'm excited about this show, lot's of new bird images found while wondering around the City as well as some new drawings turned into encaustic mixed media pieces!
Here's what the one of my drawings looks like after I uploaded and punched up the contrast a bit. Then I print and head down to my local copy center and turn them into Xerox copies. Once they are good and carbon-filled, I set them in the clear wax medium and then remove the paper with water. 
My friend Rob reminded me that the telephone poles are coming down and being replaced underground and that's why he likes these birds on wires so much - nature and analogue mixing it up. Earlier this month I heard a child point to a television set and ask her Grandma, "what is that?" I suspect one day, we'll hear the same questions about these telephone poles.
I've been down to Saint Mary's Park watching these birds over the past several months and learned that these plump little sweeties are actually Brewer's Black Birds - like in the previous drawings. There are scores of them living on the south side of Bernal Heights and Friday I got within a few yards of one. There are also Cowbirds and Rusty Black Bird's over there. So really, no telling what this little guy was, other than some sort of Black Bird.
