Eating and Wearing

Grunt of the Day : Eating and Wearing : A giraffe today trying to change my approach and try something different each day....I like the idea of this giraffe wearing a hat of flowers and eating them...much like my 'still lifes'

Another Stonechat

Tweet of the Day : Another Stonechat : There was something about the first Stonechat that didn't work for me so I'm having another go....I think it was the background...iy was it's natural habitat but, to me , It didn't work well.....so there is attempt two....for you...

House Sparrows

Tweet of the Day : House Sparrows : We have a nest of these little fellows in our roof...they have been coming here for years..our family in London haven't seen one for a long while. Noisy and gregarious, these cheerful exploiters of man's rubbish and wastefulness, have managed to colonise most of the world. The ultimate avian opportunist perhaps. Monitoring suggests a severe decline in the UK house sparrow population, recently estimated as dropping by 71 per cent between 1977 and 2008 Some signs of recovery recently…..

Don't forget The Hampshire Open Studios last weekend… my studio is open today and for he rest of the weekend including  Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Black-Headed Gull

Tweet of the Day : Black-Headed Gull : . Black-headed gulls are sociable, quarrelsome, noisy birds, usually seen in small groups or flocks, often gathering into larger parties where there is plenty of food, or when they are roosting….watch out for your ice creams .....on the beach.

Don't forget The Hampshire Open Studios last weekend… my studio is open today and for he rest of the weekend including  Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Shouting at the Storm

Tweet of the Day : Shouting at the Storm....The Great Black Backed Gull : Try saying that after a few lemonades....when you see one of these close up you'll be amazed at the size....they seem quite small when flying around...but close up ....enormous .....This one is shouting at the storm coming it doesn't seem to like it……a very large, thick-set black-backed gull, with a powerful beak. Adults are blacker than the smaller lesser black-backed gull. It has a heavy flight and can look quite hunched when perched. It will fight off other gulls and chase them to snatch food.

 Don't forget The Hampshire Open Studios last weekend… my studio is open today and for he rest of the weekend including  Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Coot

Tweet of the Day: a Coot: Quite common in our local pond....great fun to see the chicks in the Springtime All-black and larger than its cousin, the moorhen, it has a distinctive white beak and 'shield' above the beak which earns it the title 'bald'. Its feet have distinctive lobed flaps of skin on the toes, which act instead of webs when swimming. It patters noisily over the water before taking off and can be very aggressive towards others.

We open again for our second weekend  today,  this painting and many more are on show at my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios event continuing over the weekend  and every day through Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.

Magpie

Tweet of the Day : The Magpie :With its noisy chattering, black-and-white plumage and long tail, there is nothing else quite like the magpie in the UK. When seen close-up its black plumage takes on an altogether more colourful hue with a purplish-blue iridescent sheen to the wing feathers, and a green gloss to the tail. Magpies seem to be jacks of all trades - scavengers, predators and pest-destroyers, their challenging, almost arrogant attitude has won them few friends. Non-breeding birds will gather together in flocks….yes...boo!

Although closed today,  this painting and many more are on show at my studio during The Hampshire Open Studios event continuing next weekend of Friday 26^th August and every day through Monday Bank Holiday. Hope to see you.