"Bluebird Oil Painting and The Color Blue" by Barbara Rudolph

"Bluebird"

"The color blue" is found in so many species of "birds".  These "birds" are also some of the most attractive birds seen in North America. So many people love "Bluebirds" and the color "Blue".  I love to paint them too.  I know that many of them are not actually "Blue", but just appear to be "blue" because of the way the light reflects upon the feathers.  I find that very interesting and either way, I still see them as a beautiful "blue" color.

I was trying to think of how many "birds" I could name that are "Blue."  I came up with quite a few: "Indigo Buntings", "Eastern Bluebirds", "Western Bluebirds", "Belted Kingfishers", "Tree Swallow", "Cerulean Warblers", "Blue Grosbeak", "Nuthatch", "Blue Jays", "Mexican Jay", "Mountain Bluebirds", some "Macaws", "Peacocks", "Dove", "Quail", and "Hummingbirds."  I love the iridescent colors on the throat feathers of many of the "hummingbird" species.  I am sure there are many others but I just can't name any more off the top.  I just wish I had a few of them around my own yard.

What does the color "blue" represent?  I did a quick search and found the answer to be:   The sky, infinity, truth, youth, spirituality, and peaceful.  Everything I could find was calming and happy.  Maybe that's why they call the "Bluebird" "The Bluebird of Happiness." What I don't understand is why does one describe a sad feeling as being "Blue"? (That one I cannot explain.)

The oil painting above is a detail of a little "Bluebird" I just finished.  It is actually an "Indigo Bunting."  It is an oil on canvas 7 x 7".   It found a good home and I do hope it will make them very happy too.

You can see more on my website:
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Your comments are always welcome.

Barbara Rudolph

BECKY JOY desert plein air oil landscape

Winter Farm  11x14 plein air oil on canvas panel

 I painted this one a couple of days ago in Northern AZ. The green of the spring grass hasn't started yet, just a lot of beautiful ocher and gray colors. At first I didn't have enough depth in the painting. The background trees were too close with detail and the color didn't recede enough. So I reworked that. I really liked the warm sunlight on the house. I painted the windows a warmer and lighter color than what I really saw. That helps to keep the illusion of the strong sunlight on the side of the house. We are, after all, painting an illusion.

I've still been preoccupied with the website. I have someone setting up part of it right now, too big of a job for me. I wanted something special and different with it. I plan on having it up this week if all goes well.

Talk to you all later,

Becky

beckyjoy@beckyjoy.com
http://paintingworkshopsonline.com

still life lighter painting from Dailypaintworks challenge by BECKY JOY

For the Campfire  6x6 oil on canvas panel

 This was certainly a challenge for me. I don't own any small brushes for detail. It was a lot of negative painting to get some smaller edges. I remember now why I don't want to paint detail. Not a lot of fun for me, but the challenge was good for me. It has been a long time since I have done a still life and even longer since I have used ultramarine, burnt sienna and white for a limited palette. I had to dig up an old tube of burnt sienna for this. I haven't had that in the palette for a long time either. About time I used most of it up anyway.
This has been the challenge on the dailypaintworks.  I thought I would do a few challenges to get more work out there more and to challenge myself with things that I don't usually paint.
Anyway, check out the site.
I'm still working on the website. So, I guess for right now this is where my work will be.
I have a workshop in Pasadena, CA for June and a one day plein air in AZ. Check out my workshops at http://beckyjoy.com/workshops. There are still some openings.
Becky Joy
http://beckyjoy.com

Big Sky oil paintings by BECKY JOY

12x24 oil on linen panel,sold

18x24 oil on linen panel,sold

Even though I have not posted any skies lately that does not mean that I haven't painted any. I have been toiling away in the studio painting larger paintings, skies.

These are two that I have just finished. I repainted one of them, because I wasn't pleased with it. So, I kept my nose to the grindstone until I got what I wanted. Both of these paintings are on hold until I hear if they were selected to a show. I've been pretty lucky so far. I'll have to wait and see if the luck holds.

I'm also getting the framing and shipping supplies together for 7 paintings that are headed for shows in different directions. Its amazing how much time is devoted to work besides painting.

Anyway, I have some ideas for some smaller paintings and hope to start back to work with them tomorrow.

I have two new workshops coming up. One in Pasadena, CA for June 16-18 and a one workshop at the Superstitions in AZ. Both are plein air workshops. If you are interested, email me or go to my website, http://beckyjoy.com/workshops

So, talk to ya'all tomorrow.

Becky Joy
http://beckyjoy.com
http://beckyjoy.com/blog

beckyjoy@beckyjoy.com