Description
Summer Buzz is an original acrylic painting on gallery-wrapped canvas that measures 48″ x 48″. The sides have been painted, so that the painting is ready for installation without a frame.
My husband and I witnessed twenty (yes! 20!) ruby-throated hummingbirds AT ONCE on our feeders on our wrap-around porch last summer. We were captivated. We were also making a gallon of sugar water every single day and refilling the feeders three times per day. Maybe that’s what it takes? Sadly, we never did find a nest—no doubt because they are minuscule.
Summer Buzz is undoubtedly appears more non-objective or abstract than most of my recent work. However, my jumping off point of inspiration were multiple photographs of hummingbird feathers taken with a macro lens. So, the subject matter may be unexpected, but is fairly accurate realism.
It’s no surprise that I fell in love with hummingbirds a long time ago. However, after carefully observing their feathers up close, I have become enraptured by the undulating visual patterns that mimicked the hummingbirds’ darting mid-air dance, which results in their characteristic “hum” for which they are lovingly named. I appreciate the way that their iridescent feathers glint in the bright light and break down into angular geometric shapes, resembling metal and also tropical plants. The microscopic structure providing their feathery sheen is the secret key to their captivating presence. As an artist and amateur naturalist, I am inspired to continue to explore this theme.
After years of painting my “Reflecting Nature” series in a muted monochromatic palette, it was refreshing to use brilliant color again in creating Summer Buzz. However, my palette is still tempered with the sophistication of my formal art school education: I restricted my selections to a simple analogous color scheme of yellows, aquas, blues, and blue-violets to provide unity across the busy composition.
IMPORTANT LOGISTICS:
Shipping is included for the continental U.S. addresses. However, the painting will need to be taken to a good framer to have the canvas stretched over new stretcher bars, not included. The painting will come rolled up in a Kraft tube. Frame not included.
