Dead Starling Chick (Detail)
Oil on gessoed board
Aprox 130x130mm
Aprox 130x130mm
There are starlings nesting above the front door to my studio, and the other day I found three dead chicks that had either fallen out or been chucked out by the mother - I'm not sure. They had the powerful attribute of being both grotesque and beautiful at the same time, and I felt compelled to paint them. My initial intention was a composition with all three of the birds in a kind of pinwheel arrangement. However, I found myself struggling with the painting of just one bird and it became extremely unpleasant trying to battle off a plague of flies. Raid's "fast acting" fly spray is not true to label! I only managed to get one bird painted and not particularly satisfactorily at that. I felt like abandoning the painting and the next day when I came into the studio and lifted the protective covering I had placed over them I was hit by the nauseating stench of decay. That decided it and the chicks recieved a decent burial.
Perhaps I should resort to photographs...
Or stick to painting "nice" arrangments of fresh fruit.
Dead Starling Chick200x200mm
Paul I know what it feels like to be compelled to paint dead birds...for just the reasons you mentioned. This is such a powerful piece. Your masterful approach has done this chick justice, especially with the unfinished background.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you gave them a decent burial.
...Chuck
That is a very powerful painting, esp. because it is unfinished.
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in Chicago I often looked at this painting of a dead sea dove by Marsden Hartley, but never thought about what painting a dead bird would really involve:
http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/65945
(From a fan of your work who has been quietly following your blog for a little while now.)
This is a nice one. Thanks for including the detail. Your recent match paintings are mesmerizing as usual.
ReplyDeleteThanks Craig. I was considering cutting the finished part of the painting out, but several people have commented that they like the unfinished look so I will leave it as is. The matches are always great fun to paint!
ReplyDeleteThankyou Bonnie and thanks for the link. I'd never heard of that artist before and its always great to see unfamiliar work. Very intriguing with that outline - like the chalk outline they draw around murder victims..
ReplyDeleteThanks Chuck! THis piece has recieved more attention than anything I've done for a long time!
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful. Is t for sale? How much?
ReplyDeleteThank you. No, unfortunately it's no longer for sale, but I'm glad you like it!
ReplyDelete