Finally finished the piece with the 12 Blue Jays. I called it Cast of Favorites since a group of Blue Jays can be called a cast. As I mentioned in previous postings, the idea started at the beginning of the COVID lockdown. I spent a lot of time at the kitchen window and started taking photos of the Blue Jays who came to the peanut feeder. I noticed their different personalities. I did some research and found you can determine the individuals by their black bridle across their face, nape and throat. The black bridle varies widely from bird to bird. See my post called “Errol” for the first individual I painted below.
It took about a year and half to complete. I knew I needed map fabric as I wanted to display this piece in an upcoming solo show (Spring or Summer 2023) called Map Coordinates that features birds painted on maps. The Jays, though, would be painted on colorful green fabric to enhance them. Through the process I’ve visited enough local fabric shops with my wife that I’m now “the bird guy.”
My painting process was to first paint a study on a 6 X 6 canvas that I had primed with color to match the fabric for the particular Jay I was working on. I would then paint it on a large square of fabric. This canvas to fabric procedure allowed me to work out any design flaws, determine color mixing formulas and build muscle memory for the individual piece.
When the 12 were complete, I pieced them together with dark border fabric along with the top/bottom map fabric. The piece was sandwiched with muslin and a backing fabric. The backing fabric was a light cream color with a gold map design. I did some quilting….just stitch in the ditch….to hold it together. For this piece I’m not doing visible quilting. A piece I’m currently working on with an Atlantic Puffin will so stay tuned!
Here it is, Cast of Favorites. The hanger is a smoked bamboo hanger I purchased from local Indian artisans. It really makes the whole piece unique.
