A nest in the west – Illo Friday Spring

For more current spring paintings from my journals … click here .

Last springtime, a finch family came looking for nesting quarters and decided that the eaves were not nearly as hospitable as one of my hanging Boston ferns. I saw the frantic search for twigs and grasses, the constant flying to and fro of the parents and before long I had a good idea that there were little ones on the way. One day when both parents were out looking for food I hurriedly took the basket down for a look (camera at the ready.) I took a picture that was the inspiration for this painting and quickly put the hanging nursery back where I found it. (There would be no drawing or painting from life for this one.) Eventually two sisters and a brother hatched, fledged, and grew to lead successful independent lives of their own. When I see finches returning in the spring I always wonder if they’re members of the same family.

Arty bits: Painted in gouache in a Moleskine sketchbook

Magnolia blossom 1

The magnolia shrubs are in full bloom at Descanso, and I had the opportunity to paint some of them in my botanicals sketchbook a week or so ago. I will probably do another page with the blossom fully open, but at the time I loved their sculptural look in well-formed bud. It’s no wonder that these are often nicknamed “tulip trees.” I would like to have one of these in my yard, and perhaps I’ll plant one some time. We lost a very large magnolia tree to oak root fungus many years ago, so I’ve been hesitant to plant anything in the magnolia family since then.