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| Spoons Mark Nesmith Oil on oil primed linen panel 5" x 7" 2014 |
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I'm not a really a bird watcher, but if you spend enough time around the coast you can't help but notice the abundance and variety of winged creatures hanging around. These two Roseate Spoonbills recently caught my eye near the Bolivar Lighthouse just before the ferry to Galveston.
There are several wildlife preserves and bird sanctuaries on or near the Bolivar Peninsula, so each year thousands of birds stop off at the beach. Spoonbills wade in the shallow coastal waters and tidal pools, swinging their bills side to side and sifting through the mud to feast on crustaceans, aquatic insects, frogs, newts and small fish. Their vivid colors are a result of their diet and can range from pale pinks to bright reds and magentas and makes for great contrast against the green weeds and salt grass.
This small oil painting started as a pencil sketch. I then laid in the darker values on the birds and the background. The reflections and ripples in the water proved to be lots of fun to paint and I saved some of the juiciest brush strokes the foreground.
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