Thursday, August 29, 2013

Painted Bird Houses, Painting with Acrylics, and Painting for Charity

Bird House Finch
acrylic on bird house
I raised my hand - back in June actually.  I said I would and it was delivered bright and white to my door step mid July.  A friend is on the committee to raise support for the Olympic Ballet at this fundraising event.  20+ bird houses were created and delivered to those interested in painting and decorating them to help raise money for the Ballet.  I like to donate when I can.  But, art is a little hard sometimes to donate as it is so personal.

Its been sitting on my work table for over a month waiting patiently for inspiration to be mustered up and some idea to blossom and grow.  The house was already primed and ready to be painted - but the prime coat immediately nixed any idea of it having a waxy coating.  It had to be painted.... in acrylic.
As you all know, I paint with wax.  Acrylic is not my "thing", nor do I really know how to use them.  But, I do have them - hand me downs from my Dad.  So, this little bird house sat.. waiting.
I Googled painted bird houses to see if I could find some inspiration.  Nope.  So, I pondered and the bird house sat.  My stress level was going up and I'd wake up at night wondering what in the world I was going to do with the bird house.  The deadline is beginning to draw closer and my stress level kept increasing.

Lucky for me, a good friend suggested that I steer clear of trying anything decorative which is not my thing and focus on what is my thing - birds.  Birds on a bird house - great idea!  Why didn't I think of that!?  But birds need flowers, and I love flowers - so that's how the body of the house came about.  I also Googled what kinds of birds live in bird houses.  Seemed silly to paint birds that don't actually live in them.  There was a list, but surprisingly enough, there really aren't that many.  Even fewer of them live in my area - so the list was easy to diminish to just a handful - and then, easy for me to pick the one to be part of this artistic adventure - my favorite little red headed bird - the House Finch.

photo by Chuck Starr


 I'm pretty pleased with my acrylic attempt.  I learned a lot and found a few similarities to painting with wax - but I have to say... I really don't care much for cleaning brushes and palettes and paint that dries on my palette, .. brushes that harden when left out of water and having to varnish.  But, with that said - there were things about the acrylics that I did like which will bring me around to playing with them a little more :)


Happy Friday - Paint On!

27 comments:

  1. Absolutely STUNNING Marji!! I love it so much. When I was reading your words it brought back my anxiety when I had to paint a guitar, an umbrella, and a bustier for charity.. I did almost everything you did to find inspiration to no avail! That would be why I will not do commissions...way too much stress!!

    You did a wonderful job with acrylics...I look forward to more!

    Hugs Giggles

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  2. It's so beautiful! The person who takes that home will be so lucky and for a nice cause, too!

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  3. Great job on the bird houses. Nice colors and wonderful that you are painting for charity. Happy PPF!
    gloria

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  4. Well if you don't do acrylics you should! Your are awesome painter! Although I do love your painting in wax! What a good deed you did by painting this bird house! I am sure it will make lots of money for your charity! Beautiful!

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  5. Oh my goodness, this is a work of ART! The lucky person who gets this... Wow!

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  6. Wonderful bird house, I would like to live there! Valerie

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  7. Assolutamente bellissima!!!
    Bellalullo

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  8. wow, this is beautiful!! Would you believe that I recently ordered 6 little wooden bird houses from Amazon with the idea of painting them and selling them at a craft fair I hope to participate in later in the year!! I haven't known where to start with them but you've just convinced me to definitely do it - if they turn out anywhere near as good as yours and you don't even use acrylics normally!!
    Have you ever done a post where you explain the process of painting with wax? If so, I'd love to read it as I'm so curious how you do it - I love the outcome but can't quite understand how it works!

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  9. Beautiful! This bird house is stunning, you've done a great job with the acrylics and a not so flat work area. Love the colours, flowers and birds. You can rest now you're finished and not stress anymore.

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  10. Wow wow wow, they are amazing- so artistically done too. We don't have anything like that here- maybe too rainy I am not sure, or maybe we are just unimainative as Brits. Happy PPF.

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  11. This is soooo beautiful. Watch out next year there may be 100 left pn your doorstep! xox

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  12. oh Marji this is gorgeous!!! Those birds-wow!!! I'm certain someone's going to pay good money for it. Well done.Happy PPF!

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  13. Wow! Your birdhouse is truly glorious. Blessings!

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  14. so beautiful, your birdhouse is amazing!!

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  15. Awesome birdhouse, amazingly pretty! <3

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  16. Oh, this is gorgeous Marji! Always so wonderful to see your work. Waiting for inspiration really paid off in this case.

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  17. Just fantastic Marji! The birdies are completely alive!!! I love your process of coming to the houses...a wonderful ambassador of giving, you are. It is so great that you discuss your process of arriving at your final project...I find that so useful when I see something I admire as much as I do this house. You brave soul to take this on! They are fortunate to have you as a custodian. HPPF

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  18. I so understand your anxiety! I have gotten myself into creative pursuits that I wasn't quite prepared for. They have ended up being some of my best times of growth! Your birdhouse is FABULOUS! I really LOVE it! You've done a great job with your experimentation of acrylics!
    Happy PPF!
    Heather Santos
    Sparrows Journey Blog

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  19. Marji, your birdhouse is tremendously fantastic and I really believe it will be one of the very first to sell! What a beautiful job you have done! You'd never know that you are not regularly painting in acrylics.

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  20. This isn't an attempt Marji, it's a brilliant outcome. This little bird house is wonderful, what a great job you have done, I absolutely love it.

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  21. The birdhouse design is just darling!! How lovely! Happy PPF!

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  22. Beautiful!! You're gifted no matter what medium you choose!

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  23. So beautiful. Bird houses have a certain magic about them anyway but yours is enchanting beyond that. It flows like a dream.

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  24. Your work is always beautiful and this birdhouse is definitely a work of art. Someone will be very lucky to own this. Thank you for sharing your thoughts as you began to work with something new.

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  25. You stepped out of your comfort zone and did a great job - that is such a beautiful little bird house!!!

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