Definition, Specialities and Crabs

Dungies
encaustic and paper on birch 18x24

I'm feeling a bit like my art is defining itself... finally.  Yet, when I go to post photos of what I'm up to each week - they are bird paintings as of late.  The thought kinda makes me unsettled a bit and wonder how I've come down the road to have a "specialty".  Do I really want to be known as a bird painter?  It certainly wasn't my intent.  My intent is to just paint whatever comes to mind.  I guess that lately, birds are my thing.  I'm not interested in fighting that idea because I really am enjoying what I'm doing.   But, at the same time, I'm not ready to settle into a "specialty" quite yet.   So, I'm mixing it up this week and flexing my creative spirit a little and painting other than birds - Two Dungeness crabs on a vintage sailing chart.  The crabs actually came to mind from this earlier post where I was thinking of doing some of the star constellations.
I did a live demo last week.  I took my palettes and wax and set up to show people what it is that I do.  It was really fun and I realized that I like being out in public talking to people about art and creativity and painting.   Have a good Friday everyone - September will be here before we know it - so enjoy!

Taurus, Starry Nights and Painting Animals

Taurus
encaustic and paper on birch 16 x 16

There are 19 of them in the night's sky.  19 animals play in the stars.  Of course we all know Taurus and Leo and Cancer and Scorpio - but did you know there are dogs and bears and fish and birds?  A lion, a dragon and a whale? -  and Pegasus too.  Which means there really are more than 19 - but the point being - there are enough animals to keep me busy painting for a while.  I'm liking the thought of painting them all and using these amazing celestial creatures as inspiration.  I got this great book to teach me about the Zoo in the Sky. 

My Taurus is a Brahma Bull, not really a fierce Bull terrorizing the Twins in the night sky.  He looks a bit tame actually.  He's on a recycled panel, one that has held many paintings that are now within the layers.  I also used one of the charts that I found this time last year.  Knew they would come in handy at some point.  I think Cancer will look pretty at home on a chart as well as Volans, Cetus and Dorado.  Seems that all of the sea animals live in the Southern Hemisphere - so my friends in OZ might be familiar with them. 

So, the next starry night you have - look up and see the animals dancing about in the sky.  I know I'll need to have a chart of some kind to identify them.  But, it will be fun to see how many I can find.    Happy Friday!