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Showing posts with label bird art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bird art. Show all posts

Wild Reflections Art Exhibit by Sue Betanzos

* November 1 - 30
Kirk Bear Canyon Library.*
My new solo show, Wild Reflections is up. Just in time for some holiday shopping

❤️ A multi-media exhibit - my visual poetry to wildlife ❤️



*November 17, 2 - 3 pm
Wild Reflections Art Talk*
Bring your art questions and enthusiasm and join me Sunday Nov. 17 at the library.

I will talk about my techniques and inspiration and show some of my source material for creating this exhibition.  Small available artworks will be displayed. The 8" x 10" and smaller. Plus a few new pieces if I can finish them in time.

This exhibit features original artwork and prints of the natural world in beautiful Tucson Arizona at my favorite place, the Kirk Bear Canyon Library in northeast Tucson.

Books and art are such a big part of my life and I am honored to share my art at my favorite place.

There are familiar pieces from my exhibit earlier this year as well as new ones. All will be posted in this gallery as I finish them.

Stop by, enjoy the new artwork and check out a cool read while you are there. Drop me a line to let me know what you think!


Little Visitor Reverse Glass Painting

Reverse glass painting of a Verdin in a Mexican Bird of Paradise for my solo show Wild Reflections this November.
11" x 14" painted on the backside of the glass, backwards, using glass enamel paints.

Hints of gold softly gleam in the painting, just enough to add magic and interest when viewed in certain light angles.

This tiny bird is one of my favorites along with hummingbirds. Verdin are often hidden in dense shrubs and trees, but you can hear their calls. They are a soft warm grey with rust shoulder spots. The males have yellow heads which are brighter in the spring breeding season. (They are about the size of the Lucy's Warblers for you bird enthusiasts out there).
Can you tell I enjoy bird watching?

Somehow, I will finish this painting in time for the Oct. 31 installation at the Kirk-Bear Canyon Library. Just one week to go - at the finish line!

Little Visitor reverse glass painting by Sue Betanzos.com

Happy Thanksgiving!




I like to refer to this as Gratitude Day. Reflecting on all I have to be grateful for. Writing it down. This has been such a good year for me. Yay!!

Has anyone accomplished, done anything that they wouldn't have thought of this year?
I know I have and it feels Amazing! Why?

Well here's a few things I want to share about my upcoming Reflections Of Nature Show:

1. All of the art that is being created for this show is of Arizona wildlife   Some of the paintings are my signature Reverse Glass Paintings. Other paintings are traditional acrylic paintings on canvas or board. The glass mosaics are made with hundreds of hand cut stained glass pieces.

2. I learned how to draw with my left hand.  I got a lot done, despite a recent wrist injury. I learned how to draw with my left hand. Teaching my brain to work with my left hand was a lot of work, but it makes me so very grateful to have my right hand back for the mosaics. Gratitude x ∞.

3. My scholarship awards this year from Skillshare and LinkedIn allowed me to upgrade my design skills. Thanks to the awards from these online class platform sites, I was able to learn new techniques in digital design, stay motivated with classes in social media tips (@ohn_mar_win).
Try new looser drawing and painting styles while my wrist healed :)  Some of this new artwork will be in my show this January.

Keeping frustration away, learning empowering skills, making my dreams come true - what an exciting way to enter the holiday season!

I'm really working to get more paintings finished and will post them here and on my:
 Facebook,   Instagram,   Pinterest.
There will be a pre-show sale for paintings I'll announce right before the installation Jan. 12.
Happy Holidays!










I'm Published - Anne Kullberg's Colored Pencil Magazine

One of my colored pencil pieces has been published in Anne Kullberg's CP Hidden Treasures Volume III earlier this year.

Over 800 international entries and I am thrilled and honored to have my piece selected.
So many talented artists are in the magazine - I am humbled and happy! I picked up the colored pencil medium the beginning of this year, so wow!  :))

A digital version is available as well as a print version. Anne Kullberg's site has lots of wonderful information, instructional kits and more for those wanting to further their colored pencil journey.
The staff is super helpful, friendly.  I subscribe to their digital monthly magazine and love it - I'm hooked!
The magazine is celebrating 16 years in publication.

Here is my little screech owl Whooo, Me? and the page in the CP Hidden Treasures Volume III. I love these little owls. Please read more about screech owls here. They so interesting as well as cute!

Whooo, Me? - Colored Pencil 5x7"


Pyrrhuloxia Desert Cardinal Pencil Drawing

Pencil drawing of the Pyrrhuloxia, Desert Cardinal to practice some value studies. Value are the dark and lights of a painting or drawing. Color can sometimes be a distraction so I like to draw several pencil studies of a subject to get the feel of it.

Plus it's fun to play with the shades and the lovely graphite tones.
This is in my sketchbook, on Canson acid free 98 lb paper with Derwent pencils.


Pyrrhuloxia Pencil portrait study. 9x12" 








10 Free Artist Reference Photo Sites

Getting great photo reference is an essential part of a representational artist's research. If you are like me and don't have a high end camera with good telephoto lens, you rely on another's talent in this area if you want wildlife close ups.

Once a composition is designed, I often combine several photos in Photoshop. This Quail Whimsey is about five different photo references combined:
Quail Whimsey   Colored Pencil Painting   9x 12"   ©Sue Betanzos

While I like taking my own photos for small things, here are my top sites and some are free, for great photos:

Paint My Photo  - Free site.  The photos are donated on a wide variety of subjects. Just make sure to credit the photographer when you post images of your art.

Pixabay.com -  Free site. Photos are donated on many subjects. Credit the photographer if you post images of your art from their photo.

Morgue file  - Free site. Make sure to credit the photographer when you post images of your art.

Unsplash.com - Free site to download hi resolution photos.

Stocksnap.com - Free site for hi resolution photos to download.

Photos for artists -  Free site. A Great Facebook site with tons of donated photos on everything. It's a closed group so you have to ask to join and be on Facebook.

WildlifeReferencePhotos.com  Only 5.00 per high resolution image - what a deal. Compare to the usual 20 - 40.00 for most stock sites. Nice photos with correct animal names to search from.

Birding - Arizona and the Southwest. Facebook group site. One of my favorite sites for bird photos. A Facebook closed group, you can ask to join. Everyone is very nice and some may give permission for photo use.

The Hummingbird Whisperer  Facebook group site with nice hummer pics. Some may give permission for photo use.

Flicker.com - Social media site. A wonderful site to look at amazing photos. Search your subject and Ask the photographer if you can use a photo you love. Always give the photographer credit.

I have my eye on a Cannon power shot sx50 via ebay and Amazon, but it takes much more than good equipment for excellent photos. It's worth it to go to the experts when you want a great photo.

Lucy's Warbler Watercolor

A week ago I heard a very different call, right outside my door.
Today I finally glimpsed the bird singing in the dense branches of mesquite trees. It was hard because the bird was small, grey and very quick - flitting from branch and tree.
I've since discovered that most warblers are small and very quick, as they eat the insects.

It was fun solving the puzzle because for a while all I could hear was the call. Plus I was determined to find it.
Once sited and after a bit of searching with sound and site matching I learned I had spied a Lucy's Warbler. It's call was insistent, distinctive.
Here is the little bird gem that I torpedoed a mornings work to find. Dashing out whenever I heard it's call in hopes of spotting it!

Lucy's Warbler Field Study - Watercolor, colored pencil


While searching I was also treated to bright red Cardinal, Phainopepla, cheerful House Finches, Mourning Doves, and a lovely rich orange Queen Butterfly!

Also, yesterday around 6 pm on returning from my jog I stopped to watch a Cooper's Hawk dine on a fresh dove. It was amazing how fast it finished. The hawk has a large nest in a large tree by my house. Ruby amber eyes flashed in the late sunset as it neatly finished it's meal.

Time to get back to work - Continuing on my fun new Birdy Journey - I am Drawn By Nature.


Sunday Hidden Magic

A few birds from last Sunday's birding. I'm going to go back for some field sketching before it gets too hot.
Meanwhile I have written notes and get reference photos from favorite photo sites I will share in another post. The best part after the adventure is painting and drawing with my notes!





My nature list and a few subjects.

I am Drawn By Nature

Drawn to Nature like a magnet in the mornings. It's the cool spring weather that motivates me to get out and see as many birds and wildlife as I can.

Saw a lot of activity this morning on Tanque Verde Loop which I will record with a list of birdies and a few sketches such as the ones below from Woodland Road the other day. Bright yellow warblers, scarlet red Cardinals, jewel hummingbirds - so many it was exciting.

My current birding will keep me outside until the extreme heat hits. Then lots of painting inside!
Next time I'll try a little plein air sketching - trees :)

Nature Journal. Derwent, polychromos colored pencils, watercolors



Barn Owl Study #4

A quick little barn owl study that turned out to be not so quick as I used the watercolor pencils, water color and colored pencils.
Kept adding more detail, tightening it up. A key to any artwork is to Know when to Stop  :)

Still loving the water brushes. Played with watercolor paper in a notebook for this one.

Almost finished!



Barn Owl Study 4, mixed media, 9x7"


Screech Owl in Colored Pencil

I'm calling this little Eastern Screech Owl done. Started as a small study, it developed into a tighter artwork. It's easy to get lost in the pattern of the feathers.
Colored pencils are an excellent media for the tiny details. Pencils used: Faber Castell polychromos, Prismacolor colored pencils, Prismacolor Verithins.


Whooo, me?  5"x7" colored pencil on Strathmore paper. Available










Happy Valentines Day!

Thinking of you , my friends and family. This is the time when I am thankful for the kindness and love in my life - the day filled with hearts, roses, festive silly love tokens that can mean so much.

I kicked off my Valentines weekend with a lovely Audubon birding event early this morning at Sweetwater Wetlands where I spotted beautiful new birds.
The early morning air was cool and crisp with bright skies, good company, friendly fellow birders. A perfect morning! Now I'm winding down to a soft starry night :)

Sending everyone vibes of love for this Valentines weekend - enjoy!

Barn Owl Love 8x10 colored pencil available Here

A Little Quail Whimsey In Colored Pencil

Happy Sunday!
Think I'll call this finished and stop picking at it. I deepened the contrasts and colors to add interest, bring it more into focus.
Another colored pencil session is scheduled at the Kirk Bear Canyon Library on Saturday afternoon Feb. 20, 10 am - noon.  It's free so bring your colored pencils and learn some basic coloring tips.
Read more about class materials and where to get them HERE.
Quail Whimsey - 9x12" Colored Pencil, Strathmore vellum 100 lb
I used a lot of under painting layers in different colors to add depth. The only black used is on the quail, which was also under painted with a warm maroon to keep it from looking flat black.
I  Highly recommend quality pigment rich pencils to work with such as: Koh-I-Noor, Faber Castell, Prismacolor. All available locally in Tucson or online.







Sweet Little Arizona Gambel's Quail

These charming beautiful little birds are seen just about everywhere in Tucson.  I love watching them as they softly talk to each other while feeding. The round fluffy babies are adorable.

The call of the male Gambel's Quail is distinctive and pretty cool. To me it kind of sounds like haHA.
In the spring the male can be heard and seen calling.
I put an AZ colored ribbon on this study with a tiny copper star on the front.

A sincere thank you to Rob Boone Photography for letting me use one of his wonderful photos.







My little Ruby Gem, sold

The other day a mosaic I especially liked sold at a gallery I have exhibited at since 2006 or so, Tohono Chul.
The partnership has been a nice collaboration. The gallery and I make money, get exposure, so it's a win win for both parties.
Tohono Chul and I have supported each other over the years, it's such a pretty little oasis with a lovely & tasty cafe, nature walks, galleries and classes.

I highly recommend breakfast or early lunch at the outside bistro where birds often come very close. A beautiful cardinal once perched on the chair next to mine and I was so fascinated I couldn't eat. No camera, no sketch pad that day!   Just my eyes and the unforgettable memory.

Ruby Throated Gem is a special mosaic, created with much thought and affection for the subject. The frame is hand made by a friend too - I will miss this piece and have to make another.

Hummingbirds are so charismatic, they capture the fleeting beauty of the natural world. There is a magical quality to their shimmering appearance as they hover near while feeding or sometimes just checking you out. - fearless.