Guests for Dinner, 18x24 Oil on Canvas

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This Wood Stork is calmly looking over the Spoonbills feeding in Mrazek Pond in the Everglades. The Wood Stork puts his bill underwater and waits for his prey, then his beak snaps shut at lightning speed, 25 milliseconds. This is known as grope-feeding. The Wood Stork has one of the fastest reflexes of any vertebrate.

This was just sold by the Brevard Cultural Alliance (BCA) at the Melbourne Airport. We artists are so lucky to have the BCA and Lynne Brezina.

Carmen

Pardon My Back, 24x18 Oil on Canvas

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This is the first in a series and it's a bigger painting than I usually post. I didn't pose these birds, they were standing exactly like this, so this was one of those paintings that got named before I started it.

While in the Everglades I got to see plenty of mangroves, mangrove forests and mangrove islands. What fascinating trees they are. They thrive in salty environments because they are able to obtain fresh water from saltwater. Some secrete excess salt through their leaves, and others block absorption of  salt at their roots. Their intricate root design makes a protective nursery for tiny marine life.

Drying Off, 6x6 Oil on Canvas Panel

I was going to paint this Anhinga in the Everglades with its wings spread, which is its typical pose. These birds don't have oily feathers, so they must air-dry after being in the water. When I looked at its head, I found it so distinct and comical, I decided to paint just the head instead.    PURCHASE

The Usual Pose

So many birds are funny. The other day we watched people across the street trying to shoot a video commercial, and there were five people whose efforts were completely thwarted by a mockingbird. The bird sits on a very high pole every day and sings as loud as its little lungs can muster, which is pretty darn loud. The people were banging the pole, jumping up and down, waving their arms, but the mockingbird just sang his happy little song. They had to move inside to shoot the commercial.

Mystery Bird, 6x6 Oil on Canvas

I am not sure what this bird is, and if anyone knows, please let me know. He was hanging out in the Everglades looking so cute, I just had to paint him. I donated him to the Lagoon Fest to be held in October 2014 to benefit Oyster Restoration for the Indian River Lagoon.

I read in the paper that a large number of pelicans and manatees have died here on the Space Coast, and it's likely because of the sorry condition of our waterways. The Banana River and Indian River are polluted by runoff from pesticides and fertilizers, and this is good for no one. Our river used to be full of clammers and I never see them any more. I don't think a green lawn is the priority here. I think I should have pride in the sorry-looking lawn we're sporting these days. I'm looking at it in a whole new way.

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Spoonbill Stretch, 5x7 Oil on Canvas

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This is my ode to the Spoonbill:

I am a silly bird.

Folks look and say, “What is it?”

My face is like a spoon,

My plumage is exquisite.

Speaking of exquisite things, I went to the Ruth Funk Textile Museum at Florida Tech in Melbourne, FL for an exhibit of beautiful dresses made of garbage. Incredible! It is called "ReDress: Upcycled Style" by Nancy Judd. I was lucky enough to meet the artist, who signed my sketch journal. 

Can you imagine, dresses of crime scene tape, target bags, and inner tubes? Nancy's mission is to save the earth from the garbage left from our conspicuous consumption. She makes us think. Below are my journal sketches, with an inner tube dress and a Carmen Miranda outfit of Target bags.

River of Grass, 6x6 Oil on Canvas

We painted on site at the Pa-Hay-Okee Overlook, and it was so nice chatting with all the travelers who came through. This is the dry season, so most of the grasses are high and dry right now. 

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Sunset

Very Gator-y Place

Gumbo Limbo Trail

Everglades Sketch Journal

This is just fun. Ever since Diana Gessler's class, I have enjoyed journaling my experience in a sketchbook. If you go to the Everglades, be sure to stop at the Robert is Here fruit stand. Robert started as a six-year-old child in 1959, selling cucumbers on the corner. He was so small people couldn't see him and would drive by, so his father put up a sign that said, "Robert is Here." Now Robert is raking in, as this place has a booming business, with every fruit and vegetable you can think of.

Below, this is exactly how we looked sleeping inside the little tent. It was cold at night, and we were like mummies. Our picnic table was decorated with a lamp, which Cindy brought in case we had electricity at the site. We didn't.

Ibis Wading, 6x6 Oil on Canvas

I am definitely losing it. As I was finishing this up, I had a feeling of familiarity. I then realized I have painted this very picture before. Then I meant to post it before leaving for the Everglades, but I didn't. I definitely needed the getaway.

Mating Dance of the Alligator

 My Pieces of 8 friends Cindy, Kathy and I (referred to by Cindy as Thelma, Louise 1 and Louise 2) went camping in a tent in the Everglades. No electricity. And yes, it is cold at night down there, believe it or not. Perfect in the daytime, though, and it is a non-mosquito season. I never saw so many alligators, and it is mating season so the booming and posturing were very impressive, rather like a reptilian singles bar.

Home Sweet Home

Cindy Photographing Kathy Photographing Tree Snail

It's a jungle out there. I will now be doing an Everglades series.

Featured in International Artist Magazine

My paintings of the Everglades are featured in the current issue of International Artist Magazine with an article about me titled, "Big, Bizarre and Bountiful--Painting the Everglades." Now, they are not calling me big, bizarre and bountiful, they are referring to the Everglades. I think.

I'm so excited about this I can hardly stand it! Whoo-hoo! Even though they put the wrong captions on some of the paintings. Still excited! They got my name right. Except in one place where they spelled it "Carman." But still excited!!! Eight pages' worth of Excited!

Spoonbill Resting, 5x7

Yet another Spoonbill in the Everglades. This was a study for a large painting. He looks a bit depressed, but who wouldn't, with a big spoon for a mouth?

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Egret in Grass, 8x10

This is another Everglades picture. I hate to be trite--how many bird paintings have you seen with this pose? But he gave me his profile, so what was I to do?

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White Pelicans, 12x4

When will I learn to simplify? I am attracted to complicated lines and shapes, and that is hardly ideal for a daily painter! I couldn't resist this one, though, with all the reflections of the pelicans all in a row. This was in the Everglades, and there was an alligator sneaking up slowly in the water, but the birds had an eye on him and gave him a wide berth when he came near.

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