Paintings!

Greetings from China! 2 months in Finland went past far too fast. But I guess that is the case anytime one is really enjoying oneself. I spend a few days in The Netherlands visiting family (pictures of that still to come...), then I also spend a few days in Norway visiting my cousin. A few days out on the summer cottage, in the forest picking mushrooms, preparing for the exhibition, visiting with friends, and... Well. Then it was time to fly back to Shanghai. I cleaned the house from the dust that had settled while we were away and rearranged the studio. Now I have been a few days in Beihai (on the south west coast of China). My husband is visiting a mill here for work and I accompanied him.

I have not been keeping up with my blog while in Finland, so now I have a lot of pictures that I have in queue to share with you. Today I thought I would start with all the finished painting that I haven't posted here yet:

Awake. Mixed media on canvas, 40x30cm. Barn owl reference with kind permission from Chris Allsebrook from the Facebook group 'photos for artists'. I am really happy with how the owl turned out, but not as happy with the background. I don't now what I would like to change. Oh well, I just need to keep on painting and experimenting!

Miss Sweetie. Mixed media on a 20x20cm canvas. Long tailed tit.

Mr. Finland. Mixed media on a 20x20cm canvas. Eider reference with kind permission from Gary Jones from the website 'paint my photo'. This beautiful male eider can almost only be seen early in spring. After 'taking care of business' they will leave the females to rase the chicks alone and fly back south.

A song of sunshine. Mixed media on a 25x25cm canvas. These nuthatches are always such a joy to paint. Reference with kind permission from Russ Bridges from the Facebook group 'photos for artists'.

Calling. Mixed media on a 40x30cm canvas. Black is always a challenging colour to paint. I really like this one. I think more similar pieces will follow! Raven reference with kind permission from Ruth Stewart from the website 'Paint my photo'.

Garden fairy. A commission. Mixed media on a 20x20cm canvas. Robin reference with kind permission from Pixelbloke from the website 'paint my photo'.

Our coastal swans 2. Acrylic and oil on a 30x60cm. I really enjoyed playing with the fluid acrylics I used for the background.  

Bon apetit. Mixed media on a 20x20cm canvas. Bohemian waxwing reference with kind permission from Gary Jones from the website 'paint my photo'. I haven't seen these fellows in a while. Probably because I have not been late enough in the autumn home anymore to see them. We had a huge amount of these rowan/mountain-ash berries in my home town, so they will be able to have a merry feast when they do decide to come!