Original Art Giveaway!

Two Mallard Feathers

To help celebrate my participation in the CMA Awards official gift lounge, I am offering a 20% discount in my online shop www.jodyvanb.etsy.com by using the coupon code COUNTRYMUSIC at checkout. Those who purchase anything in the shop, from now until Nov 1st (Country Music's Biggest Night!) will be entered into a draw for the above painting, unframed. The original watercolor of two mallard feathers is almost identical to the piece I sent to be showcased at the CMA Awards gift lounge!

85 of my feather studies will be showcased & gifted to the biggest names in Country Music backstage at the CMA Awards ( CMA’s Facebook page: CMA Country Music Association) Watch LIVE on Nov. 1 at 8p/7p Central on ABC.

A look at a flower

Clematis

Poppy

Iris

Clematis

Poppy

Iris

Considering the amount of rain we've had,  (see : None) my garden isn't doing too badly this year. I thought I'd add a few photos I took today.

"Stop and Smell the Roses"
There you go, I've said it. Very cliché, I know. Also, my roses aren't blooming, yet. But, take a moment and have a good look at a flower the next time you're in a garden, or are given a bouquet. They are amazing things! Every year, those same poppies come up and I try to find a way to photograph them that can show the detail and texture, and every time, nature says, "Good luck, lady."

I never have to go very far to find something inspiring to paint. The colours in these few flowers alone are amazing. Also, I found a dead bumblebee in the grass which I have put aside to paint later. Am I the only one here who does that kind of thing?

I'm becoming known for collecting "natural wonders"for reference for my art.
Someone brought me a dead butterfly the other day, and I just received two lovely old nests (a tiny one woven with birch bark and what may be spider webs and pine needles) possibly a hummingbird's and an empty wasp nest from Mike's Aunt and Uncle up in Verner.

I have a frozen hawk in my downstairs freezer awaiting a permit and a bird wing in my upstairs freezer awaiting painting. I found the wing of a woodpecker on the road the other week when I was on a walk with Oscar. It had been run over a few times, but cleaned up pretty good. It's sitting with my acorn collection in an old robin's nest by my front hall mirror at the moment.

I need my own studio space! I paint in my livingroom at the moment and must take out and put away everything each night. It's getting quite cluttered here!