Hummingbird and White Flowers, Oil on Wood Panel, 11" x 14"

I also have a fascination of flowers and white flowers in particular. This stems from a "white on white" painting project that I had years ago in art school. In this case, however, I wanted a more robust use of color, so I set the white flowers and hummingbird on a background of vivid, fire-like colors. I've also added silver leaf to the painting for its reflective quality to enhance the hot, bold background.

Twilight Hummingbird, Oil on Panel, 11" x 14"

Again, I wanted to pair two magical subjects in the same painting. As I paired the wonderful hummingbird with the solar eclipse in another painting, I wanted to pair the hummingbird with twilight time in this one.

I found a photo of a trumpet flower that I had taken and found the silhouette of what looked like two people inside this backlit flower. I combined all these elements in this painting.
 

Solar Eclipse and Three Hummingbirds, Oil on Panel (11" X 14")

Repeatedly, people have responded enthusiastically to my hummingbird paintings. There is something irresistible about these wonderful birds. They're mysterious, beautiful and many of my acquaintances agree that there presence evokes a spiritual feeling. Two of my close friend feel that the presence of hummingbirds is like a resurrection of a dearly departed loved one.

When we recently experienced a solar eclipse in San Diego I felt that the pairing of the cosmic event and presence of hummingbird would be a magical idea for a painting. I have several more ideas to pursue with this combined subject matter.

Hummingbird with White Flowers

My latest painting. (Oil on Wood Panel, with Silver Leaf) A change of color palate and a return to silver leaf.

Twilight Hummingbird

My latest painting: Twilight Hummingbird, (Oil on Wood Panel, 11" x 14"). When I presented my last mini-series of hummingbirds, several people shared with me their feeling that these wondrous birds represented the lively spirit of departed loved ones. It occurred to me that the birds' appearances brought back fond memories and also spontaneous smiles. Thus, what a great subject to paint!

Solar Eclipse and Three Hummingbirds

Solar Eclipse and Three Hummingbirds, Oil on Wood Panel, 11" x 14"

There's something about hummingbirds that is magical. Also magical are celestial events such as eclipses and meteor showers. The recent solar eclipse gave me the ideas to combine both hummingbirds and the solar eclipse in the same painting.

Clyde in the Luxor Onion Fields Painting. 

I had such fun with my photographer extraordinaire and good friend Bela Dornon. He took many "artist" shots of me that I want to use for my idea of a new art business website. He asked me to bring some paint brushes and several paintings to use as props. I'll be sharing more of the photos at some point.

One of the paintings that I brought was one that I did of a beautiful onion field that we passed on the way to the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. The onion flowers all looked like little versions of swirly galaxies. I thought to myself that when I got home I had to keep my memory of it alive so I could do it justice in a painting.

Bela's eyes sparkled when he saw this painting. I recognized his expression as one of those creative aha moments before something wonderful and inspiring is created. I watched Bela at his computer and I was mesmerized at his finesse. Before I knew it, he had submerged me in the middle of that Luxor onion field. It was as if Bela transported me back into that place and time. Thanks Bela!