Seasoned

This little bird started out as part of a class for painting songbirds. The intention was to have multiple, cute little birds that were sweet and playful. Our instructor asked us to consider what kind of personalities our birds have as we chose collage papers and shapes.

For some reason I chose only one bird and the word that came to mind for personality was "eccentric." I didn't really want to follow a pattern of any specific kind of bird or try to make it familiar.

The background emerged after several versions of color, which really brought it through all four seasons. The leaves to me feel like they could be brand new spring sprouts, or the last few remaining fall leaves that could disappear with the next gust of wind.

There was originally a big, beautiful tail, which I loved... but it just didn't fit the bird yet. It still feels like it is in its beginning stages and can't quite carry the weight of big tail feathers just yet.

She is confident and hopeful, but the fuzzy little wings prove that she has much to learn. She has all of the seasons swirling within her at once and I'm pretty sure she's about to take flight.

"Seasoned" is usually used to describe someone with a lot of experience, but for this little bird, it means that she's seen just enough to start to know her own voice and sing her own unique song.