Revisiting a Favorite Spring Motif

'For Every Bird a Nest'            11x14          pastel         ©Karen Margulis
available $175

 I love painting nests! Every year when spring rolls around I get the itch to paint a nest!  We were lucky last year to have several birds nesting in our yard so I got some new reference photos. One of the things I love about painting nests with pastels is that I get to be a bird. Yes that is what I said! I get to think like a bird.

I use my pastels to lay the foundation for the nest. And then I slowly and carefully build the layers weaving colors with linear marks. Some thick. Some thin. Around and around I go weaving the ends of straw. Tucking in bits here and there. My marks are gradually getting finer and tighter making a soft and strong home for the eggs.

close up detail of nest

I will be working on more nests this week including preparing a video demo and a step by step photo demo for my Patreon page. There is much to be learned from painting a nest!

Using a variety of marks to build a nest

Here is a wonderful little poem by Emily Dickinson

For every Bird a Nest—

Wherefore in timid quest

Some little Wren goes seeking round—

Wherefore when boughs are free—

Households in every tree—

Pilgrim be found?

Perhaps a home too high—

Ah Aristocracy!

The little Wren desires—

Perhaps of twig so fine—

Of twine e'en superfine,

Her pride aspires—

The Lark is not ashamed

To build upon the ground

Her modest house—

Yet who of all the throng

Dancing around the sun

Does so rejoice?