Hummingbird Magic

Hummingbird Magic 

The Hummingbird
by Harry Kemp

The sunlight speaks.  And it's voice is a bird:
It glitters half-guessed half seen half-heard
Above the flower bed. Over the lawn ...
A flashing dip and it is gone.
And all it lends to the eye is this --
A sunbeam giving the air a kiss

Possibly a Rufous Hummingbird, taken at Laguna, California

I think everyone can share, with excitement, a story about a hummingbird they have experienced - these magical birds are so tiny, but so full of energy and spirit. When ever you encounter one, you can't help but look and smile. At least that is my reaction every time I see one. 
I remember when I first acknowledged hummingbirds as a kid. I was living in Maryland at the time, and right outside our kitchen window was a big bush filled with flowers. I recall it being this enormous tree, but I was like two feet tall, so everything was big to me. The bush attracted hummingbirds every morning. And I remember sitting at the table in a trance, just watching them fly around the flowers. My mother would share little tidbits about hummingbirds, and I would learn they loved 'sugar' as much as I did, making me a little hummingbird too.
I have since learned that high quantities of sugar is not good for you - so, um, you shouldn't try to be a hummingbird -  and a whole bunch of scientific facts about the why, the how, the where, the what and when hummingbirds eat and live. But the excitement I get every time I see a hummingbird is not because of all the science and knowledge on the subject, instead, it's the pure joy I have watching them buzz around, just like I experienced as a kid.  

I was inspired to capture that feeling in a painting, when I watched a hummingbird fly around a pile of washed up seaweed on the coast of California (turns out, some hummingbirds will eat flies and other insects.)  I wanted this painting to be colorful, vibrant, and echo the joy of a kid in awe of the spirit of a hummingbird. 

​And so with bright yellows and reds, 
Hummingbird Magic appeared on the canvas: 

Hummingbird Magic, Acrylic on canvas. 9x12"

As I worked on this painting, and another similar painting that reflected my interest in Grackles, I started thinking about all the birds that I have had a personal connection with during my life. From the iconic mallard duck to the exotic flamingo, to the unique one of a kind experiences with rare birds like the Northern Bald Ibis during my travels - I feel inspired to create a series of paintings that reflect my joy, excitement and love for birds - especially when they are flying and the colors of their plumage. If you aren't envious that they can fly, you are certainly envious of how incredibly beautiful their feathers are. 
This new series, like most collections of paintings I start, is of course, an ongoing work in progress.