Day 5 - Good Things Come in Threes

 Throughout time, the number 3 has been considered to be a special number.. It has represented wisdom, harmony and understanding, the past, present and future... beginning, middle and end..  It is considered a perfect number by mathematicians, is found in many fairy tales, and features prominently in how artists design their work (Check out the Rule of Thirds)  The list goes on when it comes to the number 3, but I'll stop there.

Today's painting is part of a series I have been doing that features 3 birds, originally inspired by Bob Marley's song, Three Little Birds.  I've enjoyed doing these as it gives me a reason to study birds in different poses and settings, within the same painting. I chose the sparrow for this painting because they are a common bird in my area and I love hearing their sweet song and watching them as they swoop for bugs and flit from nest to branch.  As Autumn is here and the colors are changing before our eyes, I added a Fall vine with berries and the colors of the season.  I also snuck in a new color from a tube of paint I just bought - Phthalo turquoise... I think it adds an interesting contrast to the warm tones of the rest of the painting. 

Good Things Come in Threes, Oil on panel, 6"x12", to purchase click here

As I mentioned in a former post, I sometimes paint from an outside studio I have named Valentino. :)  Because I travel 2-3 times a week to take my son to school, I am away from my home studio.  I'm lucky that I already had a plein air rig used for outdoor painting... over the summer, I bought the van pictured below to help out. So far, it's been working out ok.. I like that the hatch acts as a roof and if it rains, I there is enough room that I can move things inside.. And, I meet some pretty interesting people too.  I'm still working out the kinks because it is a little cramped if I have to paint in the van, but it works!  I may need to remove a seat.. will have to see.. :)