Hopelessly Devoted: Bird Painting by kto ART

First off, thanks to everyone that has been following my blog and purchasing my artwork:) I really appreciate all  the support! Special shout out to Matt S, from one artist to another, many thanks!

We all see birds on a daily basis. I have fond childhood memories of the hummingbirds flitting about the blooming bushes in our front yard and the
California Quail rushing like a 49er running back across the street, with babies serpentining behind. Remembering these little moments always makes me smile. As I paint more and more birds, I like to research their behavior and funny quirks, but some of my best tips and tidbits come from other people that see my love for the birdies and say, "well, did you know..."
The Northern Cardinal is an example of one bird that I hear and see almost everyday here in Hawaii, but knew very little about. They are so bright and cheery and I love watching the male sing his song on top of a streetlamp or from the highest branch of a tree, but I didn't know that the male does so much more! An Art Consultant at Genesis Gallery told me some really amazing details on the Northern Cardinal's behavior. He's the ultimate modern man. For one thing, Northern Cardinals mate for life and researchers say they can live upwards of 15-20 years. But that's not all, they breed 3-4 times a year and whenever it's lovin' time, he starts from scratch and courts her as if it was the first time. He sings her songs and brings her food. He'll even feed her himself. And to top it all off, the male will take over feeding and caring for the babies while the female takes a break to prepare for next mating season! Gotta love them:)
For this painting, I wanted to choose a love song that highlighted the unique love story of the Northern Cardinal. My friend Kris actually thought this one up, but I had to steal it from her because "Hopelessly Devoted" from Grease is probably the most perfect name for these guys. Cheers!

Original painting will be available at Genesis Gallery Hawaii. Contact information is on my website: www.ktoart.com/galleries.html

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