Land Down Under: Bird Painting by kto ART

I think I have mentioned before that I sketch a lot. Especially right now while I'm recovering from surgery and can't sit up for too long, sketching is a great outlet for releasing creative energy without expending too much physical energy.
"Land Down Under" originated as a sketch (as do all of my paintings) but I loved the sketch so much that I was concerned that my painting version would not be as wonderful. I decided to paint a small poignant composition. The canvas is only 5"x5" to capture the bird's posture and nothing else.
Well, I just love how this little guy turned out. He's a Red-Breasted Nuthatch. Nuthatches haven't made their way to Hawaii, but  (you guessed it) they are all over California. The Nuthatch has adapted well to urban development, feeding on insects and pine tree seeds. They are also great acrobatic birds, hopping up and down tree trunks, sometimes catching flies midair or upside-down. I picture my Red-Breasted Nuthatch flying down to this ledge  for some sunbathing and then realizing there's something even more amazing like a bunch of pine cones on the ground below. He's thinking, "Do I stay and catch some rays? Or do I make the trip down under?"

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