Pheasant & Lapwing

I am attracted to the plumage of the birds and to their silhouette. I am particularly fascinated by the ways artists and illustrators have depicted them in art, such as Audubon, and in bird identification guides. I like reading the descriptions of the colors and plumage, but what really captures my imagination is the character of the bird and this is what I am always trying to portray.

I am only interested in depicting birds that I have seen, or which are from the north of England where I live. I am lucky to live a short drive from a coastal nature reserve and in the other direction can quickly get out to hills and heath, so we have a wide diversity to observe. I am particularly inspired by the exotic nature of some of our common local birds, such as the lapwing and the pheasant.