It's Birdtober! Bird a Day Art Challenge for October

October 07, 2024

I am participating in Birdtober! There are a few Birdtober art challenges happening this month- I am participating in the one hosted by Kayla Fisk Birds. 

I’m really happy I stumbled on this bird art challenge. I love all the other October challenges and I’m really enjoying seeing everyone’s posts! But it always comes back to birds for me. :)  Especially since I have another show scheduled at Seward Park Audubon in January!

And really- all the art challenges taking place this month are all about drawing SOMETHING that floats one's boat! Seeing everyone being creative is bringing me so much joy in the midst of so much that’s difficult in the world right now.

Here are the prompts I've completed so far:

Day 1: 'Hooked Bill' - Great Horned Owl

A great horned owl sitting on a key that was part of a series that I did of birds and keys. Why did I put birds and keys together? It seems like in fairytales and myths many times birds are symbols of wisdom and have the keys to certain knowledge. So... birds and keys!

Day 2: "Forest Dweller "- Barn Owl

I never ever get sick of drawing barn owls and hopefully will draw them until the end of time. 

Day 3: "Ooo Shiny!" - Hummingbird 

I just finished two new acrylic paintings and I’m getting caught up, so this is an oldie but goodie! The first time I tried the watercolor + ink combo.

Day 4: "Red" - Puffin

A colorful puffin beak is just the ticket for this prompt! 

This is a an acrylic painting of a puffin standing on the cliffs in the Icelandic midsummer sunset that I finished awhile ago and which has been hanging in my house.  I finally listed it if someone needs some Puffin energy in their life!  (Reference photo by Menno Schaefer Wildlife Reference Photos )

Day 5: "Warbler " - Yellow-Rump Warbler

Of COURSE I'm going to pick the one with rump in it's name. The fact that a yellow-rumped warbler is a thing that exists is my new fave fun fact.

Another fun fact is that I can't hear the word warbler without thinking of the episode of Curious George where the Man in the Yellow Hat had written a bazillion page book about the Cerulean Warbler. Back in the day I watched that and all the other episodes of Curious George many, many times with both my kids. Warblers will forever be associated in my weird brain with the Man in the Yellow Hat.

Day 6 & 7: "Adorable " & "Backyard" - American Bushtit

I combined day 6 & 7 for this one- because COME ON. Bushtits are the the cutest. And also in my back yard. 

The first time I saw these cuties- I was sitting and looking out the window at my old house and all of the sudden a flock of tiny birds descended on the lilac bush by the window and were so BUSY! and SMALL! and SO CUTE! and then they all FLEW AWAY AT ONCE! It was all so adorable that I looked them up.

Day 8: 'Corvid'

I switched it up a little bit and did a JAY for the Corvid prompt instead of a crow (I know! Don't worry...plenty more crows to come.) 

I wanted to give Stellars Jays a little love today because these chatty and outgoing corvids are always fun to see around- they always make sure you know they are there!

Day 14: Swifts and Swallows 

When I was growing up it was my job to mow the lawn at my dads house, which was a small farm with an old barn. One afternoon I got freaked out because it seemed like I was being dive bombed by the barn swallows and I thought I had made them mad or that I was too close to a nest (I was mowing by a big hedge). When I ran inside and told my dad, he explained that it was because the lawn mower was kicking up bugs that were in the grass, so the swallows were swooping down to catch them. :) So I continued mowing. The diving birds were still a little disconcerting, but it helped to know that I was helping them with a feast! I have loved barn swallows since.

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I am offering many of the sketches here at an affordable rate for the holidays! Every bird lover deserves original bird art made by a fellow bird nerd! You can click on the photos above for individual listings or click here to see them all! 

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