Italian Canaries

Painting by Niya Christine. Copyright

#121/365 Paintings

Have you ever noticed how fat (on average) Italian birds are? I’m pretty sure they hang out in the crevices of every baker, chef, Saturday market vendor’s routines every single day. Sleuth’s of the almighty CRUMB.

On one of my trips to Italy, I was seeking an outlet, something mindless to do as I recovered from a break up. I decided to take black and white photographs of birds for a full week. The pigeons were the fattest. Little rolly-polly, billiard ball looking creatures. They looked at you like ‘feed me or really bad things will happen’ — I fed them, of course. But even the canaries in the pet store were on the pudgy side. I love Italy. Everything in mass amounts of appetite, beauty and in deep reverence of the almighty crumb.

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Project notes: This is the final painting of April. It’s my make up painting from the sick day last week. Bunnies & Bicycles next, oh my!

Because I’m Tall…

Niya Christine Painting/Collage. Copyright

#118/365 Paintings

Because I’m tall, I see the insects up high.

I make other canaries jealous. But they shouldn’t feel that way. My knees are always scuffed up and it’s really hard for me to get a date during mating season.

Still, I keep my head up high, ready to sing with the dragon flies and ladybugs. The storks laugh at me—call me “shrimp.” I quietly gloat for not being ginormous like they are. I’m me.  A canary on stilts, with diversity, quality and character.

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Note to my subscribers: Thank you all for your well wishes. The antibiotics have kicked in today and I’m feeling much better. Also, welcome new subscribers. It’s a joy to have such a high quality art audience.

 

What Cha’ Lookin’ At?

By Niya Christine. Copyright

#117/365 Paintings

A cow’s dignity can’t be messed with. Of course she’s oblivious to how rumpus she is. Her attitude says “I’m happy with my bovine curves. I’m purposeful and pretty, all the bulls say so.” I like that about her.

Project notes: This is the first time I’ve cheated. This painting is actually an 8 foot tall finger painting created some time ago. I’ve wondered what I would do in this project if I got ill. In the past couple days since mountain biking, I’ve had a painful ear infection that gained momentum today. On antibiotics now, and feverish. I will have to make up for it later. I guess ear infections can’t be messed with either. But I will say that this girl was what planted the bug in me to do ‘lots’ of cow paintings. So I’m happy she got into the theme somehow.

 

Sunset Melt

Niya Christine. Copyright

#116/365 Paintings

Suspended between day and night, she melts into a sky full of more reds and yellows than her mind can contain. Sitting up in a tree, perfectly relaxed in this risk. But the canaries? No. They are not at all relaxed and melted into the vast poetry of the sky. No way. They worry. They worry, like most birds… in non-sequiters—in group speak non-sequiters. It looks something like: *&^ she –) brown hair *& good for nest(*&&%^ why (**%$ fall and THUMP!!! **&^ she shouldn’t (*& NO *&^% she needs &&*&to get (**^% down.. (*& does she (**&^ where’s her ((*&^ have a home? &&^% treehouse????…

And they go on like this in their fractured and numerous, jittery thoughts. While she sighs in the sounds of their chirps—certain they are singing to her. That they love her company as she melts her worries into the red sky, high up in a tree between day and night.

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My note: Maybe they take up all the worry for her so that she can rest?

I Could Be Interested…

Painting by Niya Christine. Copyright

#115/365 Paintings

I love how cows look at you with those large, soft brown/black eyes. Mildly curious, regarding you. Perhaps if you offered them an alternative meadow or a monkey to play with, it might, just might shake up the molecules a bit– get them moving at a slightly faster rate. I think cow’s are simply saying, “I’m good here, but give me all you got, I’m listening. I could be interested.”

Project notes: This cow is an acrylic + watercolor painting. It came from paint leftovers. A throw down of unused paint, because I was doing the dishes and wanted to wash the paint plate. Doing this reminded me of what I was doing before I switched from 5 ft and up canvas’s to 6″ x 9″ watercolor paper for 365. The technique I had used for years, finger painting is simply another way of saying, “I can’t be bothered to mix paint or think about it to much. Something will just have to happen by slopping paint on the canvas.” In this case, slopping on small hot press paper. Surprised to see that this is possible working small. Leftovers is fun!