Keean Scott Austin McElroy was a sunny spark of a boy. He was the youngest of the McElroy family, with a big sister and two absolutely devoted parents. His dimples flashed when he was being silly, and he loved with his whole heart. He made friends with, it seems, just about everyone who saw him.… Continue reading The Keean Butterfly
Tag: blue
Songbirds
Songbirds - a grouping of four small-format acrylic paintings This small grouping of four songbirds (clockwise from top left: Carolina Wren, titmouse, black-capped chickadee and white-breasted nuthatch) was inspired by the new spring in a part of town that has a lot of beautiful songbirds singing. I find them incredibly animated, full of life and… Continue reading Songbirds
Reflections of Bath Abbey
Taken from a photo I captured while on vacation in Bath, England, this windowbox frames a reflection in a window of Bath's majestic Abbey. The window is in the building across the cobblestone road from the Abbey, and it houses the ancient Roman Baths, for which the town is named. The beautiful cool fall day,… Continue reading Reflections of Bath Abbey
Blue and Gold Macaw
I love parrots. They are incredibly complex, emotional creatures, and they have a powerful weapon right on their face. They fit into our lives, learning our language, understanding our non-verbal cues better than we do ourselves. It is all in the eyes. There are thoughts forming and connections developing every second. I can just imagine… Continue reading Blue and Gold Macaw
Black Palm Cockatoo
My "Showoffs" series of four paintings featured cockatoos with outrageous crests. This one is the Black Palm cockatoo, a huge creature whose bright red cheek patches -- bare skin -- make them one of the most distinctively beautiful species of parrots. They are very intelligent, as with most parrot species, using tools as musical instruments… Continue reading Black Palm Cockatoo
Umbrella in the Wind
Umbrella cockatoos. They're loud. Bite hard. Temperamental. Destructive. But oh, my heart. When they are sweet, they are sweet. They woo you with their soft clucks and beguiling eyes. They draw you in with emotional touches, burying their faces in your shoulder. Their feathers feel like fluffy silk, and they invite you to touch the… Continue reading Umbrella in the Wind
Pacific Parrotlets in Love
I've always been fascinated by parrotlets. Tiny little bundles of energy and fierce attitudes, they are devoted to their mate. And when they snuggle together, tucking their heads behind their wings, they form the shape of a heart. These two - mutations in green and blue - are done in digital pastels. This means it… Continue reading Pacific Parrotlets in Love
Blue Budgie
This blue budgerigar, known here the United States as a parakeet, was painted in digital oils. This seems mysterious to many people, but it is quite simple. The software I use, along with a digital stylus, allows me to use tools that behave very similar to oils, without the mess. In some respects, this method… Continue reading Blue Budgie