Original Oil Painting measures 9" x 9" by Christy Gunnels, Wareham, MA

"A couple of years ago at the end of a day’s studio work, I decided to take the paint from my palette and smear it all over a new board.  I kept this up for several work sessions until the board became visually stimulating.  Around this time I had also been photographing the birds at our bird feeders.  I started incorporating the birds on these painted boards, noticing in some cases the ground reflecting the movement and fleeting presence of the bird.  I found this approach a nice change of process for me, and a way to incorporate some abstract work into the observation of the bird and its essence."