Bird Island Day 3

Bird Island Palms

8x10 inches

Oil on panel

The Old Birdhouse

5x7 inches

Oil on panel

Patsy's Sculpture

Native American Artifacts

Notes From My Residency Journal

The weather at BI changes very quickly. It started sunny this morning, quickly becoming overcast and windy. By 1 PM it was sunny again with calm sea. This is the perfect time each year to be at BI. No bugs, warm, with low humidity. Just marvelous!

I enjoyed the process of both paintings, listening to Eta,Ella, Billie, Frank and Louis on the IPad radio. There are no better specimens of cabbage palms than are growing here on the island. Palms are tricky. I've painted them all my life, yet they are still a complex mystery.  There are several bird houses here, after all, it IS Bird Island. My favorite is the old two hole one I painted today. It leans a bit and there are cracks in the wood, making it all the more charming. 

Patsy is a very talented sculptress, using all kinds of found objects to create whimsical pieces, placed around the house. I look forward to seeing them each time. The above is my favorite. She is also a fine painter. There are lots of good paintings scattered around the house, done by well known Florida painters who come here from time to time. The family has a fine collection by Ellie Blair, Kate Barnes and Elisabeth Ferber to name a few. 

The family has an interest in archeology and anthropology, having teamed up with the University of Florida's departments for occasional digs. There are numerous display of interesting artifacts throughout the house and on the porches. 

I look forward to seeing the red ball drop into the sea again at days end, after another day of Bird Island paradise.