JUNE 2023 

 Words on Art

What am I celebrating today? Sending out the first brief writings from Colorado of my Art & LIfe. Yay!

Sitting in my rock garden with the sweet smell of rose blossoms. Chittering and chattering birds and the sound of water tumbling in the nearby creek. Now a perfect breeze sitting in the shade of my giant elm tree. A day of painting, finishing my 7-12x12's of a bird series Birds introduced to me at my feeders & in my yard in the past couple of months.

Everything blossomed this spring. Its been very dry the last few years in Western Colorado. Colorful blossoms on all of the fruit tree’s & currently surrounded by: orange, yellow & pink roses and a prolific white flowered vine (a friend from Minnesota had said 10 years ago…you’re going to want to keep that trimmed. & yes ..it’s overgrown) & purple clover. Stevie, my husband has 11 raised beds planted and growing nicely. I recently planted flower seeds, they are slowly popping up along with elm seedlings and morning glories. I'll do my best to eliminate the latter. Plus puffy white clouds with Colorado blue sky in the distance, my favorite blue!

I’ve never been a bird watcher but I think I’ve become one. The first bird at the feeder was a House Finch, the rosy red color was breathtaking. If you look close-up they are not very handsome, ugly actually..it’s all about the color. One is prettier than the next. Yes, I feed many sparrows their playground is the many rose bushes in my rock garden there is much activity and vocalizing. What is going on in there? No doubt fun. I painted a White Crowned Sparrow in the series, I was surprised I could differentiate one sparrow from another.

My paintings are not typical bird paintings. It’s the bird head surrounded by an abstract background. I've focused on abstract paintings in the last couple years. It's been an interest on mine since my first year in college in 1970. The first painting I did was the House Finch it progressed quickly & the next 6, took much longer to resolve. I like them! The painting process gave me as much joy as sitting in my yard wallowing in the sounds and scents surrounding me. 

The most astounding bird that appeared was the Evening Grosbeak. I decided it could be my next painted Halloween face. They have a very large, bright yellow eyebrow. What was this bird? I had to look it up immediately. WOW..You’re gorgeous!! Stevie, showed me a courtship display of the Evening Grosbeak on a Colorado bird site. My desire is now to see that dance! I love our natural world.

These paintings will be on my website soon! www.jeanmariestortz.com

Please contact me if you are interested in purchasing any of these paintings. When you subscribe you will have access to occasional art sales, too.

I am on a new Facebook page @ jeanmariestortz but banned on Instagram as of December. bummer!

I committed at my last art show to send an art update of my life in Colorado! So here it is. You may have had contact with me through my Art rlelated life, which could be art classes, shows, events, fairs, galleries, art spas in either Minnesota or Colorado. Let's stay connected.

Can't stop creating,

Jeanne