Featured Artwork: A Bird’s Nest!
What?! It’s been cats, cats, cats, a few dogs, dogs dogs, and now a bird’s nest?
Well, I do maintain and write about backyard wildlife habitats, and aside from my cats I draw birds and other creatures as well.
It’s also spring and quite a few birds are very busy at this sort of thing outside my windows.
But the first part of the story behind this image is that, for all the cats and dogs I’ve featured in my artwork on this site, this sketch has the most views of any piece of artwork on The Creative Cat! I have no idea why, but it has well over 2,000 views since I originally posted it in January 2010 as part of my “From the Lost Sketchbook” series, where I’d found a sketchbook from 2002 or thereabouts that I’d kept at my desk. This was a general purpose sketchbook and I used it for many things in addition to extemporaneous sketches such as illustrations and ideas, and it included sketches of my cats and a few other subjects. I was so happy to see it again so I scanned all the sketches that were pertinent to The Creative Cat and posted them.
The second part of the story of this sketch, though, doesn’t have to do with my backyard wildlife habitat or my love of wild birds or my daily sketches but with why I created this sketch. Several years ago I was a member of a small business organization and was included in an article about small business owners setting up a retirement plan for themselves. The theme, of course, was “nest egg”, and the editors wanted some illustrative photos of us showing the nest egg theme, like holding bird’s nests or eggs or images along that theme.
The nests and eggs the photographer brought were clever and colorful, but being an artist and studying birds for years, they didn’t do too much for me. I had suggested I would be photographed out in my backyard wildlife habitat and for the article I’d say something about studying and sketching birds and their nests, and originally I wanted to use one of the nests I had on hand with a few reconstructed eggs. That was too realistic, perhaps, so I went to the next idea—I make my living as an artist, so I’m literally “drawing my own nest egg”. Perhaps use that as a metaphor?
So I had the sketch started and sat on the bench under my trees working on my sketch and that was the photo of me they used. I wish I could find the issue of the magazine that had my photo! It’s here somewhere, but things from a decade ago are in various places around my little house.
Hence the sketch of the nest with eggs, which I still like just as a sketch too. I’ve been meaning to frame it for hanging somewhere in the house, but here it ended up in the sketchbook, and I’ve discovered it again. We’ll see what I can do with it this time!
Browse some rescued cats and kittens!
All images used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission. Please ask if you are interested in using one in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of this image or a product including this image, check my Etsy shop or Fine Art America profile to see if I have it available already. If you don’t find it there, visit Ordering Custom Artwork for more information on a custom greeting card, print or other item.
This is beautiful, B. Have you ever done bird-themed note cards?
Chris, I had two sets in with my holiday cards, mostly because they are winter-themed, one photographs and the other pastel sketches, which you’ll see here: http://www.bernadette-k.com/marketplace/marketplace-wildlifecards.html. I also have a set called “Eye on the Sparrow”: http://www.bernadette-k.com/marketplace/marketplace-naturecards.html. Thanks for asking!
Bernadette, it’s the Fantastic Four! With bed head!
Or perhaps it’s metaphorically them!