Splashing Through Life - Art by Patricia Henderson

While I was working on my Geese collage, I had an idea for another mixed media painting.  For this piece I experimented with using various types of paper adhered to the canvas and did a wash of watercolours to get a muted background. Then using paper, twigs, leaves, feathers and an acorn cap, I made the nest. The eggs are hand painted paper. This was the first stage. After looking at it for a few weeks, I decided it needed a bit of  "oomph". (this photo is not the best, it was taken in bright sunshine and I couldn't get rid of the shine.) Today I added more hand painted tissue and rice paper, and it has a bit more of the oomph that I was looking for. I might be finished. Or not. But probably! 

I think this is done! I just need to give it a couple coats of varnish and it's good to go! I'm really happy with how this turned out.

I'm getting close to completing my Geese Collage! When I first started this, I had assumed that these were domestic geese, but after a bit of research on the markings on their wings and beaks, I've discovered that they are snow geese. Even better! These three fellows are on their winter vacation and have found a lovely waterfront to hang out at. I just have to finish the grasses and cattails and I'm done!

I finally got started on my collage of the three geese. So far I've done the background. Next I will work on the geese themselves and then I will be adding some grasses and cattails. This is going to be a fun one!