Regina Calton Burchett – Drawings & Pastels

Good Day Sunrise

Thank you, Jo Castillo for your wonderful photo – looking at that, you just know it’s going to be a good day!
(— and thank you, Puccini, for your inspiring music which always helps me paint)
I’m happy with this – makes me feel good.

I finally got to paint again, after about two months of no time to do the thing I love best.
I started this one in November for a sky demo I did for the Texas Pastel Society. My friend Jo Castillo, who let me use her great photo for this painting, came over last Friday and I worked on it then and again a little while on Sunday and today.
With the right attitude, we can enjoy most things we do every day, but for me, painting is definitely icing on the cake.

I love this bird – he sits over my desk, quietly whispering “nevermore”, although I think he’s actually a crow. He doesn’t mind, he still says the word. This is my source bird, and three stages of drawing him.

Next, I finally finished this little rooster that gave me fits. Probably because I always thought it was a female…

Iron Bird - Perseverance

Pencil on art paper.

Hope springs eternal. I may not have been able to draw every day as I intended, but I’ll keep trying. It’s definitely worth the effort.
This drawing is of another of my iron birds – a little guy I’ve always loved. Not pretentious, just content within himself.

Celery Rose --------- Celery Rose ala Mac --------- CRM

This one reminds me of a Charles Rennie Mackintosh rose, as seen above. I’ve always loved Art Noveau, and I especially love Rennie Mac’s designs for their simplicity and mathematical elegance.

Actually a rooster, but he’s kind of funky from some perspectives.

My friend, Jo Castillo, sketches in ink. Only in ink. Way too much pressure. So irrevocable. I will generally draw in pencil until I get it like I want it, then draw it in ink. But I thought, what the heck, and attempted to capture this little guy (about 2 1/2 inches high) in ink. Ever fearless.

I’ve always loved this little guy. He stays out with my plants all spring, summer, and fall, but every now and then I look down, and there he is in the dirt, with his feet up in the air. Croaked again.

I missed drawing my bird last night, so am posting a painting I’ve been thinking about. I’ve been visualizing this in my mind – I loved the photo I took back in 1989, and I loved the final piece when I painted it back in 2007 (above). Now I want to try it again, with a limited palette of light rust and grey. Somewhat like the revised image below. Another change I want to make to it is to refine the basic elements of the painting.

Angry bird, pencil, white paper

Not sure what this fat fellow is mad about, but he had a definite scowl. Maybe because his shadow looks like a fish. This one doesn’t have as much detail as the previous two.

I was settling into bed at 10:20 and realized that I hadn’t done a sketch today. So I hauled myself into the dining room and did this quick sketch, just so I don’t let myself down.
Any practice is better than no practice at all.
And habits must be built through repetition.

Pencil and white paper

Drawing of another bird from those I’ve collected over the years, and keep in with my plants.

I look for grace, strength and wisdom to meet the changes and challenges that will come this year.