Flamingos. 1

My journey back to health for the last half year had put my painting on hold for a while, but I have continuously been sketching and reflecting, and ideas for future paintings are plentiful. While I still have treatments to complete, I am now feeling pretty good — like a horse in a starting-gate ready to burst back onto the track.

So, what is to be the creation that gets me back? I've settled on an image that I had sketched several times since all this began. Flamingos. Maybe the pinkish ribbon-like necks influenced me. I had seen them on one of my trips to Trinidad, they are of course striking birds and this seemed to be the right time and connection for me.

I want this piece to not only accurately depict the birds of course, but also have my own personal experience be reflected. They wade through the mangrove swamps and tidal flats in groups with there heads down going through the shallows and muck to sustain life. They are gregarious and looking at a group you see a tangle of necks and legs… and yet they' re in harmony getting through another day.

I'm now finalizing my pre-painting renditions and hope to begin the piece in the next week or so. Below are initial charcoal renderings, these are used to work out positioning and composition. The next phase of drawings work out more of the details and accuracy. Updates to come.

Initial charcoal rendering (stage 1) for flamingos © Beatrice Bork, Feb. 2013 

Initial charcoal rendering (stage 2) for flamingos © Beatrice Bork, Feb. 2013