March 2014

"Jumbie Bird" © Beatrice Bork

If you haven't been to Artists' Gallery in the Lambertville, NJ, and are in the area, please stop in. There's always an artist there to assist and answer questions, as it is an artist-run gallery. Each month we change the exhibits with different features, so there's always something new to see!

This month the watercolor paintings I have on display are: Wood Thrush on the Rocks, Jumbie Bird, Feathered, Golden Eagle, RUN!, Barnside, and Romeo.  I also have a selection of limited editions prints available.

Jumbie Bird, is a painting inspired during one of my visits to Trinidad. The ferruginous pygmy owl is a small bird with a call that's easy to detect. We heard him and called him over (by mimicking) where I was then able to get some research photos and see him moving about in the trees. My goal for this painting was to emphasize its mystery, and wanted a "folk-lure/story-book" feel to the piece.

"Get Lost" update

"Headbanger" watercolor © Beatrice Bork (sold)

Wow, we’re already 10 days into the “Get Lost” exhibit, time is really flying. The opening was great, it seemed like all had a wonderful time, unfortunately I wasn’t able to able to speak to everyone. And since the opening a few of my pieces have found new homes, thank you for your support!

We will be having one more closing “Coffee and Conversation” event on Sun., Dec. 4th (2-5pm) if you weren’t able to make it to the opening, I hope you’ll get a chance to stop by and say hello!

I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

It's Raining Cats and Dogs

I’m happy to be included in this recently opened exhibit at the Present Day Club, 72 Stockton St, Princeton, NJ. The show is presented by a combination of predominantly NJ and PA artists, curated by Susan Roseman.

Among the many accomplished artists in the show are my colleagues from Artists’ Gallery, Jennifer Cadoff and Gail Bracegirdle. All the works are of dogs and cats — what’s not to love!

The show is free and open to the public now through October 28. The club is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 9am–4pm, Friday 1–4pm and Saturday by appointment 609-924-1014. All works are for sale.

"Dog Days" watercolor painting © Beatrice Bork

Horses!

I have been presented with a unique challenge to paint 11 horses, but not just any horses. This piece will be focused on 3 generations of paints. I have been given photos, with detailed descriptions of their personalities—and will be depicting them running as a herd, starting with "grand-mare". While I generally do not work on many commissioned works, this venture seemed too exciting to pass up! I am looking forward to the weeks/months ahead as I go through the process of creating this from sketch to final watercolor painting.

I will be posting a series of progression... I'll just need to keep a camera close by and remember to take a photo now and then to show the progress ;)

In this first drawing I've created a very loose sketch to get a feel of where each horse will be positioned. I used vine charcoal to do this, as it's easy to get quick lines down, and rub off as needed.

© rough sketch of paint horses by Beatrice Bork — work yet to be titled. 2011

New prints and book

I have spent the last week or so working on updating my website design as well as adding a few new prints and made the "Birds of Trinidad" book available through the shopping cart as well.

The newly listed Limited Edition Giclee prints are: Baby It's Cold Outside (Cardinal), Sweet Nectar (Bumble Bee), Charming (Green Frog), and Ruby-throated Hummingbird. (image shown above).

Happy Summer!

"Ruby-throated Hummingbird" Watercolor © Beatrice Bork

What a Pair

I wrapped up two new paintings, just in time for the "Salon" exhibit tomorrow! I'm looking forward to the event, hope to see some of you there. The watercolors pictured here, are a male and female kestrel. They have great coloring and big attitudes for their size, a favorite of mine — among many.

"Warrior Prince" (top) and "Warrior Princess" © Watercolor by Beatrice Bork

November and the Meadowhawk

October is winding down and I'm gearing up for an event on Nov. 6th. It will be a "salon" style exhibit for one day only, a more relaxed show, some conversation, some art and some refreshments with some good folks! Here's a piece I'll be bringing to the show, I've also placed more new paintings on my website.

The painting shown was inspired this summer, while I was teaching a workshop at Leonard J. Buck Gardens in Far Hills, NJ. There were several of these red dragonflies flying around and these wonderful pod-like plants by the pond that gave me an other-wordly feel. Intricate, yet simple. Upon further research, I determined these were Autumn Meadowhawks. This info. actually put a smile on my face due to the irony that I'm basically known for being a bird artist (although I do like to paint a variety of different animals).

If you have interest in coming to the "salon" please contact me through my website.

"Meadowhawk" Autumn Meadowhawk, watercolor © Beatrice Bork

Dolphins

I had a great conversation with a woman at an art show, and what I found with her and many of the people that enjoy my work that it also has a nostalgia of childhood, which is where my passion for the subject of animals began as well. We conversed on how there used to be more animals in our rural areas, which is sad but true... and she also said something that touched me very much, she said that my art may become a historical record one day of what was... I hope that's not true, but it added even more responsibility to my painting. What if that really does become the case? I treasure my encounters with animals all the more as I get older.

The photos here are of a special encounter I had with wild dolphins off the Florida coast, they were curious about me, I wonder if they could tell how exciting this experience was for me, I'll never forget it ... I have been thinking of them often this summer and wonder how they are doing.

Dolphin photos © Beatrice Bork

Titles

For me a painting isn't finished until I have signed it, framed it (archival, of course) and given it a proper title. A title sometimes presents itself as the creative process begins, sometimes during and sometimes after. Every painting I do is personal and sometimes it's difficult to really reflect all the feelings I have about a piece in only a few words, but I think a good title gives a viewer direction of what I was thinking in addition to their own thoughts about a piece. It can be simple, serious, nostalgic, and sometimes humorous.

A few examples:

"Red Flyer" is a painting of a cardinal flying over the snow as I was painting, all I could think of was the red flyer sleds we used to have as kids and the name just presented itself.

In "Ah Go Ketch She Eye" the male is the standout of the piece, and in the scenario he is trying to win over the female with his good looks, I went for a "trini" sounding lingo on the title because the birds I observed were in Trinidad—wouldn't they "speak" trini if they could talk?

In the piece here, I kept thinking how the hens would like the "bad boy/rebel" personality, perhaps his "cocky" attitude was attractive, perhaps he's a "Lover Boy"?

"Lover Boy" (rooster) water media painting, © Beatrice Bork

The show is on!

"Wild Together"
Featuring Beatrice Bork and Paul Grecian
Artists' Gallery
18 Bridge Street
Lambertville, NJ

May 7 through June 6
open Fri/Sat/Sun. 11am – 6pm
and Memorial Day

"Waylay in the Mango Tree" Bananaquit, Trinidad. Watercolor © Beatrice Bork