Befriended by a Scissortail'

This next painting was completely inspired by a lovely encounter recently with a Scissortailed Flycatcher.

I was out cycling solo in a rural area when suddenly this beautiful bird appears right next to me, playing and dancing around my handlebars.

I was completely entranced by it's amazing long 'scissor' tail and as it would swoop up above me it would showoff the beautiful apricot/ orange flash under its wings.

My feathered friend flew along next to me for about a mile, much to my complete delight and then watched me turn the corner from a safe perch.

Couldn't wipe the grin off my face for days..

'Scissortailed Flycatcher'

Watercolor

9" x 12"

                   Original available here

Moments like those are why I just cannot stop painting birds..

sigh... I just love those little feathered pieces of heaven :)

love H xx

Sweet Tiny Moo Cards are here..

I've always loved the idea of Moo Cards for business cards..

all writing on the back, and the ability to put a different image on each one, like a tiny print.

I am delighted with how these turned out..

So small..

And so perfect.

Such high quality card and print work.. it will be a pleasure to present these to customers.

Cheers , H xx

Commission Delivered..Azure and Saffron

I can finally show you this piece ( it was a surprise commission by a lady for her husband's birthday)  he  was delighted, (these birds have long been a collectible favorite for him)

I showed a peek in this post ..

It's a  wee Kingfisher ... :)

 ( I love that out of all the birds , these ones have touched this man so much , he has many books and works of art dedicated to the subject)

I learned so much about them while researching.. they have a protective layer which shoots across their eye when diving underwater  for fish..   I also didn't realize that their feet are a bright orange/red and they are so tiny compared to the rest of their body  :)

I think they are so precious..  

thanks for visiting...

Sending you all a magical week ahead  xxxxx Helen

All is perfect..

Ahem.. I must confess i went away to Colorado .. had a wonderful time.. and fell off my wee 'blogging wagon'.. but..

I'm back..   "hello"  :)

Ive finished a new original piece..  wanna see  ?

I had fun with collaged ephemera, graphite, ink, acrylic and colored pencil.

'All is perfect and as it should be...'

Mixed media on wood panel 8 x 8..

I like how it fits in with my 'little cupboard collection'.. but it will be in my etsy store tomorrow.. 'sigh'

Thanks for visiting.. Cheers , Helen xx

Unusual collections - texture and patina

I love little unusual collections with a vintage/ botanical / nature feel, showing interesting, contrasting textures.. here is a peek at one of my corners...

The Chanterelle 'shrooms are from Fog and Swell... amazing tiny little stitches.. dyed with onion skins a beautiful warm ochre color.

I picked up this old cabinet and the vintage apothecary bottles from an Austin antique fair.

 Mixed in with some old silver and a very old tiny bible which hangs from a chain ( designed to be worn around the neck.. a very long time ago..it was passed down to my husband from his parents).

Vintage scissors, old metal implements, a cicada, birds nest and copper colored pods found outside my studio...

Love H xxxxx

IF - ' Influence' - Storm Petrel watercolor bird painting..

Illustration Friday's topic this week is 'Influence'..

I decided I would like to influence the weather patterns'.. whisper softly in Mother Nature's ear..
here in Texas it has been 103 degrees every day for months with no rain.. I sure love the sun.. but the plants, trees and little creatures need some moisture.

I have brought a Storm Petrel to Texas.. to share his rain love.. the Storm Petrel bird is a very strong omen to fisherman.. when he is hovering around.. rain and storms will follow..

'Rain Maker'

Watercolor 

9 x 12 inches

Helen Wheeler Shaw

I'll let you know how it goes'.. xx H


yay we finally did get some rain!!!!!!!

Fish ...... paintings and metal wall sculptures

I fell in love with these fabulous fish wall sculptures while away at the beach.

They are made by an artist called Michael Gilbert.  He uses metal from old car doors, panels and other interesting bits he comes across.. they have a delicious old patina , rusty, chippy, faded paintwork.. It was so hard to choose which ones would join my little 'school' on the wall. But I eventually settled on these 5 ( out of about 20 I wanted to swim away with :)

Continuing on our 'fishy' theme.. I just found out that the 2 abstract fish paintings I painted recently have just sold ..I guess I was to buy and sell 'fish' this month  :)

'Uncharted Passage'

Mixed Media on canvas

'Navigating New Waters'

Mixed Media on canvas

Cheers , H xxx

Remedy- Illustration Friday

This week for Illo' Friday.. the theme was 'Remedy'

I decided to paint a natural remedy from my home country New Zealand.

Wild Tea tree  ( Manuka is the name given by the New Zealand Maori) is covered in rosy pink or white clusters of flowers in the summer, much to the bees delight.. ( they make the very popular tasty ,medicinal 'Manuka Honey', from the pollen.

'Manuka'
Watercolor on paper 8.5 x 11
Helen Wheeler-Shaw

Manuka has many health benefits, the essential oil from the leaves is a miracle in a bottle, full of antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties. I always have a bottle in my bathroom cupboard.. and often have a few drops in my bath . The scent is a fresh, clean 'pine' type smell and combined with all the magical anti-bacterial powers', it also makes a fantastic natural cleaning spray.

Thanks for visiting.. sending you all  fun, happy 4th July wishes for all in the USA :)
Cheers , Helen xx

Limoncello and raspberries ,cupcake decadence

Just think.. Limoncello, lemon curd filling, cream cheese frosting and fresh raspberries all tied up in a cute little cupcake package.. oh yes I'm getting me some of that action..

They were delicious and really fun to make..

Recipe courtesy of 'The Comfort of Cooking'..... if you are in the mood for a little wicked lemony cupcake love'..you have gotta try these...

Cheers , Helen :)

Eating from my hand... new painting..

Hi people.. well I managed to squeeze in a good painting session EVEN with the kids home for the summer !
Hope all you mama artists out there are scheduling in some art 'sanity' time ..hehe..

I'm still yet to name this one ..

 9 x 12  -Watercolor

I had fun with this.. I had never drawn a hand before so I used my son Luke as a 'hand model'.  He is very excited he thinks his hand is famous now :)

Let me know your thoughts on a good title for this painting..

I have lots of ideas bubbling over for ideas with this concept.. stay tuned..
Lots of love .. Helen xx

The bees are buzzing...

Yup they are here.. it was kinda wild to be driving around with 60,000 bees in the car!
That's a total of 5 hives 'worth'.. there was 12,000 in each 'package' of bees. 2 for us..  and some for 2 different lots of friends.

 Soo much excitement. ....here are some shots of our sexy  outfits...ooh yes.. the latest in pin-up for beekepers'..hehe

 Fellow 'Newbie beekeeper' Leslie made gorgeous honey sangria' to sweeten our nerves while hiving our new friends. YUM!!  beekeper nectar..essential!

Here is a shot of Leslie 'testing' if the 'calming effects 'were working..

Now we just have to feed our little buzzy friends lots of sugar water..  and pollen patties until they get established..

Here is a pic of one of their new homes....

Yup.. that is a viewing door.. so fab to be able to open it up and peek in through their perspex window.. and jus' see what's up in bee land.. ( created by Master wood artist' Jess)  :)


Viva Bees'..

 Love from ....Beekeeper Helen XXXx

An apple a day.......

Provides a fun perching spot for this little fella'

'Apple'

Watercolor

Here's to a wonderful creative week everyone.. wow ..I can't believe it's already November!

It seems these days that even the weeks have wings..

Luv.. H xx

'Lime'

You didn't think I'd leave out 'lemon's' little green cousin did you?

A drop of tequila , a lick of salt and this little bird is ready for margarita time '

I know what you're thinking.. this one is very ...

....um...

...green.

Yup.. but I like green.. so 'very green' it is..

the truth be told I tried some 'Fancy Fabriano hot press' watercolor paper instead of my usual cold press... hmm kinda didn't like it..

I felt I had less control with layering.. so I guess I'm a cold press kinda girl.. ( that's how I like my olive oil too). Olives are green too .. so yes that last statement is TOTALLY relevant to this post !

Hehe.. I am just rambling..

Toodle..oo ! Luv H x

Oranges and lemons...

I had to follow the last lemony post with an orange chap sitting .. well.. on an orange.


Continuing my birds and citrus moment.. I present for your perusal..um..

'Orange'
(Watercolor)

Happy creative Wednesday ! I'm off to puppy training classes tonight.. hmm toilet training a pup is sooo much fun! ( lucky he is ridiculously cute!) :)

Cheers , Helen