The Black-Capped Chick!

• The Black-capped Chickadee is a small, short-billed songbird with a black cap and throat. They have a reputation as saucy, active birds that are very curious and relatively tame.
• They can remember where they hide food for at least a month after putting it in its hiding place (this is more than I can say...hence, my day timer that travels with me)
• To keep warm the chickadee erects its soft, thick feathers to trap warm air close to its body. This serves as good insulation against the cold. (feather count? astronomical!)
• The chickadee makes at least 15 different calls to communicate with its flock-mates and offspring. The best known is the chickadee-dee-dee that gives the bird its name.

With the weather getting cooler, these 2 black-capped chickadees have excavated their own cavities in her mane and named her 'The Black-Capped Chick'.

Visit Dania Piotti's site for any future bird sightings

Halloween Season again???

How Does Halloween Come up so Fast every year???

Every year, I paint something to mark the occasion. This year, I was inspired by an upcoming movie called 'The Book of Life'.  From the second I saw the trailer at the theatre, I was enamoured by the vivid colours dancing on the screen. It comes out in a few weeks, prior to Halloween...and you can bet on the fact that I'll be watching it the second it does.

I couldn't stop painting just 1 and made a series of 3. When the paint is flowing, you don't ask questions ;)

www.daniapiotti.com

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Migraine Be Gone!

Well, I woke up this morning with a headache that got progressively worse as the day wore on. I wore a tight fitting hat all day, to ensure my head wouldn't literally split in 2 (I guess duct tape might have worked just as well). As I resisted the temptation to reach for pain meds, I picked up my paintbrush instead....

Donning headgear to keep her hear from splitting, while blocking her ears from the high pitched squeals of the bird chirping...

'Migraine Chirp'

...now, time to go to sleep and hopefully wake up migraine free!

Boo! Halloween 2013

As promised, I painted 3 quickies in time for Halloween.

In The Spirit of Fall and all it's lovely COLOURS

My newest painting called 'Tea Party'.  I will paint a few halloween paintings very soon....if I post it here, then my hand will be forced and I will HAVE to paint them. Ah, the power of making promises online :)

Artist in Attendance
On: August 31, 2013
Location: Gallery Catalyst

So I got the chance to paint live at Gallery Catalyst (666 Queen St.W in Toronto) this past Saturday. I set up my chair, rested my masonite board on my lap and painted my 'Swan Song'.

The mood in the gallery is cozy and inviting, complete with rustic old floors and beautiful art in every corner. I also had the pleasure of meeting a few people who own a few of my pieces and who were genuinely pleased I was there, go figure!

All and all, it was a great experience and from it, my latest painting came to life.

'Swan Song'

Halloween Party

Rita and Mason

I was cordially invited to a Halloween party last night. What to bring the hosts for their hospitality? hand-painted Kokeshi style dolls of course. I've recently dabbled in painting these wooden dolls and am enjoying it immensely. Love experimenting with different surfaces and having fun getting messy. Since it was a halloween party, it was only fitting that I bloodied them up (hope they didn't mind).

So begins the start of my Kokeshi doll collection, which will focus on couples and wedding cake toppers.


If you want to see more samples, I will be posting them to my facebook page as soon as the paint dries.
More Kokeshi dolls