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

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!

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'