unitedthread

2012-03-09T18:19:00.004-08:00

ROWS AND COLUMNS

"Pecking Order"

"Northern Bob Whites"

The past few days have been all about cramming, stacking, and lining up patterns.

2012-02-29T12:36:00.006-08:00

WINGS

"Wings"

Inspired by golden flecked cicada wings. I surrounded them in black as a way to highlight the lightness and luminosity.

2012-02-27T06:51:00.004-08:00

WWW.MICHELLEMORINART.COM

(a new website in the works)

I'll be picking away at this website until its just right. For now take a look for an easier way of viewing my work.

2012-02-25T18:55:00.002-08:00

The Nature of Geometry

(new work for 2012)

"Dove Diamond"

"Feathers Sphere"

"Crows Nest"

2012-02-20T17:58:00.001-08:00

ARTOGRAM

So much to share! The past few weeks a lot of exciting things have been brewing. I'm excited to introduce a new app that I'm a part of called Artogram. Its a new e-card app featuring 6 other great illustrators. Check it out here!

2012-02-10T13:48:00.000-08:00

**P E L I C A N S**

2012-02-01T08:30:00.001-08:00

2012-01-31T08:32:00.001-08:00

NEW

"Three Ostriches" ...................................................................."Aphids"

This past weekend we went up to Plumb Island again in hopes of seeing some migratory birds. Luckily we weren't the only ones who had this thought. We were accompanied by many intense "birders". When you see a group of these folks set up with their scopes you know there is something worth seeing. Sure enough they all had their eyes on a snowy owl. Without one of these scopes it looked like a speck in the distance but with it you could see every feather. This was my first owl sighting. I'm not sure if it really counts considering I still had to look through a lens but it was great. I spend so much time looking at these birds on the page, when seeing one in real life its like spotting a celebrity. With that said I can not imagine seeing an ostrich up close. Maybe someday!

Above are two new paintings. Three stacked Ostriches on the left and a bush of roses with an aphid infested bud on the right.

2012-01-19T15:31:00.000-08:00

The Crowd As Pattern

"Guineafowl Migration"

"Verdant Nest"

"Three Guineafowl"

I'm currently working on a series of paintings that uses the repetition

of a particular bird as a means for creating pattern.

2012-01-02T08:23:00.001-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

"Crane Garden"

This painting was done in watercolor and gouache on hot press watercolor paper. A line of sandhill cranes marching through a garden made up of chestnut tree branches, roses, a joshua tree limb, peace lilys, paddle plants, and a few different varieties of cactus.

Holiday Sale

2011-12-12T11:03:00.001-08:00

2011-12-07T15:54:00.001-08:00

"Winter Nocturne with Pelicans"

2011-12-07T06:58:00.000-08:00

Tis the Season

It has been very busy over here on the North Shore! My days have been filled with lots of tedious tasks so I haven't been able to paint as much as I'd like. But, despite the holiday hustle and bustle and moving into a new studio space (pictures coming soon) I've managed to complete a few new paintings!

"Return to the Woods"

detail

"Nesting Herons"

2011-11-09T13:31:00.000-08:00

NEW

"Feathers, Pods, and Wings"

2011-11-09T06:13:00.001-08:00

IN THE DETAILS

layering and layering patterns.

pods, seeds, feathers, and leaves... or

fur fluffs, sea urchins, constellations, and beans!

With a pheasant on top!

2011-11-07T06:45:00.000-08:00

FAUX FEATHERS

14" pillow cover

2011-11-02T16:42:00.001-07:00

NEW

"Feather and Pods Nest"

"Pheasants and Doves"

2011-11-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

THE WORKING PROOF

I'm really excited to be a part of this wonderful organization The Working Proof. Their mission is to : "seek to promote art and social responsibility. Each print is paired with a charity of the artist's choice, to which we are donating 15% of the sale of each print - creating what we believe to be a product with not just aesthetic, but social value."

I've been selected to be this weeks new artist. You can buy a "Feather Ball" print and have 15% of the sale go towards The Farm Sanctuary.

Go here to read the interview.

2011-10-28T09:23:00.000-07:00

Fabric is in!

...and much more to come!

2011-10-24T19:33:00.000-07:00

"Partridges in a Pear Tree"

Fall is REALLY here! Golden leaves everywhere. I even heard we may be getting.... snow (!) I know, I know this is not good news for many. This is why I keep my excitement mostly to myself. So heres a festive painting to celebrate the season.

Inspiration From a Bouquet

2011-10-14T09:13:00.001-07:00

Another bouquet. I'm amazed at the choices in my garden in mid October. Has me already thinking about what to grow for next year!

Bouquet:

Dahlias
Sage
Agastache
Dusty Miller
Grasses

Inspiration for the palette of this painting came from my dahlia bouquet.

Plum Island

2011-10-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

This past weekend the weather was much too nice to stay inside painting. Daydreaming about the west coast, Jeremy and I decided to go on a local adventure. We drove about a half hour north to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.

Seven miles of protected land, marshes and winding bird watching paths on one side and the atlantic on the other. Incredibly peaceful.

After two hours of exploring, when we thought it couldn't get any better we came across this enormous crane!

2011-10-09T20:29:00.000-07:00

15% off in my shop from Oct 10th to Oct 14th! Enter "fallsale" for the coupon code at checkout.

Strength in Numbers

2011-10-06T11:53:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been inspired by the pattern, the movement and texture of multiples.

A herd of Bison....

"Bison Herd"

A swarm of bees...

"Swarm"

A Parliament of grey owls...

"Parliament of Owls"

Dahlias

2011-10-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

My first few Dahlias have *finally* started to bloom in my garden. Their color is perfect for fall. The bouquet is made up of cat mint, agastache, sage, grasses, zinnia, heuchera, and dahlias. My hands still have the scent of cotton candy from cutting the agastache.

"Bison"

A new painting done in watercolor and gouache.

Having a Ball

2011-09-22T11:05:00.000-07:00

So far this fall, many projects are being checked off the ever growing list. To name a few we started our kitchen redo, made jars upon jars of spicy pickles, and met with a carpenter who will be making custom frames for all of my prints and paintings which will be available in my shop in the next few weeks! Lots of exciting things on the horizon!

Here is a new group of feathers... reminiscent of a kissing ball.

For the Whale Lovers

2011-09-16T14:27:00.000-07:00

I had many requests over the weekend to do a new stack of whales. Here is a stack of six. From top to bottom: Grey Whale, Beluga Whale, Sperm Whale, Humpback Whale, Narwhal Whale, and the Bowhead Whale.

Feather Bundles

2011-09-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

A new group of feathers. Mostly inspired by pheasant, owl, and peacock feathers.

Seaside in September

2011-09-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

First of all Happy September to everyone! I hate to say it but I'm slightly relieved the "summer" months are over. I do love summer, for all it offers... I just find myself more productive in fall and winter. Anyway here is a seaside inspired painting with two birds, The Great White Pelican and the Tri-Colored Heron I can't seem to stop painting.

New Zealand!

2011-08-29T12:55:00.000-07:00

Over the summer I worked on a commission for a wonderful customer over in Australia. We worked together on coming up with something that included birds native to New Zealand, the country she grew up in. The painting "Drifts, Pods, and Slippers" is a nurse log with the Kiwi and the New Zealand Pigeon the Kereru.

"Ground Dwellers"

Today, thinking back to this commission I made a painting dedicated primarily to the Kiwi.

Before the Storm

2011-08-28T15:09:00.000-07:00

I have been so lucky to have these fresh cut zinnia flowers from my garden ALL summer long. Every morning there are a few new stems to cut.

2011-08-28T14:06:00.000-07:00

I set out to have a day of painting thinking a Hurricane was creeping its way towards us. Surprisingly the North Shore was mostly spared from Irene. Got some rain, got some wind... but thats about it. Here is a finished painting called "Chickadees and Avocado Tree" much inspired by my 1 year old avocado plant.

Collections

2011-08-15T13:03:00.000-07:00

Every summer I get into a mode of collecting whether its a handful of shells and stones from my (somewhat) daily walk to the shore with Lucy (the dog), fresh cut flowers from the garden, or newly made terrariums from old ball jars from Maine.

Brown Pelicans

2011-07-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

I am so fascinated with these birds!! They have a weathered and prehistoric quality to their feathers and faces. Painting is 12" x 16" and done on 200 lb cold press watercolor paper with watercolor and gouache.

Finished!

2011-06-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

Many weeks of dabbing away and I have finally finished this one. A grey and green heron tucked behind some branches and a white ibis perched above the pines. This painting measures 14" x 20" and was done on Arches hot press watercolor paper with gouache and watercolors.

June

2011-06-16T07:10:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a bunch of new larger paintings. Here are a few shots of one in progress.

Wild Birds

2011-06-16T06:38:00.000-07:00

Finished

In Progress

Initial Sketch

I wanted to share this commission I call "Wild Birds" I worked on in May for a great customer in Canada.

A Trio

2011-05-09T17:14:00.000-07:00

I'm starting a group of paintings that use an interesting arrangement and selection of birds as a way to create an overall unique silhouette. This is a trio of 3 fascinating birds; the brown pelican, tri-colored heron and the siberian crane. This painting was done in watercolor and gouache.

Chickens!

2011-05-03T03:15:00.000-07:00

The spring has finally come to Salem, MA. All of the trees and bulbs in my neighborhood are blooming. I love walking to the studio now with the heaps of pink petals on the ground like a dusting of snow. Its also a treat to have the birds back! I love winter, but spring makes me crazy (in a good way). I've been spending a lot of time in my small garden. We moved into our home two years ago. The backyard was mostly dirt and weeds. Little by little we started adding our favorite plants. Now, we're finally in a place we're big decisions will be made. This weekend we'll be adding a new nook complete with trellises, espaliered fruit trees, and a place to sip our morning coffee!! Alas, all this gardening on the mind has got me thinking once again about chickens. After all a garden isn't complete without a coop full of these feathery friends. Right?!

Plymouth Rock - Barred chicken and Polish - Golden Laced Chicken

Who wouldn't want these two clucking around their garden?

Americauna Chicken

Up Close

2011-03-31T18:37:00.001-07:00

I wanted to spend most of my time on the beautiful coloration and detail of this particular vultures face. Seemed appropriate to pair it with a branch of globe thistle.

Two New Prints

2011-03-30T17:53:00.001-07:00

Two new prints bright for spring!

Two Flamingos

2011-03-23T18:56:00.001-07:00

This is one of the bigger and more elaborate paintings I've done in a while. It measures about 19" X 27". I used a combination of watercolor, gouache, and acrylic paint to create different layers.

Early "Spring" SALE

2011-03-19T07:04:00.000-07:00

Since the sun is out... it has inspired me to have an early "spring" sale. Type in the coupon code "SPRING" at checkout and get 10 percent off your entire order!

A Closer Look

2011-03-17T08:29:00.001-07:00

Lady Slippers and Birds

2011-03-08T19:36:00.001-08:00

In the spring, the woods in Gloucester, Ma are home to some really beautiful Lady Slipper orchids. There is a particular trail that I take my dog which is lined with these delicate flowers. I always imagine placing glass cloches over them to keep them away from harm!

A Gathering

2011-02-24T18:57:00.001-08:00

I needed to shift gears today. I have done a few waterhole paintings but none with this much clarity and detail. I was excited about introducing the helmeted guinea fowls into the mix with their bold patterns. I like the format of the waterhole paintings, with the solid gouache "pools of water" combined with the detailed and washy animals. It introduces an interesting textural contrast.

The Neighbors

2011-02-20T18:15:00.000-08:00

I've been hard at work developing a series of paintings that involve more complex compositions. I chose three birds that inherently have intricate patterns to pair with layered surroundings, hopefully evoking a sense of wildness.

Happy Valentines Day!

2011-02-14T08:24:00.000-08:00

I'm having a Valentines Day sale today at my shop. Take 15% off your purchase using the coupon code "heart".

Something Simple

2011-02-13T16:39:00.000-08:00

These birds have simple graphic designs that remind me a little of vintage christmas ornaments.

Shades of Green

2011-02-10T17:39:00.001-08:00

Throughout the week I've continued to dream of warmer days. I noticed today my pallet has shifted to lots of greens. With both of these paintings I tried to work with cool and warm shades to create an interesting contrast.

P.S. If you've never heard of or seen photos of the eagle owl, here is a video to give you a taste. They're pretty darn cute!

Malay Eagle Owl - Kitty

2011-02-10T17:37:00.000-08:00

Four New Prints!

2011-02-09T18:13:00.000-08:00

"Red Cyclamen", "Great Horned Owl and Rose Bramble", "Tri Colored Heron", and "Spiny Lobster" all now available in my shop!

A Tropical Winter

2011-02-08T18:50:00.000-08:00

While the temperature remains frigid outside, I spent most of the day dreaming of warm places and its native flora and fauna!

Tri Colored Heron

2011-02-03T19:28:00.000-08:00

A Tri Colored Heron in shades of the primary colors. A nest of the same colors wrap closely around the bird. Sprigs of Daucus Carota (Queen Annes Lace) at the tops of the nest.

Complimentary Plumage

2011-01-25T17:55:00.000-08:00

A Male grouse in his mating attire. So Bold. So Bright.

Two Peacock Pheasants. These birds look like they're draped in jewels.

Pairs

2011-01-22T16:24:00.000-08:00

The Sugarbird and Protea on the left keep each other alive. The bird survives almost solely off of the flowers nectar while also being its primary pollinator.

The Kingfisher on the right just seemed to work so well with the shape of the foxglove.

Studio

2011-01-21T16:22:00.001-08:00

My new home away from home. I just signed the lease to my new studio. It's going to take a while to grow into. Since the North Shore has been known to be the "jackpot zone" for blizzards this winter, the trek this morning was rather tricky. Thank goodness I have a delicious coffee house across the street.

West Elm

2011-01-18T17:38:00.001-08:00

I was so happy to receive an email 6 months ago from an Etsy Admin asking if I'd be interested in putting a painting in West Elms Spring 2011 catalogue! Well, the catalogue just came out and you can see my "Two Barn Owls" painting hanging in one of their bedroom shots!

The print is available in my shop.

Featured Seller on Etsy

2011-01-17T19:40:00.000-08:00

This was posted Dec. 31, 2010 - January 3, 2011. A great way to end the year and start a new one!

Check it out!

BEST BIRDS

2011-01-17T14:41:00.000-08:00

I seem to be drawn specifically to birds that are unusual. Birds with unique patterns or strange habits. To me, some of the most beautiful birds are considered unattractive to many. If you really look at a vulture for instance you'll see the subtle color shifts in its body, the precise and tidy layered feathers and the intensity of its stare. All equalling to a very interesting bird indeed.

I decided it might be nice to combine all of these so called "favorites" in a single painting. The Bowerbird, Helmeted Guineafowl, Ostrich, Flamingo, Egyptian Vulture, and Jacana are my top 6 birds of 2010.

Both available in my shop

Felled Tree

2010-12-10T12:28:00.000-08:00

I have a hard time concentrating during the weeks leading up to Christmas. What movies am i missing, what cookies should we make, is my cat playing with and eating my 50 year old ornaments? These are the questions and concerns swirling in my head. What was not an issue this year, however, was the tree. I went to Maine and "dug it out of the ground with my bare hands".

Doves in December

2010-12-10T12:01:00.000-08:00

Doves are becoming my favorite order (or is it family?) of birds. They can range from the drab and understated to lush and extravagant. These Doves are now available as a print in my shop.

2010-12-10T11:40:00.001-08:00

New Work 2011

2010-12-10T11:30:00.000-08:00