This is my newest work. It's the painting called Anna. I finished it a week or so ago and if you follow my Instagram feed (kalbarteski on Instagram) you were the first to see how it evolved out. There's a story hanging in my heart about this little bird. It's an Anna's hummingbird. They're smaller and wider than most of their cousins. They're amazing. They live on the west coast and love it there so much they don't migrate in the winter. The male hummingbird sports some of the most amazing pink iridescent feathers I have ever seen. And that's what inspired me. The canvas is painted and then tinsel glitter is applied to make the pink areas look as incredible as they are in real life. This painting is done in enamel and sits a magical 30 x 36 inches on a thick gallery wrap canvas. It's hard to explain (if you've seen it in real life - feel free to weigh in!)... it's subtle + light like I imagine a hummingbird is. It's a sweet combination of script, paint, drips, glitter and wildlife. Be still my heart. Those are the technical details. Here are some in-progress shots...
In an art show last weekend. And in my kitchen.
This painting came to be through a complicated set of stories + people. Moments + memories. Even a movie! I could go on for days with the intricate signs from the Universe. But mostly...
Hummingbirds are known in folklore and native cultures for their determination. My favourite hummingbird story is about a forest fire where all of the animals flee. But the hummingbird zips back and forth with tiny droplets of water to douse the flames. The other animals call out to the small bird that he is too little and his small drops won't be enough - the hummingbird barely stops and says - well, I do what I can. It was story that stuck with me because sometimes I decide on a path or a project that's bigger than me and I hear 'you're not going to make a difference'... and maybe I won't.
But I do what I can.
The text: EVERY LITTLE THING. Hummingbirds are the smallest birds. They are tiny and could be considered insignificant. But they have magic. Every little thing. I love that there are so many songs that pop into my head with these three little words. But, I also love that EVERY LITTLE THING; person, idea, dream counts towards something. It's my call to action... every little thing matters.
PS. This is actually a male hummingbird. Which makes is strange that it's called Anna, right? Maybe Anna is not actually in the frame... maybe she's a star. Maybe she's a memory. This beautiful fella is thinking about his Anna...
Today: there may be some new prints showing up in the ARTSHOP. Anna will be there very soon. As a photographic reproduction and an limited gallery print (with glitter applied to match the original). The original is hanging in my kitchen at the moment because I feel like we've just met. i want to get to know her a bit. Man, I feel like painting.
GO!
