"Shorebirds & McGees Oysters"

     Along with my collection of old duck decoys, I have a modest collection of shorebird decoys. Some are pretty old and some of my favorites are reproductions by a couple of today’s best contemporary carvers and friends of mine, Mark McNair and Cameron McIntyre.  While these decoys look great on a shelf or mantel, they are great to hold in your hand. Mark McNair, who has a sculptor’s eye, refers to them as “feelies.” Like any great pieces of sculpture, you want to touch them.

I have done several paintings of various shorebirds on a shelf, in the marsh in back of my studio, or along the shore. They can be viewed from almost any angle and still make a great composition. Shown together, the look is even better.

This painting is a little different. Just for fun I wanted to add something interesting to the background, so I used an old wooden oyster sign which I think complements the birds on the shelf. 

Ward Nichols, a good friend and a marvelous artist, saw this painting at a recent show and said he recognized the blue background as mine immediately. He asked me what color blue I used. I don’t know; I just keep mixing colors until I get something I like!

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