The South Delta Artists Guild issued a challenge to its members to paint birds and bird habitat to mark an international gathering of bird fanciers taking place in Vancouver later this month.
The result is Birds and Byways, which is on view at Gallery 1710 in Tsawwassen until Aug. 26.
Artists not only painted local birds but exotic ones found on other continents, while the byways part of the equation involved observations, wanderings and places where we are likely to observe birds, nesting sites and note their lovely songs.
Cheryl Palmer did a painting of Ladner Slough, a sure place to find gulls, red-winged blackbirds and, of course, great blue herons, while Jan Rankin found Burns Bog an excellent place to observe friendly wildlife.
Paintings of crows emphasize their hunting skills and their cheeky ability to steal a cherry. Lea Price’s offering captures their personality, while Gillian Olson’s Pecking Order shows a bald eagle being chased by crows.
Visitors will also find owls, eagles, finches, hummingbirds, wood ducks, woodpeckers, mallards, quails and the humble seagull among paintings at the show.
A few non-native birds also appealed to guild artists as flamingos, penguins and parrots also grace the walls. One artist even enjoyed depicting petroglyphs of birds.
Gallery 1710, at 1710-56th St. beside the South Delta Recreation Centre, is open Thursday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you can’t visit the show, view it online at www.southdeltaartistsguild.com.
