Cardinals (Draw-a-Bird Day)
red
vibrant, primary,
the first color
unfurling hope and renewal
cardinal
morning in April
grey stillness light caught in trees
cardinal whistles
dancing
on feathers the
air under wings flying
lines of lightness remembering
a song
We celebrate birds on the 8th of every month, but today, April 8, is the “official” Draw a Bird Day. A-Wing and A-Way once again posted about the yearly celebration, and Laura at Create Art Everyday began the monthly series last year. Nina and I are hosting until her schedule becomes more manageable.
You can read the story of the day’s origins here. This cinquain is for Dorie Cooper, who began it all.
cheerful
robin softly
appears as answer, as
laughter to soothe wounded spirits
look! spring.
The cinquains answer Jane Dougherty’s challenge. The haiku was the original NaPoWriMo poem I wrote for this post.
Artwork details, from top to bottom: neocolor, watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, ink with colored pencil. I recently found the stitched birds in a bin in my closet; at one time I made embroidered bird napkins in the hopes of selling them, and these are from my prototypes.
To join in, put a link to your drawing or poem (poets welcome!) in the comments below, by copying and pasting the https for your post. We will do a round-up of all the birds sometime next week.
75 responses to “Cardinals (Draw-a-Bird Day)”
Trackbacks / Pingbacks
- April 8, 2016 -
- April 8, 2016 -
- April 10, 2016 -
- April 12, 2016 -
- April 14, 2016 -
Fabulous work!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
LikeLike
Kerfe! You’ve outdone yourself with so many beautiful works of art! How many different mediums have you got going on here? Is one of them watercolor and then do I see acrylic? I see colored pencil for sure. All of them beautiful, and such wonderful shapes; you’ve captured the stateliness of the cardinal so well. Love the colors in the colored pencil version. Wonderful expressive lines. Nobody does it like you (in my Carly Simon trill)! Love the verses too and the special dedication at the end. We may have to start calling you Chris Davis; you keep knocking it out of the park! I want to thank you and Nina once again for keeping DABD going during my busy season. I’m sure Michael will be so thrilled to see your post today! Bless you. 💜❤️💛
LikeLiked by 1 person
The mediums are listed at the bottom…I haven’t gotten to the acrylics yet, but I’m enjoying gouache.
Yes, the O’s are off to a good start…I’m not sure if orioles are on the childhood bird list, but they definitely need a feature!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Now I see the list….sorry I missed it. I hate the tired mind, it’s the worst. I’m like half a human in April. The watercolor one and the colored pencil are my favorites but I love them all. It’s great to see you painting more!
I wish Kathy took Oriole pictures! I drew one before any DABDs when I was doing the alphabet, was a great O choice.
Happy Draw a Bird Day to you both!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely—the poems and the pictures. I especially love the cardinal in flight. Gorgeous!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Jane.
LikeLiked by 1 person
These cardinals are all so wonderful! I just love birds — as much as I love the trees they mostly inhabit — and I think Draw a Bird Day is a great idea for spurring on art, yes, but also for focusing on these precious creatures. Happy TGIF! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks DS. Cardinals were my mother’s favorites. Always brightens my day to see them (a pair in the back just last week). TGIF your way too.
LikeLike
Hey, my mother’s favorite, too! I always think of her whenever I see birds. Have a great day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cardinals – my favourite American birds! Thank you, Kerfe, my day is brightened by your wonderful work.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think 7 states call it their state bird, so you are not alone! They are beautiful, and I love their whistle too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The cinquain are great, as is the art, of course. So many people focus on the red of the male cardinal. I love that you’ve included female, and very well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was immediately attracted to doing the female because of the interesting coloring, but also hard to resist red and black as a combination. Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A beautiful and lively flock of birds, Kerfe, I can here all of the chirping and chatting. Your words today are very fitting.
I’ve join in for draw bird day, here is my link: www. mondaytuesdaywednesday.wordpress.com
LikeLiked by 1 person
Birds work well for poetic words I think. Thanks for the link!
LikeLike
Goodness, you really go all out when you post, Kerfe! 🙂 I love all the different iterations but especially the one in flight. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m using that childhood bird list as a spur to trying different mediums. Since I know what the next bird is, I have no excuse not to get started! Although I do usually spend about 2 weeks being anxious about it before I get to work.
LikeLiked by 1 person
….I especially enjoy your devotion to depicting the female, whose colourations are perhaps less dramatic, but to me, even more beautiful than the males (IMO). Lovely.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Lance, I love the females too. Such subtle coloring.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesome, over used word but I have to say it, awesome
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Susan. Inspired by my models!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Who couldn’t be? 🙂
LikeLike
So many beautiful Cardinals! We don’t have them out here and I long to see one or a pair. Your featured male, and the first female are my favorites of this series.
P.S. I love your hand embroidered napkin!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! I did get carried away a bit, but they are such beautiful birds, both male and female.
I liked those napkins too, but no one seemed to want to purchase them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😦
LikeLike
Here’s the link to my House Finch Watercolor
https://circadianreflections.com/2016/04/08/draw-a-bird-day/
LikeLiked by 1 person
I would buy those napkins in a minute. Love all your birds and the use of so many different mediums. Great job.
LikeLike
Everyone in my family seemed happy to accept them as gifts! That seems to be my problem…no one wants to buy what I make, but they make great gifts…
LikeLike
Years ago I embroidered placemats for my M-i-L with a garden flowers and butterflies. She liked them so much she never used them. I wish she had. I have no idea what ever happened to them. I hope you use these or at least take them out to look at once in awhile. They’re beautiful. I would buy them and use them…of course I’d probably ruin them with tea stains, but I’d use them!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My family is full of bird lovers, so everyone picked out the birds they liked and I distributed them. I hope they use them too! All I have left are the experiments, but I’m glad I found them too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your Cardinals are beautiful! I love all the different art mediums too.
Here is my link to my bird for today’s challenge: https://artjillkuhn.wordpress.com/2016/04/08/a-joyful-bird/
LikeLike
WOWZA K! So many talents you have!!! So much beauty to take in. I must come back later when not so busy! Thank you for sharing and for hosting! xo
Here is my Friday Flamingo for #DrawaBirdDay! – Horray! 🙂 https://lifeinbetween.me/2016/04/08/pink-flamingo-draw-a-bird-day/
LikeLike
Soo cute
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
These are simply beautiful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! Cardinals are wonderful birds.
LikeLiked by 1 person
so pretty!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh My God! What a fabulous work Kerfe! I love each and every bird, they are just awesome! Specially Neo and Watercolor are so so so pretty! 😍
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Snehal, I’m having fun with the Neocolors. Blame it on Laura!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I know it’s contagious! You made me feel jealous with your awesome illustrations, even I want to try neocolors now 😝😊💕
LikeLiked by 2 people
It’s taken me awhile to figure out how I like to use them, but they are fun…like getting out the crayons again.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Beautiful cardinals, Kerfe, and a very touching cinquain. You covered just about every artistic medium out there! By the way, here’s the link to the demoiselle crane: https://awingandaway.wordpress.com/2016/04/08/happy-draw-a-bird-day/. Many thanks to you and Nina for putting all this together!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks (as always) for being the original inspiration.
LikeLike
these are all stunning! and I remembered draw a bird day for once, I’m glad it was the official one 🙂 https://inkflamingos.com/2016/04/08/birds-on-a-dead-branch/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Between your eruption of color and Nina’s peaceful owls I can’t decide whether I want to get energized or take refuge — so I guess I’ll take turns!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Life is like that…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love ll the various poses of the birds. Cardinals are so strikingly beautiful in nature.
This is my first time for th bird a day so not sure if I’m doing it right but here is my link. https://teri2creations.wordpress.com/2016/04/08/draw-a-bird-day/
LikeLiked by 2 people
These cardinals are neat. I like the embroidered idea. 🙂
I made something here- https://artrelatedblog.wordpress.com/2016/04/08/draw-a-bird-day-black-throated-sparrow/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow!! Wonderful post!! So many awesome birds!! This is incredible!! ❤️❤️😃
Better late than never, here’s my entry for the month!
https://doodlewash.com/2016/04/08/draw-a-picture-of-a-bird-day/#more-19945
LikeLike
Amazing, so many beautiful styles, of a stunning bird, I so fell in love with the coloured pencil, in flight bird, just superb. Great post thank you, and here is a bird I did at the beginning of the month, as work did not allow me to fit painting in the last few days…..just too tired.
https://rebeccaevanscreate.com/2016/03/31/cock-sure/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Rebecca! I remember that wonderful face, and I’m happy to include it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yay 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Kerfe and Nina what a wonderful celebration for the Draw a Bird Day! I love your Cardinals they are so beautiful you captured them in different mediums great work! sorry I am a bit late but yesterday I posted my celebration and if you like you can see it…. here is my entry for the month!
https://yesterdayafter.com/2016/04/08/april-celebration-today-is-draw-a-picture-of-a-bird-day/
Happy weekend ❤
Carolina
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yay! I love your monthly assortment of birds. I am amazed and delighted by this months beautiful birds in so many different styles. And super lovely too, that you wove poetic words through your images.
My Coppersmith Barbet is here: https://myrsbytes.com/2016/04/08/draw-a-bird-day-2/
Thanks for hosting!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! and thanks for your beautiful bird.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love all the paintings and renderings of the cardinals and robin, a real treasure that have such energy and life. The poetry is equally brilliant and adds its voice nicely to the chorus of birds presented. A wonderful and joyful celebration of the day. Thank you for hosting, here is my humble offering: https://artandmoondreams.wordpress.com/2016/04/08/draw-a-bird-day-kolea/
LikeLike
Fab … let’s hope these pictures don’t turn out to be mementos for future generations.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, that would be unbelievably sad.
LikeLike
A beautiful series of drawings and poems. I love the male and female cardinals. Wonderful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Merril.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cardinals are one of my favorite birds, and I love your colorful renditions! So lively! Hope I am not too late to make the list of birdies for April. Thanks for compiling the list, whether or not I am in time 🙂 https://carolscreativepapers.wordpress.com/2016/04/08/annual-draw-a-bird-day-april-2016/
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think you are included…let me know in the comments to the post I just put up if you are not.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Delightful!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Particularly love the embroideries. Fantastic!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
LikeLike