#birdart

It’s the last day you can get a signed copy of Winged Heroes with a $10 subscription to my Patreon! (Or, if you’ve been a Patron before and want to come back, you can get it at the $2 level.) This is THE ONLY WAY to get a signed copy from me currently!

I’ve included here a couple other things I’ve shared on Patreon and nowhere else (a scrapped cover for WH, a bird model painting project, and some nature photography) as examples of other perks.

If you’ve been thinking about it, today’s the day! And if you sign up today, I will have the book in the mail to you this week. :)

That’s it! Thanks for coming along on this journey with me. Back to regularly scheduled nature art programming. <3

#lastday #patreonpitch #wingedheroes #virginiagreene #finalpitch #birdart #supportbirdartists #thankyou #birdcomics
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZZffuwrIS7/?utm_medium=tumblr

Not every study is gonna be your favorite.

#birdart #birdsketch #cartoonprofanity #shazbat #artstudy #sketchbook #artplay #blackcappedchickadee #chickadee #redgraphite
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZIIR3OO94M/?utm_medium=tumblr

It’s week 3 of January, and I still have signed copies of Winged Heroes to give away to new $10+ Patrons! (And $2+ past Patrons who sign back up!)
This is the ONLY way to get a me-signed copy of Winged Heroes (short of chasing me down to get a signature on a book you already own). Sign up today, and I’ll get your book in the mail to you tomorrow! And thank you to those of you who have joined me so far–please let me know when you get your books. :)

I realized the other day I’ve been on Patreon for a long time. As a result, I have quite a bit of Patreon-only content already posted and immediately accessible–tutorials, behind-the-scenes, concept art for Winged Heroes and other projects, process videos, and more. If you enjoyed the story of my holiday cards in December, you would also likely enjoy the “story” of my Patreon journey, told through posts over the years. And all of that is accessible at the $2 a month level.

In 2022, I’m adding a lot more to Patreon–more art, more tutorials, more comics, more behind the scenes, more stories, and some new things too. If that sounds interesting to you, please come join us on Patreon! (The link is in my bio.) And thank you either way for following my work! <3

#wingedheroes #joinmeonpatreon #birdart #giveaway #specialoffer #thankyou #lookingahead
https://www.instagram.com/p/CY1kI5hLZOq/?utm_medium=tumblr

6: Winter’s Warmth

By December 2018 another whirlwind was at my back. I was wrapping up the first year I’d worked full-time for myself making art–without starving, contrary to the old, tired, and increasingly inaccurate stereotype. I had a few major projects with the CLO and an educational video game, and a number of other conservation or non-profit clients. I was making art in general at a furious rate. And it was during this first year, my relationship with art-making started to become unhealthy.

The complete absence of a steady paycheck scared the absolute heck out of me. I had zero example of how to manage this, and at the time “hustle/entrepreneur” culture was going strong, without much critique on its impact on well-being. So I worked. And worked and worked and worked, and if I was awake, I was either working or thinking about working. This culminated in a visit to the ER, with a migraine so bad and weird I thought I might be having a stroke.
That was enough of a wake-up call that I started establishing some boundaries. I started being more comfortable with saying “no” to clients with projects that didn’t fit me, and charging more responsible rates for those who did. This did not happen overnight, and is still in progress to this day.

I also didn’t do it alone. One of the joys of being in Charlottesville was getting to know my awesome sister (@abiggril) as an adult, and meet her wonderful friends, who welcomed me into their community with open arms. (And lots of board games and food!) They continue to be some of my favorite people, even though I live across the mountain now.
Last but far from least, my biggest supporter, best friend, and partner was there with me through it all. He’s the kind of partner that definitely inspires a goopy mistletoe-y snuggly sort of Christmas card.

If you have friends, family, partners, pets–any Being of any kind who makes your days rich with love this chilly season, consider telling them so once you finish reading this. And consider, if you/they are a touchy/feely type, a good hug.

#happyholidays #throwback #advent #birdart #whimsical #watercolor #inkbirds #winterbirds #birdartist #inkbirds #love #loveisthething

https://www.instagram.com/virginiagreeneillustration/p/CXyhJm8Li0f/?utm_medium=tumblr

5: The Road Ahead

2017 was a whirlwind of a year. I was making up for my hermit-like college years with ferocity–in addition to working at the Lab of O, I had joined two church choirs, gotten engaged in some community volunteering, and was socializing most nights of the week and weekend. Everything was going well and sprinting forward, and I could see a concrete future for myself coalescing that checked all of my boxes–something I’d been pursuing since I left my parent’s home 10 years prior.
Then a significant personal snag occured, and that envisioned future became so much fog. I was not sure what was next again.
It was in that fog, sitting at a coffeeshop in Burlington, VT, that I painted this image that went on to be my Christmas card for the year. I wasn’t very familiar with Stoicism at the time, but had unconsciously made for myself a little Stoic scholar in the form of this ruffed grouse.

The untouched snow ahead beckons. There are many ways to leave a trail, and all of them lead to life–with the right attitude, a life lived well. But no matter what, your job as One Who Lives is to press on–one foot in front of the other.

#happyholidays #throwback #advent #birdart #whimsical #watercolor #inkbirds #winterbirds #birdartist #theroadahead #journey #memories #ruffedgrouse #gouache #stoicism
https://www.instagram.com/virginiagreeneillustration/p/CXv8BGwrm3x/?utm_medium=tumblr

4: We Three Kinglets
A year later in 2016 found me–once again–in entirely different circumstances. I’d defended my masters successfully, barely dodged desperation-employment in a warehouse proofreading FDA legal documentation, and most excitingly of all, had achieved my dream job: a stint as the Bartels Science Illustrator at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
I was incredibly lucky to be interviewed for the Bartel’s program. I was even luckier in that my cartoonier birds came up in the conversation, and the supervisor of the program (Hi Diane! <3) asked to see those (I hadn’t included any of that stuff in my submission–remember the Winter Birds?). Luckiest of all, later that day, I got the best e-mail I’ve ever received–an offer to come make bird art for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
I arrived in NY that fall basically frothing at the mouth to get started. I loved Ithaca instantly, with its dark stone gorges and gray skies, its delightfully peculiar people (including the wonderfully chaotic DJ/Actor/vet student/chicken dad roommate I found on Craigslist, and the fiery, passionate bird-lover/horseback-rider/wine scientist he happened to be dating), and of course the Lab and its people itself. I found myself with a bit of free time at first, and it was in that free time the concept for Ballads of Remex was born. Projects at the Lab picked up quickly, and I would work on those all day and then at 4:30 switch to drawing my own projects. I drew all of the original Ballads of Remex pieces that first October sitting at the Bartels Illustrator Desk in the CLO.
For that year’s holiday card, I was full of gratitude for the personal blessings in my life, during a year that was so challenging for so many. I drew the wise men as birds, offering gifts birds might offer, as a silly little thank you to the world around me.
I carry the people I met in Ithaca in my heart to this day. I miss them all terribly. If you are one of those people, I am certain you know it–and if you ever think about me too, I hope you’ll say hi.

#memories #love #birdart
https://www.instagram.com/virginiagreeneillustration/p/CXT4oyxLSC3/?utm_medium=tumblr

3: Winter Birds of the East Coast

The end of 2015 found me a lot more confident and a lot happier. The end of my masters was in sight, with all my research trials (or so I thought, haha) behind me and one long semester of writing ahead. My work-wife and best buddy Sarah and I were killing it every day–teaching in the classroom, doing research in the lab, and getting swole at the gym. (We also enjoyed putting together outfits with whatever we had in our closets, which are some of the earliest things I documented on Instagram.) With more of a handle on things non-art related, I found myself drawing and thinking about art a lot more often.
There was a poster in my office in Millington (RIP, the building has since been torn down and only exists in W&M students’ memories) that had been left by some long-graduated student titled “Birds of the Garden” by Larry McQueen, of North American birds in winter. If you’re not familiar with McQueen’s work, definitely look him up! I looked at this poster all the time and loved how the birds in it were ALIVE, going about their business in the snow even as their species names hovered beside them. As I started thinking about that year’s holiday card, I wondered–what if I did that, but silly? And here we are.
This is still one of the most popular cards I’ve ever done, and I still sell packs of them to friends and family. It spun into card “sequels”, as I did Birds of the East Coast for the other three seasons. This card also led in part to one of the greatest adventures and turning points of my life–but that’s getting ahead of myself. ;)
PS - Sarah, if you’re reading this, I love you!

#happyholidays #throwback #advent #birdart #whimsical #throwback #watercolorbirds #winterbirds #birdartist
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXO11SKFZRj/?utm_medium=tumblr

Two brief morning sketching sessions using a bird-a-day calendar from 2018. Yes, I held onto it! (And moved with it about five times…)

#bird #birdart #birdartist #pelican #birdadaycalendar #practice #studies #sketching #ink #clo
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWd-JOXr25F/?utm_medium=tumblr

Some traditional? *0* Who knew… 

Hi! My little Etsy shop is reopened again after few years of neglect. I’ve decided to give a little lifting to my old digital illustration and turn it into prints! “White Shadows - The Crow” is now available for grabs in an A3 format. Printed with archival ink on a beautiful, fine art, velvet etching 270gsm paper :)

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/JusabiArt?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

https://www.instagram.com/jusabi_art/

Bird Song - Graphite

A wip, I hope everyone is feeling well <3

Flap flap in progress.
Tricky commissioned sculpture.
had to start over because the other one Had an accident. Poor thing.
On the bright side, this one’s much better

www.petitplat.fr
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#art #sculpture #sculpturecontemporaine #artcontemporain #contemporaryart #contemporarysculpture #birdart #birdsculpture #pinkart #discardedobjects #miniatureart #sizematters
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqUVn35BK8_/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=maz05ww9dely

Floral progress on the commissioned bird sculpture.
Time for a break!
Almost dinner time so cooking is in order!
www.petitplat.fr
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#artsculpture #art #sculpturecontemporaine #artcontemporain #contemporaryart #contemporarysculpture #sculpture #growth #popsurrealism #lowbrow #birdart #birdsculpture #polymerclay
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqDDulyhvnG/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=rvqvm44199k3

My heart has been calling for these gulls the last few days although I may have gone a bit overboard on the drawings and I still can’t decide how I like to draw so they are all a slightly different style

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#gull #seagull #blackheadedgull #birdart #birding #bird #nature #wildlifeart #wildlife #watercolour #birddrawing #birdwatching #artistsoninstagram #drawings #art #ukartist #outdoors #illustration #sketchbook #animalart #birdlovers #pen #painting
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZjaUveKYsF/?utm_medium=tumblr

A gull on his lookout spot

#seagull #blackheadedgull #gull #birdart #birding #bird #nature #wildlifeart #wildlife #watercolour #birddrawing #birdwatching #artistsoninstagram #drawings #art #ukartist #outdoors #illustration #sketchbook #animalart #birdlovers #pen #painting
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZgpWUIq4nG/?utm_medium=tumblr

Another drawing for my seagull appreciation posts

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#gull #seagull #blackheadedgull #birdart #birding #bird #nature #wildlifeart #wildlife #watercolour #birddrawing #birdwatching #artistsoninstagram #drawings #art #ukartist #outdoors #illustration #sketchbook #animalart #birdlovers #pen #painting
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZeEKosqDbc/?utm_medium=tumblr

Here’s another of Mr Gull strutting his stuff

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#gull #blackheadedgull #seagull #birdart #birding #bird #nature #wildlifeart #wildlife #watercolour #birddrawing #birdwatching #artistsoninstagram #drawings #art #ukartist #outdoors #illustration #sketchbook #animalart #birdlovers #pen #painting
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZbs-BdKMDE/?utm_medium=tumblr

Gulls are very sweet looking birds, as long as you’ve not got your lunch on you they’re very chill

Black-headed gulls are everywhere around here

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#gull #blackheadedgull #seagull #birdart #birding #bird #nature #wildlifeart #wildlife #watercolour #birddrawing #birdwatching #artistsoninstagram #drawings #art #ukartist #outdoors #illustration #sketchbook #animalart #birdlovers #pen #painting
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZY-d0wKKH5/?utm_medium=tumblr

Mr Gull keeping lookout

I do miss the seaside when I see a gull at home

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#seagull #gull #blackheadedgull #birdart #birding #bird #nature #wildlifeart #wildlife #watercolour #birddrawing #birdwatching #artistsoninstagram #drawings #art #ukartist #outdoors #illustration #sketchbook #animalart #birdlovers #pen #painting
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZWh0SoK6fw/?utm_medium=tumblr

Here’s another black-headed gull, I need to find a better way of taking photos of these because the lighting is awful

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#gull #blackheadedgull #seagull #birdart #birding #bird #nature #wildlifeart #wildlife #watercolour #birddrawing #birdwatching #artistsoninstagram #drawings #art #ukartist #outdoors #illustration #sketchbook #animalart #birdlovers #pen #painting
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZT3-qDKaCx/?utm_medium=tumblr

A black-headed gull in its winter dress

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#gull #seagull #blackheadedgull #birdart #birding #bird #nature #wildlifeart #wildlife #watercolour #birddrawing #birdwatching #artistsoninstagram #drawings #art #ukartist #outdoors #illustration #sketchbook #animalart #birdlovers #pen #painting
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZRZz21KKaY/?utm_medium=tumblr

I may have gone a bit winter black-headed gull mad these last few days so I may have a whole stack of these drawings to spam out

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#gull #seagull #blackheadedgull #birdart #birding #bird #nature #wildlifeart #wildlife #watercolour #birddrawing #birdwatching #artistsoninstagram #drawings #art #ukartist #outdoors #illustration #sketchbook #animalart #birdlovers #pen #painting
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZOnpRlqxjS/?utm_medium=tumblr

Do you ever have one of those drawings where you can see it so clearly in your head but at a certain point in the process of making you realise it no longer looks like what you could see

Posting this as it is anyway because it’s a reminder of what I wanted to achieve

Some watercolour and biro Herons, I’ve been in a heron mood since I’ve found a spot to watch them a short walk from home

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#heron #birdart #birding #bird #nature #wildlifeart #wildlife #watercolour #birddrawing #birdwatching #artistsoninstagram #drawings #art #ukartist #outdoors #illustration #sketchbook #animalart #birdlovers #pen #painting
https://www.instagram.com/p/CZEi_fjK93S/?utm_medium=tumblr

Walking along the riverside the other day the walker in front of me came to a stop and waited, when I caught up with them they asked me if I could help, their was a Swan on the path and they were scared to walk near it.

They asked if I could walk with them for safety, I never realised how scared of these birds people are. I’d usually stop to see if I had any food to give the bird but I don’t think the walker would have appreciated me bringing her closer.

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#Swan #muteswan #birdart #birding #bird #nature #wildlifeart #wildlife #watercolour #birddrawing #birdwatching #artistsoninstagram #drawings #art #ukartist #outdoors #illustration #sketchbook #animalart #birdlovers #pen #painting
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYq_MV0KQFm/?utm_medium=tumblr

A Swan on the prowl with its feathers all ruffled and ready to fight anything off can strike fear into anyone

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#swan #birdart #birding #bird #nature #wildlifeart #wildlife #watercolour #birddrawing #birdwatching #artistsoninstagram #drawings #art #ukartist #outdoors #illustration #sketchbook #animalart #birdlovers #pen #painting
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYoKVd1q3GB/?utm_medium=tumblr

Seeing a Swan never fails to brighten a walk for me, I adore these birds

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#swan #muteswan #birdart #birding #bird #nature #wildlifeart #wildlife #watercolour #birddrawing #birdwatching #artistsoninstagram #drawings #art #ukartist #outdoors
https://www.instagram.com/mickyswildlifedrawing/p/CYljUWNqZtX/?utm_medium=tumblr

“Birdsong”

December 2013

Watercolor and India Ink

Dear friends! I am creating some illustrations to decorate my apartment walls after the renovation. I’ll share them for free, so you could print them in a good quality and use for your home decoration.  Feel free to share the pictures of your walls Here is the download  page

https://www.sendspace.com/file/lrgnle?fbclid=IwAR3UeUf7y3brZ1249MwmI9mtrGA8UWABCGYVxxgOD_e0tyV9i8M3QxML5y0 

Operation Gaia is go! Each year, we create a bird-themed art auction to benefit @audubonsociety, May 20-25, 2019. To see all the lovelies, fly over to www.facebook.com/ChanglingArtistCollective and scroll down for the auction! #operationgaia #birdart #fantasyart #artcollector #feathers #changelingartistcollective
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxspmZwFH_3/?igshid=ew632o5nph81