I was ready to paint again in the realistic styles of Anna Mason. I chose these beautiful European Bee Eaters. They can be seen from south and central Europe to tropical Africa. They are migratory, gregarious birds that settle in colonies in sandy banks. They are monogamous. They catch stinging insects in flight and remove the stinger by hitting them on a hard surface before eating them. It was a lot of fun to paint these gorgeous birds!
Wouldn’t it be lovely to see a colony of these birds on a sandy bank. So much color and arial dancing as they they catch bees in the air! Wouldn’t it be great if we were known as a vibrant community that takes the stings out of what might hurt others.