The Seasons

"Starling in Winter" from the Four Seasons (Spring, Summer,and Autumn have also been commisioned and you will be able to view them soon...)

"Starling in Winter" by Florence Hill (Indian ink and watercolour, framed size 68cmx88cm, commissioned)

This painting is the first of four seasonal paintings Florence is creating. It is inspired by the starlings and starling murmurations she has seen on the Somerset levels in the South West of England where her parents live. During the winter months breathtaking displays of these wonderful birds can be seen. Sadly, UK starling populations have declined significantly over the last few decades, placing them on the UK Red List as a species of high conservation concern.

Florence has combined the close-up starling with the winter-flowering mahonia plant commonly seen across the UK, this one in particular from her garden, along with leaves of the griselinia shrub and the bare branches of a magnolia tree and willow tree. The starling murmuration can be seen in the sky through the bare winter branches.

The painting was created in several layers, beginning with an Indian ink drawing, she then masked areas of detail and did a wash for the sky and back ground foliage before removing the masked areas and painting in with stronger colours. A little more Indian ink came in towards the end, along with just a little bit of white gouache combined with watercolour in places.

Florence enjoys the detail provided by the Indian ink combined with the freedom of the watercolour to create an atmospheric effect.