The Jay is an elusive bird, a shy member of the Crow family that lives in British woodlands. Some years ago I lived very near to a Cornish wood and as a result had the most wonderful range of birds come to the feeders in my garden that I have ever known. Amongst the visitors were Jays, such beautiful birds that would strut around the lawn cocking their heads to better study any offerings that they found on the ground. My cat and I had a shared interest in bird watching so would sit together in the window seat, equally delighted by our feathered friends, albeit with somewhat different motivations behind our observations.
This wintry study of a Jay paused on a snowy branch captured my imagination, due to both the subject and the colours in the scene. I created this artwork in pastel, which lends itself in particular to the softness of the out of focus background and the overlay of snowflakes as a finishing touch. It has been made into greetings cards, which served as my Christmas card for 2020, and are now available to purchase should you want to share this handsome bird with your loved ones too.
