Garden Birds in Art: Paintings Inspired by Familiar Wildlife

One of my favourite things about returning to England and Wales is listening to the birds. British garden birds are numerous, diverse and are present in every garden or green space, no matter how bare or surrounded by concrete.

I love waking up to the sounds of the different birds, and am always keen to document new species depending on where I am in the world, whether it’s Britain or Malta or elsewhere. From grey wagtails and housemartins in Wales to blue tits, great tits and robins in the midlands of England, I could sit and listen for hours.

Inspired by birdsong on a spring day in Malta, private commission

Why Garden Birds Inspire Artists

Why do I think garden birds inspire artists and their artwork? For me, it’s that their songs and sounds signal the changing seasons and lengthening of the days, as new species come and go with the weather. The changing seasons are the most inspiring time for me as an artist, as I can explore new colour palettes and atmospheric conditions within my paintings.

Feathers are a unique challenge to paint too, providing the perfect balance of painterly marks and careful attention to detail. No two garden bird’s plumage is ever alike!

The Birds That Appear Most Often in My Paintings

I shared my love of the enigmatic starling in a previous blog post, but there are many other species that have featured in my art, to name a few:

”Paper Wings”, for sale

• Wrens

”Jenny’s Garden” for sale

• Peacocks

Private commission

• Magpies

“A Home under the Stars”, available

• Malta’s national bird the Merrill, or Blue Rock Thrush

Merrill, work in progress

In my new garden birds paintings collection, I have several ideas for iconic species both in the British garden and Maltese garden, inspired by recent walks in the countryside. The birds that will be included in future artwork include:

• Blackbirds. Beautifully underrated singers, excellent common in England but pretty hard to find in Malta.

• Sardinian warblers that just fill the countryside with the stunning upbeat melody.

• Eurasian blackcaps

• Western subalpine warbler

Creating Garden Bird Art in Collage and Acrylic

I use many different techniques for creating my garden bird paintings, and use a mix of traditional acrylic painting techniques on top of layers of paper and fabric collage. This multimedia approach gives my paintings depth, texture and interest, and is a unique and fun way for me to represent organic forms such as dense leaves and botanicals. Should I be abstract or defined, soft or formed?

You can learn more about my collage ideas and process on my blog.

Explore My Garden Bird Paintings

Below you’ll find links to all available garden bird paintings. Many others are in progress, and you can request a customised bird painting for any special occasion too, with species and colours to suit you.

Shop Garden Birds