{"id":95079,"date":"2021-02-18T06:12:23","date_gmt":"2021-02-18T13:12:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/?p=95079"},"modified":"2021-02-18T07:34:27","modified_gmt":"2021-02-18T14:34:27","slug":"one-of-my-magpie-photos-incorporated-into-a-painting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2021\/02\/18\/one-of-my-magpie-photos-incorporated-into-a-painting\/","title":{"rendered":"One Of My Magpie Photos Incorporated Into A Painting"},"content":{"rendered":"

It isn’t unusual for my photos to be used in works of art but for me this one is special.<\/p>\n

Four months ago Denver-based artist Damaris Ruiz<\/a><\/span><\/span> contacted me about the use of one of my Black-billed Magpie photos as a model for one of her paintings. Followers of Feathered Photography know that I’m often reluctant to sell prints but this kind of image use is usually hassle-free and besides, unlike many image requests hers was so well written, pleasant and appropriate it really caught my attention. Her image request pushed all my buttons.<\/p>\n

So we agreed on a licensing fee which she paid and then I forgot all about it until two days ago when Damaris thoughtfully sent me some photos of her painting, both in progress and completed.<\/p>\n

The way we all react to works of art is a highly individualized thing but this particular painting rocked my boat.<\/p>\n

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This is the magpie photo Damaris requested to use as a model for her painting. Apparently she actually found it on my blog rather than on some social media site like Pinterest where they’re often stolen.<\/p>\n

Usually when my photos are used in paintings the bird is the primary subject but not so in this case.<\/p>\n

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Copyright Damaris Ruiz – photo used by permission<\/em><\/p>\n

This is a detail photo of my magpie incorporated into the painting after being ‘flipped’. Rather unusual and intriguing, don’t you think?<\/p>\n

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Copyright Damaris Ruiz – photo used by permission<\/em><\/p>\n

A photo of Damaris working on the painting, apparently in her art studio. When I saw this image I was really<\/em> intrigued. What’s going on here?<\/p>\n

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Copyright Damaris Ruiz – photo used by permission<\/em><\/p>\n

The finished painting in her art studio soon after completion. It’s 48″ x 36″, untitled, oil and acrylic on wood panel and canvas. In this photo and in this light you have to look carefully to see that the colored string attached to the magpie’s feet extends all the way to the female subject where the string continues as it wraps around her body, hands and eyes.<\/p>\n

I was immediately attracted to the painting in a very personal way. I can’t explain it any better than the way I explained it to Damaris when I wrote her and asked for permission to feature the painting in a blog post, using the photos she’d sent me:<\/p>\n

“I love your painting and I’m not one to use such superlatives easily. Or often. I’m actually quite surprised by how much it appeals to me.<\/em><\/p>\n

I’m a scientist by training, a biologist. Until I retired several years ago mine was a world of the cut and dried, of evidence and facts and of little to no interpretation. I thrived on it so art played a very small role in my life. But since I started photographing birds, and blogging about it over a decade ago, birds have opened my eyes to at least some of the joys of art and its personal interpretation. I owe my blog followers for educating me in that regard, at least to some small degree.<\/em><\/p>\n

I’m sure your painting has personal meaning for you but for me I love it because it represents how birds, magpies in particular, have opened my eyes to the world of art and its interpretation. Like the subject in your painting, or at least the way I interpret her, it seems like she’s being liberated from some kind of bondage by the magpie and finally being able to see. That’s what birds and my photography have done for me.<\/em><\/p>\n

To me it’s irrelevant that she’s female and I’m male. I see myself in her and I love the fact that it’s ‘my’ magpie doing the liberating.”<\/em><\/p>\n

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Copyright Damaris Ruiz – photo used by permission<\/em><\/p>\n

Damaris contemplating her completed work.<\/p>\n

As I said earlier I’ve allowed many artists to use my bird photos over the years but this particular painting struck home with me in a very personal way. I guess that’s one of the powers of art.<\/p>\n

Ron<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It isn’t unusual for my photos to be used in works of art but for me this one is special.<\/p>\n

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