Description: This is my acrylic painting of a vibrant purple-crested turaco of the gallirex bird family. The background is a lush blend of green hues, enhancing the bird’s vivid colors. They inhabit the tropical forests and woodlands of southern Africa. They have a purple crest above a green head, a red ring around their eyes, and black bill. They eat mainly fruit.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a varied bunting with striking plumage in the dense shrubbery. The simplicity of the scene emphasizes the vivid colors of the bird. They inhabit deserts and prefer thorny brush thickets, forests and scrubby woodlands. They are part of the cardinal family and are found from southwestern US to Mexico.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a nice pair of sultan tit birds in the forest. Their distinctive crests and feathers stand out against the wooded background. They inhabit lowland forests in Southeast Asia, Southwestern China and northern Vietnam in the east. The male is brighter colored with the female similar but with a greenish-brown throat. They have a bright yellow crest and underparts, dark upperparts and a loud, melodic call. This is the largest species of tit. The sultan part of its name is for its regal appearance and yellow crest. The bright yellow crest may be raised for courtship, show alertness or alarm when frightened. Tit is a general term for smaller birds.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a California condor stands perched on a rocky cliff, gazing into the vibrant sunset. Mountains rise in the distance. It became nearly extinct in the wild in 1987 when all remaining wild individuals were captured, but has been reintroduced in Az, Ut and CA. They are the largest North America land bird. Its 9.8 ft wingspan is the widest of any North America bird. They are a highly social scavenger and have one of the longest live spans of birds at 60 years. It has been a popular subject of mythology and is an important symbol to Native Americans. This bird painting is included in the bird playing card game called “Chirp Up”.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a pacific wren singing a song. The warm, earthy tones give a scene a calming, natural feel. This tiny bird is found along the Pacific coast from Alaska to California and inland as far as Wyoming and the Black Hills. The male builds a small number of nests but never lined until the female chooses one to use. They are powerful singers known for their loud, complex songs, which are used by males to defend territory and attract multiple mates.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a vibrant male olive warbler with a striking orangish head and breast with black facial mask in a pine forest. This bird is not a true warbler and lacks olive-colored plumage, the name was chosen to reflect its habitat in olive groves. Their habitat includes mountainous, open coniferous forests, particularly pine woodlands at high elevations. Their range is primarily Mexico and Central America, with breeding range into southern Arizona and New Mexico.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a northern waterthrush that stands gracefully among the grass in a wooded swamp. The subtle tones and delicate details create a serene atmosphere. It has a habit of bobbing its rear end. This bird is a large New World warbler and not a thrush despite the name. They inhabit wooded areas near water, such as swamps, bogs and streams for breeding. They are in various habitats during migration and on their wintering grounds. This bird painting is included in the bird playing card game called “Chirp Up”.
Description: This is my detailed acrylic painting of a Eurasian sparrow in the shaded bushes. The bird’s feathers showcase a mix of warm browns and creams. It is also called a tree sparrow and Eurasian tree sparrow. Unlike its similar looking relative the house sparrow, it is not a bird of cities, instead using farms and lightly wooded residential areas. It is wide spread in Europe and Asia.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a golden plover with vibrant plumage stands against the swaying grass of the tundra. The soft colors create a harmonious background that highlights the bird’s striking appearance. They are also found in coastal areas. They have a unique “broken wing” display to distract predators. They nest on dry open ground. Their breeding habit is the arctic tundra in northern Canada and Alaska. They winter in South America covering up to 20,000 miles annually in their migrations. This bird painting is included in the bird playing card game called “Chirp Up”.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a colorful red-crowned parrot in a tropical forest. Its vivid plumage contrasts beautifully against the dense, leafy background. It is also known as the red-crowned amazon and is an endangered amazon parrot native to northeastern Mexico and southern Texas. It has a red forehead and crown with a blue streak behind the eyes. This bird is threatened by illegal export of trapped birds for the pet trade and destruction of their natural habitat. They are highly social.
Description: This is my acrylic painting on gray paper of a pair of red-footed boobies doing a mating dance. The soft hues and distinct line work create a whimsical feel. They are found in the tropics, coastal regions and on isolated islands. They perform elaborate greeting rituals. Their mating dance involves intricate and ritualized courtship behaviors including the lifting of the bright red feet.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a great grey owl in a forest with its sharp gaze fixed forward. It is the world’s largest species of owl by length. They also have the largest facial disc of any raptor. It has large piercing yellow eyes. It lives in the forests across North America. It is the provincial bird of Manitoba, Canada.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a vibrant pygmy nuthatch climbing a textured tree trunk. The background features soft, cloudy skies. This tiny songbird is native to western North America. They have a short square tail and straight sharp bill. They move quickly and nimbly on the tree and branches of trees using a unique foot structure that allows it to travel in any direction.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a vibrant Costa’s hummingbird in the desert flowers. Its wings are spread wide showcasing the iridescent green and purple feathers. I used pearlescent paint to add highlights to the shiny iridescent parts of the feathers. Bright purple feathers drape the throat of the male, like an overgrown mustache. These birds favor areas with abundant flowers in the desert washes, dry chaparral, scrub and arid brushy foothills. This bird painting is included in the bird playing card game called “Chirp Up”.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a majestic gyrfalcon with detailed plumage that is perched on a wooden post watching over the arctic tundra for prey. The background features a serene landscape with shades of blue. They have exceptionally keen eyesight to find prey like ptarmigan and arctic hares with powerful dives or blows from their talons. Gyrfalcons are the world’s largest falcons. They are highly valued as a hunting companion. They symbolize power, royalty and freedom in Iceland sagas and mythology. It is the national bird of Iceland.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of two arctic terns gazing out to the ocean at the rocky shore of the tundra coast. The sky and sea are painted in vibrant blues, contrasting with the birds’ soft feathers. These birds are found in the arctic and sub-arctic regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. They are strongly migratory. The travel up to 90,000 miles annually between the Arctic and Antarctic. They are found on the postage stamps of Canada, Finland, and Iceland. This bird painting is included in the bird playing card game called “Chirp Up”.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a vibrant male kalij pheasant in a dense thicket. Its detailed feathers and lively colors create a dynamic scene. These birds are found in forests and thickets in the Himalayan foothills, from Nepal, Pakistan to western Thailand. The females are overall brownish. They are known for complex social behaviors.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a white-crested helmetshrike in the African savanna. It is also known as the white helmetshrike. This is a social bird with a big crest on its head and piercing yellow eye and eye-wattle. The background is a warm, muted shade accentuating the bird’s features.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a diamond fire-tailed finch in the woodlands. This small stocky bird is one of the largest finches of Australia. They are very distinctive with a black breast-band on a white breast. The flanks are black with white spots and it has a scarlet rump, hence the name. The background features a textured, earthy brown tone, enhancing the birds bright colors.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a common loon with a baby loon riding on its back as it gracefully swims across a shimmering green lake. The detailed plumage highlights their natural beauty. This behavior is called ‘piggy-backing”, which helps keep the baby warm, conserve energy and protect them from predators. Loons are excellent divers and swimmers underwater. It is the state bird of Minnesota and provincial bird of Ontario. This bird painting is included in the bird playing card game called “Chirp Up”.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a vibrant green pigeon in a forest. The background features a textured, neutral palette, highlighting the bird’s vivid hues. These birds from Asia and Africa are remarkable for their green plumage. Their colors come from a pigment found in their diet of fruits, primarily figs, in wild habitats. They also eat nuts and seeds. Their green plumage provides excellent camouflage helping them to blend into the foliage of trees to avoid predators.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a Javan green magpie in the dense forest. The background is a lush green forest, enhancing the bird’s vivid colors. This type of bird is in the crow family and located on the island of Western Java and Indonesia. This bird faces significant conservation challenges due to its popularity in the illegal pet trade. They have an extensive vocabulary.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a Wyandotte hen chicken with intricate feather details is on the nest laying eggs. The realistic depiction gives life to the scene. I was inspired to paint this hen from the many times as a boy I helped my grandma gather eggs and help with her chickens on the farm. The Wyandotte chicken is raised for both its brown eggs and its yellow-skinned meat. It has many color variants. It is a popular show bird that is docile, friendly and good egg layers.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a Boreal chickadee perched gracefully on a bare branch in the winter forest. The bird’s plumage is delicately detailed against a muted winter backdrop. These little birds in the tit family live in the boreal forests of Alaska, Canada and far northern United States. They are known for their high-pitched calls used in communications with other birds.
Description: This is my acrylic painting of a vibrantly colorful Venezuelan troupial bird on a cactus at sunset. This is the national bird of Venezuela. It is found in Columbia, Venezuela and some Caribbean islands. They are known for being a powerful nest pirate that steals the nests of other birds rather than building their own. The term troupial is French from troupe or troop so named as they live in flocks.
Description: This is my acrylic painting study of banded penguins facing each other against a clear blue sky. The scene captures their distinctive black and white markings in detail. They are also known as “jack-ass penguins” due to their loud locator calls sounding similar to a donkey braying. They live in temperate coastal habitats along the shores of South America, Africa and the Galapagos Islands. They have a highly coordinated hunting technique, where they work together in teams to herd fish into a bait ball, a strategy unique among penguins.
Description: This is my detailed drawing of a whitetail buck on the lookout against a backdrop of tall evergreen trees. Bucks use thick cover to remain unseen while observing its surroundings for potential dangers or does. The scene evokes a serene woodland atmosphere, with the buck’s antlers proximately displayed.
Description: This is my detailed ink drawing of a striped skunk with its tail raised ready to spray in defense to a threat. The skunk tail has an artistic, swirling pattern. They have highly developed musk-filled scent glandes to ward off predators. Their spray can reach up to 10 feet. They are immune to the venom of some poisonous snakes. It is one of the most recognizable of North American animals, and is a popular figure in cartoons and children’s books.
Description: This is my drawing of a detailed symmetrical ornate brown butterfly with vibrant patterns and hues. It has several “eye-spots” on its wings. The intricate patterns help it blend in with their surroundings, especially on the ground or tree trunks. The design emphasizes the delicate beauty and symmetry of the butterfly’s wings.
Description: This is my drawing of a mongoose facing a cobra in a battle. A mongoose typically defeats a cobra in a fight due to a combination of genetic resistance to venom, a thick hide, high speed and agility. The mongoose snarls at the cobra while the cobra is coiled, ready to strike and spit venom.
About Matt Starr Fine Art
