Painted Buntings ~ "Summer Love" ~ "Songbirds & Friends" ~ Watercolor

This painted bunting original painting captures a pair in their most intimate season. "Summer Love" shows two painted buntings together — the male in his impossible rainbow plumage, the female in her quieter but equally beautiful yellow-green. Painted buntings are one of the few songbirds where the pair bond is visible in their body language: they perch close, they orient toward each other, they share space with an ease that reads as genuine companionship.

I worked freehand on archival cotton rag paper with Kissho Gansai pigments from Kyoto. Painting the male's blue head, green back, and red underparts alongside the female's subtle greens required two completely different approaches within the same composition. The mineral pigments handle both — vivid saturation for the male, delicate warmth for the female — without either overpowering the other. Wet-on-wet washes let the colors find their own intensity.

Among my painted bunting paintings in the Songbirds & Friends collection, "Summer Love" is the most tender. It's about relationship — two birds choosing each other. The female painted bunting is often overlooked, but her subtle yellow-green plumage has its own quiet beauty, and pairing her with the vivid male gives this composition its narrative depth. One of a kind. A natural fit for bedrooms, sunrooms, and any space where warmth and color create welcome. Framing options available. Free shipping, complimentary insurance, and certificate of authenticity included.

Materials:  Each watercolor original is unique, the only one of its kind. Created on 300lb Arches Watercolor Paper with Japanese Sumi-é watercolor paint designed to last a lifetime.

Framing: Each piece is elegantly presented with light grey matting in a handmade wooden frame with a grey-washed finish. UV plexiglass and archival materials ensure long-lasting preservation. Crafted with care, our frames are 1.5" deep and handcrafted from solid wood by our trusted local framer.

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Cost: Shipping is FREE for all original works up to approx. 30x40". For large artwork, we cover the first $500 in shipping costs; please email us your zip code for a quote.

Packaging: All originals are shipped flat (not rolled). For work larger than 30x40", though our boxes are plastic-reinforced, you have a choice of wood crating to ensure safe transport for an additional fee.

Schedule: Unframed work ships within 1-2 weeks, while framed pieces require 2-3 weeks for delivery. Crated and oversized works may take 4-6 weeks. If your order is time-sensitive, please leave us a note during checkout and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

International: For international shipping, please contact us directly before ordering. Provide the items you are interested in and your shipping address so we can estimate the cost and any constraints.

Insurance: We provide complimentary shipping insurance for all orders. In the event that your item arrives damaged, please document it with pictures and notify us immediately so we can initiate a claim on your behalf.