Here I Am
10” x16” original acrylic painting on canvas
The last arrival. Here I Am.
Why this is a red-bellied woodpecker and not a redheaded woodpecker is beyond me.
Our last addition to the Birded group needed a little extra attention before he was done, which is why I held him back until it was felt all the way finished. Texture to the branches compliments the pattern along the back, and the color of the leaves compliment the bright red head.
It does look almost like he’s smiling, and on the large end of life-size.
Occasionally I have the joy of spotting a woodpecker on my morning walks, but more often than not I hear the taptaptap taptaptap and stop in the middle of the path— or the street, and try to locate the telltale woodpecker sounds.
Sometimes my search is rewarded and he’s on the side of the tree closest to me. Here I am. Never mind that he’s not paying the slightest bit of attention to me. It’s still delightful that I spotted him.
©2021 Alexis Castillo
