Barbara Blatz

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Birds

When I create an image from a photo or reference it often does not have a story.

An image created from my own inspiration is something I wish to share.

 An image created from a reference is something that I wish to acquire.

 It’s hard to explain but I will try.

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Many years ago I was struggling to draw a large hinge on a barn wood door.   It was a simple flat hinge and not an important part of the drawing but I couldn’t get it right.  I decided that perhaps I had better find a photo.  Who knew that a simple hinge had so many flat surfaces?  It took some time, but with the reference, I finally drew a perfect hinge. 

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The completed drawing was not very good, but the hinge was a masterpiece.  I learned that when you truly see something and work to draw each part correctly it becomes a part of you and remains a part of you…… apparently forever.  It’s not much fun with hinges, but with birds it is magnificent.  Each time that I paint a bird, he becomes intimately mine.