Well, apparently November 5th is Hug-A-Chicken Day. Do we really need a day for that? I hug my chickens every day. My ladies bring to so much to my life. They provide me with humor, relaxation, inspiration and food every day, so I hug them every day. 
I told myself I'd do a painting for Hug-A-Chicken Day and take shots of it's progress to share with the rest of my chicken loving friends. When I saw this photo of an internet friend's daughter, I wanted to paint it. With her permission, of cours...
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Here’s the newest member of the Celestial Chickens Series and the first rooster to be so honored, Brutus. This painting is in memoriam, as Brutus, a six month old Mille Fleur Serama cockerel that belonged to KATHY SHEA MORMINO, THE CHICKEN CHICK® passed away suddenly this week. You can read more about Brutus here.

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Most of my artwork is kind of personal, including lots of portraits and self-portraits so I've never thought much about doing prints. I can't imagine someone wanting a living room full of me's, or if there is such a person it's probably better that I NOT enable them. 
 
I have, however, received many requests for prints from the Celestial Chickens series. So if anyone is wanting a print, I've set it up with Fine Art America. You can go to their site, choose your image, choose your size and canv...
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You know the story of Chicken Little, and how, when an acorn hits him on the head, he decides the sky is falling and gets everyone all freaked out? Chickens really are like that. If one of my ladies decides that something is bothering her, she clucks and postures until the whole flock is freaking out, even if nothing is really happening. It's pretty funny to watch. Aren't you glad you're not a chicken?
 
Then again, it seems that the sky is always falling for someone, somewhere. There is always...
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With my love for Pre-Renaissance religious art feed by my recent trip to the LACMA and The Getty which both featured 100's of delicious icons, altar pieces, and illuminated manuscripts, you know that the inevitable result would be similar pieces. Of course, most of my pieces feature chickens. I'm not trying to be sacrilegious or anything. I just really like painting chickens. 


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Here's a little painting from the Celestial Chickens series to help get you in the Christmas mood!

"Three Candy Canes"  by Kirsten Beitler   watercolor and gold leaf   12"X12"     



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I love dressing up. Maybe it's because I'm an introvert who wishes she was an extrovert, maybe it's because I'm an artist and love creating the costumes, maybe it's because my BFF was a drama freak who grew up to be a costume designer, who knows. Who knows?
  Making the costumes is probably my favorite part. It's gotten even more fun for me since I married a someone who is a straight-laced, by the numbers kind of guy all year round, but on Halloween if I say, "Your costume involves tights", he...
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Here's my latest Celestial Chicken. She's number six in the series. Isn't she a beauty?

 
 This is watercolor and silver leaf. 12 X 12"


 

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Have you noticed America is practically painting itself pink? That's right, it's October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I don't need an presidential decree to help me pay attention this year. In fact, I'm considering all the hoopla one giant party for my mom, who just finished up a long ten months of treatment for breast cancer.
I've talked about my feelings for her and how brave she's been in an earlier post "What Makes A Woman" so I won't go in to that again. I'd really like to do a more se...
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Something I hear a lot, “Sooooo, what’s up with your thing about chickens?”

Hey, don’t get me started! A family pet that produces healthy food, provides relaxation, good work ethic, amusement, artistic inspiration and even affection. That’s my ladies, my chickens.                                                                                                                                                                                                                              ...

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So it took me about 2 weeks to spiff up the studio for this tour. I tend to be a bit of a hoarder and messy when in the midst of a project. I went through stacks of papers, stowed things in closets and placed my junk on shelves in artistic arrangements. I vacuumed eraser dust, charcoal, gold leaf flakes and spider webs out from behind the desk, scrubbed the floor and the baseboards.The bathroom in the studio is the only place in our house ...
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