Kingfishers are one of those delightfully charismatic birds that combine every element a birder could want in one fabulous little creature. They have gorgeous plumage, a unique and unmistakable build, an easily identifiable call, and a fascinating lifestyle. Anyone who has ever watched a wild kingfisher plummet into a pond or lake like a little blue dart and emerge with a fish is unlikely to forget the experience. Until last year I had seen belted kingfishers in America, and grey, pied, and pygmy kingfishers in Africa, but nothing in the UK. I was very excited when, during a stroll at (appropriately) Sculpture by the Lakes, my partner managed to lure one close using the recorded call of a kingfisher on his mobile phone. It flew about our heads, uttering its shrill territorial threats until it finally settled, confused, on a branch overlooking the water. This particular specimen was a brilliant model, and I was overjoyed to head home with plenty of photo reference for what was to become this painting.

Much of this piece is about the color story of the bird, but like a lot of my recent work it is also an exploration of the tension between a sense of illusionistic depth and flat, decorative treatments. In “Pinstripe,” color fields and simple lines that would otherwise appear entirely flat are thrust into three-dimensions by the placement of the kingfisher perching upon a stripe. With just a few subtle points of contact and carefully placed shifts in color, value, and color temperature, flat shapes become alive and animate.