The Gawky Teenager Phase

​A painting in its beginning stages can be a little awkward (I like to call it "the gawky teenager stage").  Some paintings mature and progress into something worth showing, and some don't.  I have a recurring fear that someone will walk in on the beginning phases of a painting, take one look, and say "Oh.................... that's nice."  On the other hand, being an artist is seeing the potential in something, even your own paintings.  Here are four of my paintings that made it through their gawky teenager phase:
​

"Lovebird"

"Cedar Waxwing and Elderberries"

"Mourning Dove and Spicebush"

"Buffon's Macaw"