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Introducing: "Lift off"

November 30, 2025

I am so pleased to introduce the last of the 12 Feathered Friends celebrated in my 2026 Wildlife Calendar: “Lift Off,” a little Malachite Kingfisher taking flight from its pretty perch.

Let me just say that it was really not easy to decide which birds to include in my 2026 calendar... I had detailed plans to carefully curate the selection: a mix of big and small species, different diets, habitats, and distributions. I had a Wish List from here to Timbuktu! Little did I know the universe would laugh at my silly little plans. It turned out to be a challenging year to find the time and headspace to paint. Instead, it became a year of great change and growth in my business; a year that made me heave and bend on an uphill trek. In the little nooks and valleys of those mountains, I etched out some sacred time to paint.

Some birds from my her-to-Timbuktoo-Wish-List didn’t make the cut because I couldn’t find a photo that spoke to me in the moment. Most, I simply didn’t get to! I am definitely open to a sequel of this theme...

For now, let’s focus on a birdie that did make the cut: “Lift Off”! This splendid photo, expertly captured by wildlife photographer, William Steel, has been on my Wish List for quite some time. A split second later and the arched petal would have sprung back into place; the splashes scattered, the bird’s wings not quite as lovely… In fact, the bird would have been long gone! I'm sure you can see why this mesmerising photo caught my eye!

And speaking of moments frozen in time, here’s how this little kingfisher came to life on my easel, step by step:

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Subjects in white on white are always-always challenging! I added more colour values to the whitest bits to ensure they were still visible on the crisp white background.

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When the going gets tough, I listen to Friends while I work. I know it so well by now that I don't really have to pay attention. It really helps to push myself for an episode (they're nice and short!), followed by a quick break to stretch my legs and rest my eyes. "Just one more episode" is a really great technique to stick to it a little longer when I'm feeling tired.

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I LOVED working on this water lily!!! The colour combinations are truly spectacular (just wait for the bird, mind you!).

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I really should have painted the water first... I found it the most difficult, and when I first started I really disliked it. I had to keep reminding not to compare a finished section with one that has just been started, aka the "Ugly Phase" (this is a good lesson for Life in general in our modern comparison-culture!)

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Much better!

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Check out the difference between the birdie on the left and right -- the left pic is already beyond the worst of the "Ugly Phase", but there is still a vast improvement after adding layer upon layer of colour and contrast.