“The color of springtime is in the flowers, the color of winter is in the imagination.”~ Terri Guillemets
February has settled into a gentle rhythm in my studio. These winter days feel quieter, slower, and perfectly suited to sketching—time spent listening more than deciding, allowing ideas to surface without pressure.
My studio sits on the lower floor of our home, with two large windows looking out toward the front yard. At this time of year, my work table is positioned right in front of one of them, facing an old maple tree that has become a familiar presence during my studio days. When I need a break, I often step across the hall into the laundry room, where another large window looks out onto the backyard. From there, I can watch the activity around a third, equally tall maple—one that seems to serve as both a lookout and resting place for the birds moving between the trees, the feeders, and the winter garden beds.
Along with the usual visitors, a few birds have stood out to me this past month. A pair of nuthatches have been especially active, moving easily between the front and backyard, their soft, denim-blue colouring always catching my eye. The robins and starlings arrived early this year—likely encouraged by our unusually mild winter—and I see them daily, turning over leaves and plant debris as they forage through the beds. On my walks, I hear the robins calling out, a sound that feels like a quiet promise that spring isn’t far off. There are also several small sparrows that visit regularly, some sheltering in our hedge through the winter, along with a larger sparrow I’ve only recently noticed.
These observations naturally found their way into my sketchbook.
Over the past few days, I’ve been working on an illustration panel on watercolour paper featuring five of these familiar birds: a nuthatch, a larger sparrow, a European starling, an American robin, and a second nuthatch to balance the composition. Rather than placing them as individual studies, I chose to connect them with a winding decorative vine—its tendrils looping gently through their claws and unfolding into small flowers and leaves along the way.
The vine felt like an intuitive choice. It offered a quiet way of acknowledging how these birds share the same space, season, and resources—appearing one by one, yet connected through the garden and the steady rhythm of winter days.
This kind of sketching feels essential to my creative process. It isn’t about creating a finished piece right away, but about warming up, noticing patterns, and allowing ideas to arrive naturally. Adding colour happens slowly, with room to adjust and refine as the panel develops.
“Birds chirping around you is a beautiful realization that life is incredibly good. Let this sound be a gentle break in your routine.” ― Hiral Nagda
This piece, in particular, has been a playful and informative exercise. It’s my first time painting several of these birds together, and it’s helped me better understand what I enjoy—where I might make changes, and how I can bring future work more in line with my lighthearted, whimsical style. Even as this panel continues to evolve, I can already imagine revisiting the idea again, making small shifts that could one day turn it into a more central, story-telling piece.
“I would like to paint the way a bird sings.” — Claude Monet
For now, though, it has done exactly what I hoped. It has opened the door to what comes next. I’ve already chosen a few more small songbirds that I’m eager to explore, continuing this gentle rhythm of sketching, observing, and letting ideas unfold.
"Birds remind me that patience is also movement." ~Laura Leeder
As February continues, I’ll be spending more time in the studio, following these early ideas and sharing glimpses as they take shape. If you enjoy seeing work in progress and the stories that inspire it, I invite you to follow along here on the blog, on Pinterest and Instagram, or join my email list for occasional studio updates and seasonal inspiration.
Wishing you warmth, inspiration, and a creatively nourishing winter season.
❤️Warm regards,
Artist Laura Leeder
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