Beautiful Blue Jay

9x7 watercolor in sketchbook done at first of April, inspired by the blue jays seen flying in our backyard. This fellow was bold and loud and even posed briefly for me. Daniel Smith paints used on Master's Touch 80 lb paper. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2026

Lonely Blue Jay

8.5x5.5 watercolor over Winsor Newton 0.3 fineliner sepia pen in sketchbook 80 lb paper; done at first of August. Another artist provided the blue jay image that she had photographed. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

May Bluejay

6x6 watercolor in Masters Touch 80 lb paper sketchbook done this past weekend to get a break from all the southwestern art I've been creating. This fellow was perched outside my studio kitchen window so a perfect opportunity to snap his bluejay photo. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Steller's Jay in Snow

5.5x8.5 watercolor sketched and painted last weekend after seeing this fellow foraging for food in the snowy mountains. I like the contrast of his dark brownish black head against the white. COPYRIGHT 2020 Kay Smith

Pretty Boy Peacock

15x22 watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper of a proud peacock in his full tail feather display.  This one has gone to a major show.
COPYRIGHT 2018 Kay Smith

Tree Swallow ~ Draw a Bird Day

9x12 watercolor, gouache, ink, and acrylic on Canson 140 lb cold pess paper done today for National Draw a Bird Day.  It is almost as if he is singing and notes are the colored marks in acrylic coming out in song.  I've used a sheet of wc paper as backing underneath smaller works and these are the random marks seen.  Each year I try to remember 8 April is a day for artists to remember birds; multiple refs online used to sketch the flowering tree, branches and the swallow.  An oblong black ink mark fit nicely underneath his tail feathers while a white dogwood blossoms behind.
Image COPYRIGHT 2017 Kay Smith.

Unicolor Jay Bird

5.5x8 watercolor and ink (Pitt pen) on Strathmore Visual Journal for mixed media drawn yesterday and painted today.  This fellow is enjoying the start of Summer season.
Image is COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Backwoods Bluejay

5x7 watercolor on cold press 140 lb paper of a backwoods bird enjoying its environment.
Image is COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2010.