Toshiko Aoki
I’ve been living in Westchester for 48 years. For the last 40 years, except for a few years that I returned to Tokyo, I’ve lived in this two-story house that has a backyard connected to a forest and Ridge Road Park.
Many animals from the forest visit my backyard. Among them are a great variety of birds, each so beautiful and cute. They are attracted by the bird feeder that I have set up for them. Their daily visits inspire me to draw them.
I always have a sketchbook, a pencil and binoculars, so I can make a fast sketch. Then I refer to my Birdbook to learn their names. My work at this exhibit is in colored pencil with fine black pen ink, which is the best medium for capturing their delicate colorfulness. I’ve drawn here a woodpecker that has a family living in the tree just a few yards from my porch.
I could see a family of blue jay right outside of the window. I’ve seen a bright red-colored male cardinal feeding an adult female, perhaps as an offering while it proposed to her. Other birds I’ve drawn are titmice, vireo, finch, nuthatch, chickadee, robin, tricolored blackbird. Although not drawn here, I’ve also seen a hawk and deer, turkey, and fox.
Please let us all take good care of this planet Earth so these creatures can continue to live happily with us.
