A Pair of Great-tailed Grackle Paintings

Jess, a co-worker and friend, recently left the Nature Center and Austin, TX for new adventures in NYC.  I wanted to send something with Jess to let her know that she will be missed, and something to trigger memories of Austin.  Jess often biked to work, and in Austin the Great-tailed Grackles are so fearless that they may not fly out the way of cyclists.  They may also fly along with you as you petal down the path.

Good Luck in New York, Jess!

On this pair of paintings, I realized that sometimes it's hard not to make the birds look angry.  It's because they have a brow above their eye and on a person it would indicate fierceness.  Their bills are so rigid, and doesn't make the shape of a smile.  I've had this problem with hawks, too.  Chickens are another bird that sometimes looks angry in pictures, but sometimes I think they really are angry!  I want to make the painting as realistic as possible, but the aesthetics of the painting are important, too.  Would you want to hang a picture of an angry bird in your house?  I would love to hear if you've had this problem and what you do about it.