Bermuda Longtails, Beach and Seascape Painting Commissioned Watercolor

A few months ago, a lovely lady contacted me about my Bermuda Collection. She and her husband wished to give his mother a special painting for Christmas to remember a vacation the three took in Bermuda.

Bermuda Longtails 5x7 watercolor

Her mother-in-law loved watching the Bermuda Longtails as they flew between the coral cliffs and turquoise water. The painting on the left was the perfect choice, but it was sold. So I agreed to paint a new one for her at a larger size. I was happy to visit Bermuda again at the easel!

I'll share the process of painting the 12x16 version with you, so if you'd like to see, keep on reading.

Red Amaryllis Flower oil painting

Just about this time of year, brightly colored boxes of Amaryllis bulbs appear in the stores here. If I plant one now in a pot indoors, this pretty tropical flower will bloom in time for Christmas. The red and white Amaryllis in this painting, though, was blooming in the park in Hamilton, Bermuda when I was there in the spring.

• This painting has been sold. See more of my art on my website: zehoriginalart.com. Thanks for your visit today!

Bermuda Sailboat - watercolor painting

While painting this scene, I was reminded of an artist who had a booth next to mine at an outdoor art festival. He told me he doesn't paint boats because he doesn't want to "string them." Well, I understand what he's talking about - this one has three masts and lots of "strings."

However, in my paintings I am more interested in getting the feel of a scene than in painting every detail. And this one is no exception. So, please forgive if I've missed a "string" or two! I think I've captured the beautiful clear turquoise waters of Bermuda and the stately bearing of the ship.

Bermuda Rooster - watercolor painting

On the island of Bermuda where the poultry runs wild, I saw a number of roosters wandering about a nature preserve. I never knew they would flock together, thinking roosters are territorial, but there they were. Of course, there were hens and chicks everywhere as well. Here is one of those proud, handsome birds.

Hen and Chicks - watercolor painting

On of my fabulous collectors sent me a photo of this scene from one of her travels to the Caribbean so I could paint it for you. It reminds me of Bermuda where the hens and chicks run free. Sweet little chicks, aren't they?

• This painting has been sold. See my other paintings for sale at zehoriginalart.com ,
  

Pink Roses - oil painting

These are pretty and delicate sweet smelling roses from a cottage garden in Bermuda.

• This painting has been sold. But you may see my other paintings for sale on my website, ZehOriginalArt.com . Thanks so much for stopping by!
  

Pink Amaryllis - Oil Painting

Amaryllis are so lovely. I saw these beauties in Hamilton, Bermuda blooming in the park.

• This painting has been sold. To view my other current work for sale, go to my website: Zeh Original Art or my Etsy shop: JanetZeh.Etsy.com.Thanks for stopping by.
  

Hibiscus - Acrylic Painting

This salmon-colored flower is one of the many varieties of hibiscus that bloom in Bermuda. Every house has its hibiscus hedge!

• This painting has been sold, but you can find more of my flower paintings and prints in my Etsy shop: JanetZeh.Etsy.com.

Pink Camellia Flower - Acrylic Painting

I saw this pretty flower in Bermuda in their botanical gardens. It's almost a pale magenta - a lovely color!

• This painting has been sold, but you can find more of my flower paintings in my Etsy shop: JanetZeh.Etsy.com.

Pink Amaryllis - Watercolor Painting

Here in New England, we grow Amaryllis in pots around Christmas time. I haven't seen them grown outdoors here. So it was delightful to see them blooming in a park in Hamilton Bermuda along with many other tropical flowers. These are some of the Amaryllis I saw there.

• This painting has been sold, but you can find more of my flower paintings in my Etsy shop: JanetZeh.Etsy.com.
  

Bermuda Gateway through the Cliff

This painting is #60 of the Zeh Bermuda Collection.

The south shore of Bermuda is lined with coral cliffs. One day as my sisters and I were strolling along the beach at sunset, watching the Bermuda Longtails (seabirds) flying to their nests in the cliff crevices, I noticed this stairway going straight up one of the cliffs to a stone archway with a gate. Since it may have led to a private residence, I didn't climb the stairs, but did take a photo. I'm enchanted by a pathway that leads around a bend. It holds such mystery - where does it lead? This archway abuts a natural opening in the cliff on one side and has a man-made wall on the other.
Painting it now, I do wish I'd investigated further, but then perhaps it would lose the mystery!

Bermuda Longtails & Coral Cliffs

Here is a sunset scene on Bermuda's south shore. To the right are coral cliffs filled with crevices. In these crevices, the Bermuda Longtails make their nests in spring. This is a springtime painting. I was fortunate to be in Bermuda when the longtails were nesting in April. At this time of year - October - the longtails are far out at sea. They will not come back to shore in Bermuda until next March.
In this painting, a pair of longtails swoop and glide as the sun sets before they retire for the night in their nesting spots somewhere among the coral cliffs of Bermuda.

THIS PAINTING IS #59 OF THE ZEH BERMUDA COLLECTION

St. David's Lighthouse, Bermuda

THIS PAINTING IS #57 OF THE ZEH BERMUDA COLLECTION
Here is a beauty for those of you who love lighthouses. St. David's Lighthouse is located on St. David's Island in the parish of St. George's on the northeastern tip of Bermuda. It overlooks the Bermuda south shore. Built in 1879, it has a fixed white light which was originally a kerosene lantern and is now petroleum vapor. The tower stands 55 ft. high to the lantern.
I loved painting this one with its attractive red band. I got this view of the lighthouse from way across the bay and I added the ocean in the background. The reference photo I took was a good test for my new camera's zoom feature. Happily, for a little camera, it is quite powerful! In this scene, the warm ocean breeze rustles the trees as the sun appears from behind clouds to light up the this magnificent lighthouse

• This painting has been sold, but you can order a print or custom painting. Just contact me by using the link in the sidebar or at the bottom of the page.

Bermuda Cottage

I think I took the reference photo for this painting from a boat out on the water. In any case, the turquoise accents caught my eye. The colors are SO Bermuda! Can you picture yourself in this scene? I've put two turquoise chairs on the patio behind the hibiscus hedge. You're facing the ocean so you and a good friend can sit and sip your afternoon tea, or a glass of wine, or a Marguerita, whatever you desire, while watching the ocean sparkle in the sunlight and listening to the surf roaring in. Hmmm.... you know, I think I'll pull up another chair and join you!

• This painting has been sold. See more of my paintings on my website: ZehOriginalArt.com or in my Etsy shop: Zehland.Etsy.com
  

Bougainvillea

The flowers of this warm climate vine are really very tiny white blooms in the middle of colorful bracts. The bracts on this one are in shades of red and magenta - very pretty! The plant is native to South America and is found in warm climates all over the world. I saw this particular specimen at the Bermuda Botanical Gardens.

• This painting has been sold. See more of my flower paintings on my website: ZehOriginalArt.com or in my Etsy shop: Zehland.Etsy.com

Bermuda South Shore

What a color! The waters around Bermuda's South Shore never cease to amaze me. In this painting you see some of the local vegetation in the foreground, the pink coral sand and a coral outcrop in the water. The south shore has many of these outcrops, some very close to shore and standing in groups. But this one makes a singular statement standing alone in the midst of that beautiful blue.

Bermuda Shoreline

What I love about this scene is the simplicity of waves crashing onto satin pink sand that is the hallmark of Bermuda's beaches. On the left, a few rugged shrubs blow in the breeze as feathery clouds drift by over the turquoise ocean.

Bermuda Cliff Top View

On this very clifftop, I sat one breezy sunny day in April and painted this scene at a larger size to give to my Bermuda sister and her husband who treated me and my middle sister like royalty while we were there. I knew this was one of her favorite walks along the shore. The breeze blew so hard that I had some difficulty keeping the painting and brushes from blowing away! But the results were worth it. It's always great to paint outdoors.
Here I've painted the same scene for you. There are some nice atmospheric effects in this painting in the farther cliffs. When I look at the scene, I can again feel the warm sunshine and the cool breeze.

Roseate Spoonbills

A friend of mine who lives in Texas would occasionally send me photos he'd taken of these birds on South Padre Island's nature preserve - the same South Padre Island that just endured the hurricane last month. In the winter and early spring, Roseate Spoonbills flock to the island's coastal marshes and lagoons along with many other sea birds.
In the US, they are found only along the edges of the Gulf Coast, so there's not much chance for me to see them though I always wanted to. I finally did see spoonbills in the aviary at the Bermuda Zoo. So, I took my own photos and used them for this painting. Here is a spoonbill in its natural habitat spreading its wings while others feed on fish and small crustaceans in the tidal marsh beyond.
Spoonbills are related to the Ibis. They are so called for their spoon-like bills which are used for scooping food from the water. They fly in a V formation or in a line with their necks outstretched, unlike herons which tuck their necks. Like herons they nest in colonies. Besides the Gulf States, they are found as far south as Chile and Argentina.
At the Bermuda Aviary, one of these birds sidled up to me curiously almost close enough for me to reach out and touch it!

• This painting has been sold, but you can find more of my bird paintings in my Etsy shop: JanetZeh.Etsy.com.

Bermuda South Shore

It's hot and humid. My army son says he brought the Georgia weather home - huge downpours every few hours and 7,000% humidity (according to him). A walk along a Bermuda beach sounds like a lovely idea - watching the sun sparkle on turquoise waters, huge coral outcrops framing the scene, cool pink sand beneath your toes. Ahh.
I love how the sun peeks through the clouds in this painting to make a shimmer on the ocean below.