At her studio in Woody Creek, artist Isa Catto has painted a rather dapper version of the Northern Flicker for a collaboration with the public radio program “Birdnote” this fall.
With a broad, speckled chest, red feathered tail and a winsome look in its eye, this variety of woodpecker is a rather “fetching” bird, Catto said.
Evidently, “Birdnote” fans agree: The Northern Flicker was a favorite among listeners who voted on what Catto would paint. The final product, inspired by one of the program’s most popular episodes, will be turned into limited-edition prints for people who support “Birdnote” during a fall fundraiser. (The program is a two-minute daily show about birds and the natural world; it airs on Aspen Public Radio and stations around the country.)
Catto is already a fan of birds, and bird watching. But the act of painting the Northern Flicker, using a photograph as a point of reference, has helped her appreciate the bird’s personality and character. As she added layer upon layer of detail to the painting in an iterative process, Catto said grew rather attached to her subject.
“Mary Oliver famously quipped, ‘Attention without feeling is only a report,’” Catto said. “And I think when you look closely at something, you fall a little bit in love, and you increase a little bit of wonder — and wonder is a good thing, right?”
“Birdnote” supporters will get to choose whether they receive the Northern Flicker painting on a notebook or notecard set. You can find more information about the painting and fundraiser at isacatto.com or birdnote.org. Birdnote’s fundraiser ends Oct. 9.
