Snow Buntings

Hi everyone! My name is Isabella, and I'm so excited to show you a beautiful painting today! It's called Snow Buntings, and it's like a little window into a snowy winter day. Does anyone know what a bunting is? (Pause for answers). They're tiny, fluffy birds! nn This painting was made a long, long time ago, in 1895, by a very talented artist named Ferdinand von Wright. He lived in Finland, a country with lots of snow, just like in the painting! He used special paints called oils to make this picture on a canvas, kind of like a big piece of cloth. It's not very big, only a little bigger than a big book! nn

Look closely at the two snow buntings. See how fluffy they look? The artist was really good at showing how soft their feathers are. One bunting is a little higher up, looking around. What do you think the other bunting is doing? (Pause for answers). Maybe it's looking for yummy seeds to eat in the snow! nn

See all the white and brown and a little bit of black? The artist used soft colors, right? It makes the painting feel calm and peaceful, like a quiet winter day. There's even a little piece of wood sticking out from the snow. Can you see it? nn

Ferdinand von Wright loved to watch nature. He really, really looked at the birds and the snow and tried to paint it exactly as he saw it. He didn't use bright, loud colors. He wanted to show you the beauty of a simple winter scene. It's like a secret peek into a quiet moment in nature. nn

So, what do you think of Snow Buntings? What's your favorite part? (Pause for answers). I hope you enjoyed learning about this special painting and the amazing artist who created it! Remember, art can show us beautiful things in the world around us, even simple things like snow and little birds! Now, let's go see some more amazing art!