28th April 2026 Beena
When I first spotted this bird on Baiju’s Instagram (which I will share below), I was instantly inspired. I quickly asked to have the photo sent to my WhatsApp, eager to capture its essence. With black watercolour paper and gouache in hand, I poured my excitement into the painting. Sharing it for my usual Friday greeting brought an unexpected flurry of comments—many asked, “Why is your bird so fat?”
I replied with a smile, suggesting that perhaps birds in Kuching are slimmer, just like the people here. Or maybe this particular bird looked plump because it was photographed in Florida, USA. That’s when it struck me: whenever I paint birds, they tend to look round and full of life.
Could it be that I’m painting a reflection of myself? I wonder—what do you see? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Intasgram pradipbaiju_photgraph