"Profile of Balance" Original Oil Painting

Size: 6 x 4 inches

Medium: Oil on Watercolor Paper (unframed)

Artist Signature: Right bottom corner

Artist: Hand painted by San Francisco Bay Area artist John Osgood

Year: 2025 as part of the Birduary Series

John's Inspiration:

"Profile of Balance" explores the concept of harmony, both visually and emotionally. This piece features a blue bird set against a rich orange background, showcasing a complementary color scheme that evokes a sense of equilibrium. The nearly equal distribution of blue and orange creates a visual balance that reflects the peace we feel in moments of stillness—like listening to birdsong in a quiet environment.

Throughout my career, I’ve been drawn to the interplay between blue and orange. It began with experimenting with Thalo Blue oil paint in its pure form and how it transformed when thinned out. This fascination, coupled with the fundamentals of color theory I learned from my high school art teacher, Susan Sleek, has made this pairing a recurring theme in my work.

With "Profile of Balance," my goal was to create more than just a striking composition—I wanted to capture the quiet, meditative feeling of balance and peace that birds and nature often inspire.