H L Birdsong
@smidgeonpress.bsky.social
Artist, etc. in Portland, OR
(she/her/they/them)
https://heatherleebirdsong.com/news
• Dec 4–20, 2025: Holiday Group Show, Russo Lee Gallery, PDX
• Mar 2026: Russo Lee Gallery, PDX (solo)
(she/her/they/them)
https://heatherleebirdsong.com/news
• Dec 4–20, 2025: Holiday Group Show, Russo Lee Gallery, PDX
• Mar 2026: Russo Lee Gallery, PDX (solo)
Working on some bigger pieces, and had to upgrade to an adequately-sized brush for filling in backgrounds. And buy more paint.
December 15, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Working on some bigger pieces, and had to upgrade to an adequately-sized brush for filling in backgrounds. And buy more paint.
A little bit of glow-in-the-dark in this one. I’m testing out a super matte base for mixing with charcoal powder (the black branches) and Blue Lit glow-in-the-dark pigment. It’s the first acrylic medium I’ve tried that is as matte as acryla-gouache and Flashe paints.
December 10, 2025 at 8:51 PM
A little bit of glow-in-the-dark in this one. I’m testing out a super matte base for mixing with charcoal powder (the black branches) and Blue Lit glow-in-the-dark pigment. It’s the first acrylic medium I’ve tried that is as matte as acryla-gouache and Flashe paints.
Always interesting to see what the remaining paint on my palette comes to when smushed together and scraped into a jar (I always try to save it—paint’s expensive).
Somehow I seem to wind up with more left over when working in Acryla-gouache than Flashe or traditional gouache.
Somehow I seem to wind up with more left over when working in Acryla-gouache than Flashe or traditional gouache.
December 10, 2025 at 3:39 AM
Always interesting to see what the remaining paint on my palette comes to when smushed together and scraped into a jar (I always try to save it—paint’s expensive).
Somehow I seem to wind up with more left over when working in Acryla-gouache than Flashe or traditional gouache.
Somehow I seem to wind up with more left over when working in Acryla-gouache than Flashe or traditional gouache.
What Kind of Times Are These—a new painting in Flashe on panel—debuts in the holiday group show at Russo Lee Gallery here in Portland.
Opening: First Thursday
Dec. 4, 5–7 PM
russoleegallery.com/exhibitions/...
Opening: First Thursday
Dec. 4, 5–7 PM
russoleegallery.com/exhibitions/...
December 1, 2025 at 8:27 PM
What Kind of Times Are These—a new painting in Flashe on panel—debuts in the holiday group show at Russo Lee Gallery here in Portland.
Opening: First Thursday
Dec. 4, 5–7 PM
russoleegallery.com/exhibitions/...
Opening: First Thursday
Dec. 4, 5–7 PM
russoleegallery.com/exhibitions/...
Literal book weights! I left these Yupo sheets rolled for too long and need them to relax before I can work with them. A random sampling of dense tomes from my myth and folklore bookcase to the rescue!
November 30, 2025 at 12:16 AM
Literal book weights! I left these Yupo sheets rolled for too long and need them to relax before I can work with them. A random sampling of dense tomes from my myth and folklore bookcase to the rescue!
Went to spend some time with the Ursula K. Le Guin exhibition at @oregoncontemporary.bsky.social today. Some random things, idiosyncratically chosen (I only took pictures relevant to a conversation I was having with a friend):
November 15, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Went to spend some time with the Ursula K. Le Guin exhibition at @oregoncontemporary.bsky.social today. Some random things, idiosyncratically chosen (I only took pictures relevant to a conversation I was having with a friend):
Today’s message from the random universe. Do you know where your towel is?
November 11, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Today’s message from the random universe. Do you know where your towel is?
Ta-da!
These figures were inspired by a photo of an aunt and uncle (siblings) who were important figures in my youth. Most of my relationships with biological family are—well—complicated, let’s say. They were not exceptions.
These figures were inspired by a photo of an aunt and uncle (siblings) who were important figures in my youth. Most of my relationships with biological family are—well—complicated, let’s say. They were not exceptions.
November 5, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Ta-da!
These figures were inspired by a photo of an aunt and uncle (siblings) who were important figures in my youth. Most of my relationships with biological family are—well—complicated, let’s say. They were not exceptions.
These figures were inspired by a photo of an aunt and uncle (siblings) who were important figures in my youth. Most of my relationships with biological family are—well—complicated, let’s say. They were not exceptions.
Working out scale and placement for these two figures
November 2, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Working out scale and placement for these two figures
Sometimes I use little paper maquettes to work out the polygon figures for my paintings. Mostly I use an old desktop copy of Sketchup Make on an ancient laptop, but sometimes I need to play with something physical to figure it out. (I also need more gray card stock, which shows lighting better.)
November 1, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Sometimes I use little paper maquettes to work out the polygon figures for my paintings. Mostly I use an old desktop copy of Sketchup Make on an ancient laptop, but sometimes I need to play with something physical to figure it out. (I also need more gray card stock, which shows lighting better.)
I was at Sterling Coffee earlier today, and they had this artwork propped up where I waited for my beverage. So, naturally I’m now imagining you in Crocs that match your mask (sorry?)
October 31, 2025 at 10:38 PM
I was at Sterling Coffee earlier today, and they had this artwork propped up where I waited for my beverage. So, naturally I’m now imagining you in Crocs that match your mask (sorry?)
Saw this marvelous rose on a walk yesterday in our quiet Portland neighborhood. The rest of the rose bush was in awful shape—as if it mustered up everything it had to produce this one perfect rose. Maybe the contrast made it stand out all the more.
October 11, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Saw this marvelous rose on a walk yesterday in our quiet Portland neighborhood. The rest of the rose bush was in awful shape—as if it mustered up everything it had to produce this one perfect rose. Maybe the contrast made it stand out all the more.
Happy birthday to artist Julie Green, whom I miss very much.
Their most famous project, The Last Supper—paintings on ceramic plates illustrating final meals of executed US prisoners—is on view at the Boise Art Museum. A 3D virtual tour is available: boiseartmuseum.org/exhibition/j...
Their most famous project, The Last Supper—paintings on ceramic plates illustrating final meals of executed US prisoners—is on view at the Boise Art Museum. A 3D virtual tour is available: boiseartmuseum.org/exhibition/j...
September 22, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Happy birthday to artist Julie Green, whom I miss very much.
Their most famous project, The Last Supper—paintings on ceramic plates illustrating final meals of executed US prisoners—is on view at the Boise Art Museum. A 3D virtual tour is available: boiseartmuseum.org/exhibition/j...
Their most famous project, The Last Supper—paintings on ceramic plates illustrating final meals of executed US prisoners—is on view at the Boise Art Museum. A 3D virtual tour is available: boiseartmuseum.org/exhibition/j...
Show me your pink art
I Never May Believe, 2024; matte vinyl paint, graphite, and colored pencil on translucent YUPO (painted on both sides); 12 x 9 inches. Title is a line from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Contact Russo Lee Gallery with inquiries.
I Never May Believe, 2024; matte vinyl paint, graphite, and colored pencil on translucent YUPO (painted on both sides); 12 x 9 inches. Title is a line from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Contact Russo Lee Gallery with inquiries.
September 9, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Show me your pink art
I Never May Believe, 2024; matte vinyl paint, graphite, and colored pencil on translucent YUPO (painted on both sides); 12 x 9 inches. Title is a line from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Contact Russo Lee Gallery with inquiries.
I Never May Believe, 2024; matte vinyl paint, graphite, and colored pencil on translucent YUPO (painted on both sides); 12 x 9 inches. Title is a line from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Contact Russo Lee Gallery with inquiries.
Collecting references/inspiration for a work in progress. I’m finally making use of photos I took 20 years ago in Italy. I’m so glad young me was wise enough to scrawl notes on the backs—the black cat, sprawled languorously on the pink brick terrace (lower right), was named Rosetta.
August 31, 2025 at 5:16 AM
Collecting references/inspiration for a work in progress. I’m finally making use of photos I took 20 years ago in Italy. I’m so glad young me was wise enough to scrawl notes on the backs—the black cat, sprawled languorously on the pink brick terrace (lower right), was named Rosetta.
This painting fought me every step of the way, but it’s finally done! It’s essentially a love-note to a hike around Red Rock Canyon, Nevada that I loved when I lived there.
Now to cut it from the block, title it, add to inventory, document, etc. etc. (Archiving is part of the process!)
Now to cut it from the block, title it, add to inventory, document, etc. etc. (Archiving is part of the process!)
August 12, 2025 at 9:01 PM
This painting fought me every step of the way, but it’s finally done! It’s essentially a love-note to a hike around Red Rock Canyon, Nevada that I loved when I lived there.
Now to cut it from the block, title it, add to inventory, document, etc. etc. (Archiving is part of the process!)
Now to cut it from the block, title it, add to inventory, document, etc. etc. (Archiving is part of the process!)
I painted shadows, then a rock—and now I have to repaint the shadows a darker value to make the rock sit properly. This, dear viewers, is what happens when I don’t exhaustively check my colors and “just go for it”.
Gouache looks different when wet, so what’s on the palette is unreliable.
Gouache looks different when wet, so what’s on the palette is unreliable.
August 4, 2025 at 5:59 AM
I painted shadows, then a rock—and now I have to repaint the shadows a darker value to make the rock sit properly. This, dear viewers, is what happens when I don’t exhaustively check my colors and “just go for it”.
Gouache looks different when wet, so what’s on the palette is unreliable.
Gouache looks different when wet, so what’s on the palette is unreliable.
Returning to a painting I started, struggled with, and set aside for several months (a year or more? I have no idea). Adding this sonoran scrub oak and bringing back a cluster of boulders fixed what felt off, I think, so I’m back at it. Gouache is easier to work over if it’s been dry a while.
July 19, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Returning to a painting I started, struggled with, and set aside for several months (a year or more? I have no idea). Adding this sonoran scrub oak and bringing back a cluster of boulders fixed what felt off, I think, so I’m back at it. Gouache is easier to work over if it’s been dry a while.
Thinking about this painting, which I sold a few years ago. The architecture is, partly, reconstructed from imperfect memories of an uncle’s house I often visited growing up. He built it himself, and my favorite room was a “no unattended children allowed” formal sitting room, all in blues.
July 18, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Thinking about this painting, which I sold a few years ago. The architecture is, partly, reconstructed from imperfect memories of an uncle’s house I often visited growing up. He built it himself, and my favorite room was a “no unattended children allowed” formal sitting room, all in blues.
Is this charcoal drawing done? I think it’s done. As long as spraying fixative on it doesn’t fuck it up!
It was nice working with value so directly. Intaglio and gouache, my usual media, both require more careful planning, since what one sees immediately is not what one gets in the end.
It was nice working with value so directly. Intaglio and gouache, my usual media, both require more careful planning, since what one sees immediately is not what one gets in the end.
July 7, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Is this charcoal drawing done? I think it’s done. As long as spraying fixative on it doesn’t fuck it up!
It was nice working with value so directly. Intaglio and gouache, my usual media, both require more careful planning, since what one sees immediately is not what one gets in the end.
It was nice working with value so directly. Intaglio and gouache, my usual media, both require more careful planning, since what one sees immediately is not what one gets in the end.
If the point of this thing keeps breaking off every other time I sharpen it, I may run out of pencil before I can finish this drawing!
July 2, 2025 at 2:30 AM
If the point of this thing keeps breaking off every other time I sharpen it, I may run out of pencil before I can finish this drawing!
Sketchbook doodle. I’m just noodling around with a brush pen, but it helps me think through things.
June 30, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Sketchbook doodle. I’m just noodling around with a brush pen, but it helps me think through things.
I was struck by this painting (love Vallotton’s work in general) when it was at the Portland Art Museum in 2021/22—and then got floored by the didactic text. I took a photo and kept it because the last sentence felt so out of left field!
June 23, 2025 at 7:52 PM
I was struck by this painting (love Vallotton’s work in general) when it was at the Portland Art Museum in 2021/22—and then got floored by the didactic text. I took a photo and kept it because the last sentence felt so out of left field!