Mixed Media Painting: The Crying Bird

This item is an original mixed media artwork, likely on paper or illustration board, showcasing a whimsical and expressive style. The central figure is a large, stylized black bird, possibly a crow or raven, with a prominent open yellow beak, suggesting it is cawing or singing. Its eye is depicted as a single large white circle with a black pupil, giving it a surprised or wide-eyed expression. The bird's body is a solid black mass, possibly rendered with oil pastel or crayon, showing some circular lighter markings or smudges within. Its pale yellow webbed feet with dark outlines dangle below. The background is a vibrant and abstract landscape. The sky is predominantly shades of blue and purple, with some energetic, painterly strokes. Below, a landscape unfolds with varied greens, yellows, and oranges, suggestive of hills or fields. Elements of the background appear to be rendered with softer, blended pastels or watercolors, contrasting with the more defined lines of the bird. There are also abstract circular shapes, one pale blue in the sky and one lighter, possibly white, in the green foreground, adding to the surreal quality. Some subtle purple and brown lines delineate abstract forms or distant structures. In the lower right corner, there's a visible signature 'MAE '92', indicating the artist and the year of creation, suggesting a 1992 origin. The artwork exhibits a fresh, un-aged appearance with no major visible condition issues such as tears, significant creases, or fading. The colors remain vibrant. The craftsmanship is expressive and unrefined, characteristic of a folk art or outsider art aesthetic, focusing on emotional impact rather than precise anatomical representation. The piece has an overall playful and somewhat naive quality, making it a unique example of contemporary or late 20th-century expressive art.