Chickadee on a Berry Branch Original Pastel Painting

This is an original contemporary pastel painting, measuring 10x12 inches, executed on high-quality Clairefontaine Pastelmat. The artwork depicts a black-capped chickadee perched upside down on a vertical brown branch laden with bright yellow berries. The bird is rendered with fine detail, showcasing realistic texture in its white underbelly, black cap and throat, and grey-toned wings. The background is a soft, out-of-focus blend of olive green and muted ochre tones, creating a professional bokeh effect that makes the subject pop. The artist's signature and the date '2022' are clearly visible in the upper right-hand corner. The piece demonstrates high-level technical skill in the medium of pastel, particularly in the handling of light and shadow on the berries and the delicate plumage. The painting is currently presented in a simple white or light grey cardboard matting, secured with magnets to a white surface during documentation. The condition appears to be excellent and pristine, consistent with its recent creation date in 2022, with no visible signs of smudging, pigment loss, or paper degradation. The use of Pastelmat suggests a professional-grade archival foundation designed to hold multiple layers of pigment without the need for excessive fixatives, preserving the vibrancy of the yellows and deep blacks.