OFF-TOPIC: Apologize again...

... for not posting for some time but we had some emergencies with "our" poor pigeons again.
We had released Jimi after he had completely recovered from his PMV relapse and not even 24 hours later he came back, life-threateningly injured probably by another pigeon. He probably went back to his old nest somewhere and it was occupied by another pigeon. Jimi probably claimed it back and had a fight with his opponent for death or life.

His beautiful face was all bloody and his beak cracked at several places. His cere was a bloody mess - thank heaven his eyes were not injured. Now he is recovering but still needs intensive care...

read the Pigeon Tales

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OFF-TOPIC: Sick Pigeons again...

I am way behind posting again but I have 3 sick pigeons again who require a lot of extra care. But I love these birds so much - therefore everything else has to stay behind.

As you may remember - when you are reading the Pigeon Tales - we had several cases of PMV infections among our balcony pigeons. All of them recovered completely. But these days our beloved Pina was showing severe symptoms again such as stargazing and she refused to fly out with her mate Rudi for several weeks. She felt insecure and as she is a very clever girl she preferred to stay in the saftety of our appartment.

Then Micky started to show severe symptoms also, flying like a Kamikaze but she somehow managed to land safely every time. Curently she is often inside together with her mate Gino and I am glad about this. Because this way she can relax better and therefore stargazes less.

Finally Jimi came late in the afternoon 2 weeks ago and did not want to leave again. So I put him into one of my hospital boxes and there he is since then, sitting on the edge most of the time, protected behind a mosquito net so that neither Rudi nor Gino can molest him. I have to tube feed him 3 times a day as he refuses to eat by himself. His intestines are affected by the virus therefore his digestion is pretty poor. But baby cereal with applesauce and joghurt help. Additionally he gets some pro-biotics. Jimi is also a very clever pigeon. He came back home to his mommy when he felt bad. Isn't this sweet?

Yesterday was a good day though for everbody. They all had a bath and afterwards they relaxed on the sofa, on our bed etc....

Pina and Rudi

Micky and Gino

Jimi relaxing on his box

Jimi soaking in the bathtub

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OFF-TOPIC: What I have been doing lately again...

This has nothing to do with interior design and only very peripherally something with art (because they are my painting models) but I was a bit drowned again - too many sick pigeons to care for. But I love them dearly and cannot see them suffer if they need my help. And somehow they always find their way to our place...

This is Micky, who came to us 1rst of November last year with a bad PMV infection. She could not fly any more, not eat by herself. With her last energy reserve she managed to get to our balcony.  4 Months later she could be released after intensive care, such as hand and tube feeding, keeping her warm, doing training exercises with her when she became a bit better, etc.
During this time she has become an incredibly sweet pigeon, very affectionate and tame. I am so happy that she recovered fully and can now live the life of a pigeon again - flying free - but coming home still each day for sleeping during the night in her box, taking her meals here or just a little nap on the bookshelves:

Then we found Gino - or rather he found us - a squeaker, totally undernourished, hardly being able to fly, extremely thin but otherwise healthy with badly developed plumage - his tail feathers were nearly all broken or badly developed, no real downy feathers to keep him warm. It was a miracle that he had survived the big cold. He is with us since 4 weeks now and has developed into a very funny sweet little chap with a big big appetite. He managed to increase his body weight from 210 gr to more than 300 gr which is nearly 30 %.

He is growing new feathers like crazy, does his helicopter training in his den (within a mosquito net that I am mounting every day for his safety in my studio), has lost nearly all his bad feathers now but cannot really fly yet. He must train his flying skills first before we can release him. Oh my - what a shitty bunch of parents this poor little creature must have had whose responsibility would have been to nourish their little one and teach him everything he needs to know. But then they might have had big problems to find food for themselves not to speak of for a baby. Who knows. Now we have to do this instead and it is so much fun to watch him. He is incredibly sneeky and he makes good progress.

Now look at his nose - there were even feathers missing above his cere...

some of his bad feathers he lost in the meanwhile...

And then we had Hatty who had paralyzed legs due to a severe calcium deficiency probably after egg laying. Giving her calcium for 4 days made her able to walk again. It was a big relief. She still comes in to get her breakfast and/or lunch here.

Then we had another pigeon with a drooping wing but besides cleaning the wound she had on it several times probably from an old break I could do nothing else for her.

This is it for the moment and I hope very much that there will not be any more sick pigeons so that I have a bit more time for my regular work again...
If you want to know more about our pigeon family and see more photos please read the diary Pigeon Tales. I assure you that you will have fun!

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OFF-TOPIC: I have to apologize again...

I am afraid I have to apologize again for not posting but the problems with our sweet pigeons do not go away. Maybe it is the crazy weather which plays tricks on humans and animals likewise but life does not always go as easy and smooth as we could wish.

We have taken responsibility to care and now we have to do what is more important: do everything that leads to a complete recovery. But I think we are well on the way. Nothing is more awarding than seeing a bird in full health again and being happy.

At the moment Micky, the young pigeon that got PMV, has got canker as well due to her low immune system. And our sweet Pina became sick also with canker but she is okay again. Her immune system is very strong so she quickly conquered the canker with some medication. Some more pigeons had to be treated - so no time for posting. But we are on the way...

Btw - would you have assumed that this is a pigeon nest? Yes - this is the nest of Lucky and Emily on our balcony with their private flower garden:

 Lucky coming home

 Emily leaving the nest

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Some more Emergencies among our Balcony Pigeons

We had a new outbreak of PMV among our balcony pigeons - so most of my time went into treating them as far as this was possible. So no time again for blogging. Only one young pigeon girl, our Micky,  had to be hospitalized because her symptoms were quite heavy: stargazing, trembling, circling and last not least she could not eat any more by herself. With her last energy she fortunately landed on our balcony so that I could take her in immediately. She soon also lost her ability to fly. So this would have been her certain death sentence if left outside.

In the meanwhile the sick ones outside are nearly recovered (with the help of carrot juice) - apparently this time thank heaven it was a weaker strain of PMV - only our Micky will need some time still to regain her abilities. Currently she still has to be handfed 3 times a day and her digestion works very well which helps a lot with her recovery. She is such a sweet and obedient patient...

I hope that this baby can fly soon again and enjoy her life as she is supposed to...

A rustic Hallway with a Pigeon Painting

These days I read so much about pigeon haters again and about people who save songbirds and raptors, have a heart for all kind of wildlife but when it comes to pigeons, especial the ferals, their hearts turn into a stone and they would rather extinct them from this planet. Why is this so? I don't understand this. People are the cause for their misery and people condemn them, pursue them and shoot them just for fun.

A whole industry has grown who gain their profits through destroying the vermin of this planet and as vermin they declare the feral pigeon, even blackbirds and other birds which impend to reclaim a piece of nature which was taken away from them by the human species. The birds are considered to be a danger for human valuables such as cars, roofs, gardens. Loudly arguing that pigeons spread diseases which are dangerous for human health, offering even studies which are meant to prove their arguments but which are poorly executed and paid by the very same industry. Fact is that mammal pets can be far more dangerous for human health than any bird at all simply because of the specifications of bacteria, viruses and parasites which are limited to pigeons and other birds only.

The ferals are the offspring of carrier pigeons which are bred for sport, fame and income and when they don't deliver their expected accomplishments they are set free - when they are lucky - and euthanized when they are not so lucky. Not to talk about those who get lost on their "missions". And sometimes they are "used" as pets and share the common fate of other pets who get sick or are abandoned when the "owners" realize that there is a lot of work involved and time and occasionally money.

Is this the way we have been empowered to treat the fellow creatures on our earth?

Any creature on this world has a right to live - who are we to determine which species is the noble one and which is doomed to die? This is nothing else than what all nazis on the whole world do!!! So why is this bigotry still cultured?

But thank heaven there are also loving hearts who deeply feel compassion for the tortured souls and do whatever they can to save the lost, the injured, the sick only to realize what incredible gifts they have got on their hands. Anyone - I am sure there is no exception - who has ever taken care of a pigeon and realized what amazing birds they are, widely underestimated and misunderstood, will never again be able to escape the mystery of their knowing eyes, their affectionate love for their savior. These birds are highly intelligent with capabilities science only just begins to notice.

For this reason I decided to "hang" one of my pigeon paintings again in a room that I like very much: a beautiful rustic hallway in blue and white - noble colours indeed and just right for the painting The Gathering. Without the painting I feel there is something missing, a little eyecatcher, not too bold to destroy the serenity of this room:

 (original image source www.housebeautiful.com)

This is the original acrylic painting. If you would like to know more about this series please check this link. The original is currently not for sale but I have fine art prints on heavy cotton in various sizes in my Etsy shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/vyalaarts . Other sizes can be made available if needed.

"The Gathering"
(from the Pigeons series) 

26" x 18" acrylic

©Petra Voegtle

And if you would like to read more about pigeons in general and what they do go here to the Pigeon Tales, a diary about their lives and more...

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Another Pigeon Painting has been finished

Finally The Philosopher has been finished and I even started with the next of the pigeon series. As all the others from this series it is painted in acrylics on cotton canvas. I have made it available as Fine Art Print on heavy cotton canvas mounted on a wooden stretcher frame in 2 sizes currently in my Etsy Shop. A direct link to the art print is here.

"The Philosopher"

(from the Pigeons series)

 18" x 26" ,acrylic on cotton canvas

©Petra Voegtle

And maybe you want to know about his story:
This is a portrait of Jimi, the philosopher, a very special pigeon. He was born in 2008, a son of Pete and Emma. December 2009 he became very sick with PMV and we had to hospitalize him for several months. With his last energy he found his way home. He could not eat by himself any more, he could not fly - he was completely depressed. But Jimi recovered completely and found his old self again. From time to time he is suffering from body tumors, receives special care and treatment then but in general he is strong and a healthy pigeon.

He comes home every day to get his meals and favourite sunflower hearts which he eats from my hand only, sitting on my knee. His stance has something royal and he loves to be alone. As a youngster he was often sitting on the easel behind my chair, watching me while I was working on the computer. He always came in when it was too much chaos outside - a very special pigeon. That's why he was called "the philosopher".

Here is the story of his parents:

One day, on a sunny morning in March 2008, a pigeon appeared on the balustrade of our balcony on the higher levels of the appartment building. There was something about this pigeon that made me wonder who he was. Normally I would have chased him off - as I usually did - because of my ignorance, because I did not like them pooping everywhere, because they made so much noise  in the early morning that you could not sleep any more and overall I did not like pigeons very much... But this one - it was different.

He somehow reminded me of another pigeon who regularly visited our balcony for a few minutes. We called him Mr. Whitecap, because he was light grey, with white wing feathers and a white cap. And he had one badly crippled foot that made him limp. But nevertheless he appeared again and again for about 5 years and then disappeared. I respected and admired this bird for coping with this injury and apparently having a strong will to survive. How little did I know then...

And now this new pigeon appeared on our balcony, looking very similar to our Mr. Whitecap whom I somehow missed and I was suddenly sure that he, the new one, was an offspring of Mr. Whitecap. He did not have this white cap but he was the same light grey blue barred pigeon, his wing feathers were white and he had at least a few white spots on his head and a really beautiful face and very intense eyes. I just had this feeling...

He - the new pigeon - let me observe him while I was inside but as soon as I opened the balcony door he was gone. So he was really a shy one. I was eager to know what would happen next.To be honest - nothing really happened for a while besides that he appeared one day and then was gone again for several days.

But one day he appeared again and with him came a tiny little pigeon lady, a dark grey one, with no special markings besides a sweet face and with somehow slanted eyes which were reminiscent of Asian eyes. You realize that I  started to observe these birds closer, noticing more details about them and somehow they suddenly became more and more interesting for me. I really cannot say any more when this change of mind happened to me but there was clearly a change.

Pete, as I called him in the meanwhile, and Emma, his mate, still appeared only sporadically. Obviously they were a couple and both very shy. At the very moment I opened the balcony door they were gone. One day I observed them how they kissed each other and started the courtship mode. It was so interesting to watch this and I found it very sweet.  So touching. I knew I could not chase them away any more if this should become an option.

In the meanwhile I put my plants out on the balcony again while the weather had become warmer. Also our pigeon couple seemed to get more accustomed to our presence and did not take off immediately any more when I openend the door. But they still flew away as soon as I came nearer than about 3 meters. And then one day, when I was watering my plants, I realized that Emma had silently built a "nest" behind a large planting pot with chlorophytum, that I had placed on another very large planting pot, that was filled with earth, just beneath the long leaves that were hanging from the pot. And she had laid 2 eggs. So what to do now?

As I did not know how long she was already sitting on these eggs I decided to leave her where she was and try to do everything a bit more comfortable for her i.e. I placed some more planting pots around her in order to protect her from further disturbance and view. And I had still no idea what would come next. Oh my - if I had known before...

Things took on and then one day - on the 9th of April in 2008 - the first egg hatched and out came something tiny, with golden-yellow "hair", a big head, huge feet, some strange huge eyes which still could not see, a wonderful living creature that changed our lives completely. This was Willy, our "first born". And then, two days later, little Joey climbed out of his egg shell.

This was also the birth of my diary, the Pigeon Tales, a documentary about everything that happened from now on...

And this was also the launching day of my pigeons series of paintings...

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Purple Elegance in the Bedroom should not be sinister

You know I love the colour purple and I absolutely love rooms where this colour is used in abundance. But when you decorate a room in a relatively dark colour such as this one you need something that adds an equipoise in form of something light. Bedrooms need not be sinister and dark! I really don't understand why a very dark room should help to find sleep easier than a light, friendly and serene room?

Everything in this room adds to a sinister feeling. The colours are a perfect match but everything is equally dark. So if this were my room I would lighten it up with some paintings which bring some airiness into these 4 walls such as these ones from the Pigeons series:

The paintings are painted in acrylic on cotton. The first is called Contemplation on a Feather, the second one The Rain Dancer. For both the same beautiful pigeon was the model.

 "Contemplation on a Feather"

(from the Pigeons series) 

18" x 26" acrylic

©Petra Voegtle

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"The Rain Dancer"

(from the Pigeons series) 

18" x 26" acrylic

©Petra Voegtle

If you would like to know more about this series please check this link.

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A Gathering above the Fireplace

I had this photo for quite a while in my files and never found an idea what to hang instead of that dark something above the fireplace. Although this room is much too dark for my personal taste - I love light light light - I like it somehow but not that black strange thing - a wreath? - above the fireplace. This makes the room even gloomier.

Instead I would love to hang a painting such as this one, called The Gathering, from my pigeons series. This might be a strange choice but if you look closely at the painting it adds a lot of wit and a smile will appear on your face - I am sure of this.

(original image source getdecorating.com)

The painting depicts a mother pigeon and two of her sons, Willy and Joey, all members of our balcony pigeon family and about whose adventures you could read in my diary the Pigeon Tales with many amusing and also sad stories, diligently collected and written down since several years now.

"The Gathering"
(from the Pigeons series) 

26" x 18" acrylic

©Petra Voegtle

If you would like to know more about this painting and series please check this link.

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The Rain Dancer adds a little Mysticism to the Bedroom

While one of my paintings is running in the Saatchi competition (oh please please vote for my painting - see link below) I thought why not placing the painting virtually in a room where it might look good. I mounted it into a virtual frame that would give this bedroom a little additional "sparkling".

Normally I am not so very much a friend of four-poster or canopy beds, at least not with only the four posts standing free but in this case it looks elegant and not so invasive as in many other rooms.I found the original art on the wall a bit too cheerless though as it was mounted in a dark frame additionally. The painting I replaced it with adds a little mysticism to this bedroom, a pigeon looking like a rain god with his fluffed up plumage...

(original image source getdecorating.com)

The acrylic painting is called The Rain Dancer and depicts one of my favourite models, Pete, the pigeon patron from our feral pigeon family, while he takes a shower in the rain. If you look closely (click on the image to enlarge) you will see all the droplets in his plumage and the content look in his face. Pigeons love to bathe or to take a shower in the rain.

"The Rain Dancer"
(from the Pigeons series) 
18" x 26" acrylic on cotton
©Petra Voegtle

If you would like to learn more about pigeons, how intelligent and funny these birds are, simply amazing creatures - then please check out my blog/diary Pigeon Tales. I can tell you that you will not be disappointed. There are lots of funny and sweet photos, little videos and stories about their adventures.Additionally you will find a lot of interesting links about birds and pigeons especially.

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 Thank you so much!

Voting Link

you can log in with your facebook account!

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Saatchi online Competition - would you vote for me?

Now I have a little wish for you. You know I love pigeons and care very much for them. I have often talked about my pigeon diary the Pigeon Tales, documenting everything I learn about pigeons, their behaviour and during the past years I have deeply fallen in love with these amazing birds which are completely different from those awful prejudices they are beaten with.

I have also started a painting series about them, using members of our pigeon family as models. One of those paintings I have now submitted to the Saatchi online competition. Wouldn't it be a wonderful hommage to these wonderful birds if a painting would make it into the first places?
So I am asking for your help. If you like this painting (see below) would you vote for it on the Saatchi website? Here is the link. If you don't want to register with Saatchi you can use your facebook account instead. The voting is going til Feb 07 for the first round.

 Thank you so much!

Voting Link

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Itsy bitsy Flower Power Hippy Memories or what...?

From time to time these memories come back and then I realize it has been a long long time ago as if in another life. People normally grow out of this but sometimes I feel that little tugging at my sleeve...do you remember?

This is what I felt when I saw this sweet little bedroom. Not that it really looks so much flower power loaden but it somehow reminds me. What does it remind YOU of?

I wanted to give this room a bit more art so I placed that painting virtually on the wall. Contemplation on a Feather it is called and it certainly reminds me of philosophical discussions through many nights, with many glasses of cheap red wine and many many cigarettes. It reminds me of so many subjects we discussed and which had so much importance that somehow got lost in the decades passing by. When did they actually get lost? I cannot remember...

 original image source and with courtesy of 

http://www.livingetc.com

The painting is acrylic on cotton and belongs to my pigeon series. As you may know I am writing a documentary and diary about a feral pigeon family who lives on my balcony since nearly 3 years now. This diary contains many stories and photos about pigeons, who are extremely underestimated and misjudged. These birds are highly intelligent, make very funny companions and are absolutely amiable. If only more people would realize how special these birds are. Maybe you will change your mind too if you start reading my blog Pigeon Tales. You will learn a lot of things you probably did not know before.

"Contemplation on a Feather"
(from the Pigeons series) 
18" x 26" acrylic
©Petra Voegtle

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 If you would like to know more about this series please check this link.

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A Bedroom in Turquoise and a Rain Dancer on the Wall

I love the colour of this bedroom. It is so reminiscent of the translucency of the sea which I love in any weather, at any coast. I am a water person much more than a land person and I dream of living near the sea one day.
When I see colours such as this I can hear the seagulls calling and the music of the waves. What a soothing sound, calming and exciting at the same time.
I added virtually a painting on the wall - one of my favourites: The Rain Dancer from the pigeons series. These are all unusual portraits from members of my feral pigeon family about whom you can read here in the Pigeon Tales.

(click on images to enlarge)

original image source from My Home Ideas/ Southern Accents

"The Rain Dancer"
(from the Pigeons series) 
18" x 26" (without frame) acrylic
©Petra Voegtle

 If you would like to know more about this series please check this link.

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There is always Hope

It seems that our life is returning to some "normal" conditions again and I might be able to post more often again. Our little "pigeon hospital" has released 3 birds (from 5, partially 6 - that was a string injury) who have recovered completely from their severe illnesses.
Jimi, who is a PMV (Paramoxyvirus) survivor had been hospitalized since beginning of December and Alice, who had a bad bacterial infection, was here for more than 6 weeks. Both pigeons are fully recovered and even fell in love with one another. Isn't that sweet? They are roaming the world together now but come in once or twice a day to get a proper meal here. So I can have an eye on them - they are really doing well.

The 3rd pigeon is our Willy who has also survived a PMV infection and was hospitalized since November last year. I never thought that he would recover completely again but he is now his old self again - cheeky, sneeky, funny and a wonderful flyer. His mate is Pina who was the first to become sick beginning of November last year. She still cannot be released as she is still showing symptoms like stargazing and circling from time to time. But there is hope that she will eventually recover completely also. She could not eat any more nor fly for more than 4 months. She now can eat by herself again and she is able to fly again although landings are still a bit wobbly. But she is exercising.
Winnie also needs some time for recovery still. She still needs to be handfed 3 times a day as she cannot eat by herself yet. But I think she will recover completely too.

This is Pina and Willy in their nest in my studio:

How cute is this?

If you like to read more details about our pigeon family soap you can do so in the Pigeon Tales, a diary about a whole pigeon gang that roams our balcony and their daily drama that is going on, tales of love and hate, jealousy and fights, tenderness and intimidation.

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