FLORAL HUMMINGBIRDS AND THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
1. Ambrosia Hummingbird
Acrylics and Dried Flower Petals on Canvas
2. Hummingbird of Paradise
Acrylics and Dried Flower Petals on Canvas
3. Sweet Nectar Hummingbird
Acrylics and Dried Flower Petals on Canvas
These three London Wildflower paintings were inspired by a hummingbird collection at the Natural History Museum in which a Victorian case houses over 100 specimens of hummingbirds. The artworks are formed of dried flower petals, echoing the careful preservation of the hummingbirds.
A Bit about Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds are so named due to the humming sound created by their beating wings which flap at around 80 times per second. They flap their wings in a figure-of-eight pattern, which allows them to not only fly left and right, but also backwards, and even upside-down.
A main source of food for hummingbirds is flower nectar, which they feed on using their long tongue, feeding at a rate of up to 13 licks per second. Many species have evolved over time to adapt to changes in flower shapes.
Hummingbirds don’t use their feet to walk or hop, only for itching, preening, and to scoot over sideways when they perch on a branch.
There are over 300 known species of hummingbirds that can only be found in the Western Hemisphere, with most living in the tropics. The smallest is just under six centimetres long, carrying from 1000 - 1500 feathers and weighing just a few grams.
"No description of fairylike perfection is too saccharine for the hummingbird. They live in a world of blossoms, sweet nectar, and the untainted freshness of everlasting spring"
Rachel Poliquin, The Breathless Zoo
Visiting the Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is free for all and a lovely way to spend a day. Hummingbird displays can be found in both the South Kensington and Tring locations. To track down the South Kensington collection, head to the ‘birds’ gallery in the Green Zone.
Purchase of the London Wildflower Hummingbird Paintings
The three London Wildflower Hummingbird paintings are currently on display at the Simpson House Medical Centre gallery in London. For purchase enquires please contact us here.