Eighth day of Advent - Swans

Eighth day of Advent

Swans-a-swimming belong to the seventh day of Christmas, but these ones are flying and landing. With their crowns they could be the princely swan brothers of fairy tales. Grimms' version of The Wild Swans has six brothers and in Hans Anderson's there are eleven. There are seven in my original illustration for Woodland Christmas and I have added one more here to fit the Eighth day theme. 

Seventh day of Advent: Christmas Cardinal

Seventh day of Advent

For Sunday and the seventh day, here is a familiar and warmly-dressed winter bird who is also somewhat reminiscent of this fellow:

Sixth Day of Advent: Geese-A-Laying

Sixth day of Advent

For Woodland Christmas I gave  6 motherly geese and their goslings sails in their nests, to catch the wind and ferry them over the waters.

Fifth day of Advent - Five Gold Rings

Fifth day of Advent

Another detail, this time from Woodland Nutcracker.  "Creating a world" is the aspect of book illustration that artists love, making up convincing background details such as books on a bookshelf, a wreath on the door.  This is a Christmas wreath for the Bears' cottage (plus five gold rings for the Fifth day of Advent).

Fourth day of Advent - Four Calling Birds

Fourth day of Advent

Loons singing their lovely song to the night sky are the Four Calling Birds, another illustration from Woodland Christmas.

Third Day of Advent - Robin Redbreast

Third day of Advent

A detail from a larger Christmas painting, this little robin defies conventional wisdom that North American robins always fly south for the winter. Here is a page about robins that stay. I like the description of their song as "chip chip cheerio, jam on toast!"

Second day of Advent - A Partridge and a Pear Tree

Second day of Advent

A Partridge Postman with a spray of pear blossom for someone's True Love - from Woodland Christmas (Scholastic, 1995).