Hidden Bird Studio | Rachel Calloway

Oh, hello! 👋🏼 Thought I’d finally show my face on here even though I’d rather show bird faces 24/7. I’m Rachel, the creator of Hidden Bird Studio and all of its artwork. I’ve been painting and drawing since the release of The Land Before Time. 🦕 (Okay, I was actually born that year so I probably wasn’t literally painting since then but you get the idea.) I was born in Delaware but grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and consider that home. If you haven’t been there, it’s pretty. Very rural. Lotsa deer. 🦌 Anyway, I have a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts with a concentration in painting, and an MFA in painting as well. 🎨 I like art. I like animals. I like humor. I like that you all seem to like those things too. But that’s all I know about some of you, so tell me something about yourself in the comments! And even if I know more than that about you, tell me something anyway. 🥰 P.S. Thank you so much for being here! P.P.S. Swipe to see Alan trying to steal the show. 🐈‍⬛

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT @hidden.bird.studio ⁣ Rachel Calloway is a professional artist and an amateur naturalist & birder native to the Eastern Shore of Maryland and currently based in Northwest Philadelphia. She is the creator of Hidden Bird Studio and all of its work, made up of watercolor paintings of local wildlife.⁣ ⁣ Prints of her work are available for purchase at Hidden Bird Studio Etsy store at etsy.com/shop/hiddenbirdstudio⁣ ⁣ 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐒! 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐈𝐍 𝐁𝐈𝐎

I realized this morning that I only ever showed this little baby very briefly in my stories. So now I’m showing you again FOR REAL this time since it’s #earthday! 🌎 We used to see gray tree frogs clinging to the kitchen window of my childhood home all the time. 🐸 We named them all George. As in: “I saw three Georges on the window last night.” Or: “Guys, come here! These Georges are catching so many bugs!” And: “George is so cute!” You get the idea. Happy Earth Day! 🩶 #graytreefrog #earthday2026 #naturejournal #hiddenbirdstudio

Okay, so you already know I like birds and art, but listed below are some other random aspects of my being. Let me know if you relate to any of these: 👉🏼 I laugh a lot. I find many things funny. I will make you feel like the most hilarious person ever. Or so I’ve been told. 👉🏼 I spend a good chunk of my week working with dogs, cats, and (sometimes) other animals. Mostly dogs though. It brings me more joy than any other job ever has. 👉🏼 I recently celebrated a year of being sober. As of today, I’m up to 434 days. It’s been such a good decision for me. 👉🏼 I don’t plan on having children of my own, but I love being an auntie to my unbelievably cute nephews. So shoutout to my little bro and his wife for that. 👉🏼 I find life extremely overwhelming, but I guess the plus side is that I never experience boredom. Being in nature helps me a lot with feeling overwhelmed and overstimulated. 👉🏼 Organizing and curating my own space is one of my favorite things to do. I love figuring out how to make my home functional and cool as heck simultaneously. I feel very connected to it; it’s like a large architectural limb. THAT’S ALL, FOLKS! For now anyway. 🤎

Okay. I’m particularly excited about finishing this one! Turkey Vultures are such important creatures for our ecosystem. 🙏🏼 We wouldn’t have a fighting chance if not for them and their habit of eating dead animals. But because of this (and their silly little bald heads), they’re very misunderstood. They aren’t unclean; they keep things clean. They aren’t disease-ridden; they eradicate disease. They aren’t aggressive; they’re gentle giants. They aren’t bad omens; they are problem-solvers. They keep nature working as it should. ♻️ And the fact that you can see straight through their nostrils is just a bonus! 👁️ These big ol’ birdies are magnificent, don’t you think? . . #turkeyvulture #vulture #watercolor #watercolorbird #hiddenbirdstudio

This piece continues its reign as “Most Purchased” in my @etsy shop! 🩵 I just restocked it as a recent order took my inventory down to just two prints. I love that so many people enjoy this spunky little Belted QUEENfisher. If you’ve been eyeing this piece or any others in my Etsy shop, now’s the time to grab them! 🤲🏼 I will soon be changing my policies since I can no longer afford to cover shipping for every item. But as of right now, I still offer FREE shipping. 💸 Get your silly self over to my Etsy page at the link in my bio! #beltedkingfisher #etsyartshop #watercolorartist #printsforyourhome #hiddenbirdstudio

Painting this little Red-breasted Nuthatch was so very calming. Which is funny to me since these birds are not calm. They are always zooming around on trees in every direction (especially upside down)! 🙃 The way nuthatches move is way cool. If you keep an eye out (just one though, okay?), you might see them scootin’ along the branches in their little eye masks. 🦹🏻 This little dude might be one of my next 5x7 prints, btw! What say you? 🎤 . . #redbreastednuthatch #nuthatchesofinstagram #watercolorbird #watercolorartist #hiddenbirdstudio

〰️WORK IN PROGRESS〰️ Seventeen years ago (aka last February) I started this piece. Now I’m finalllyyyyyy working on it again and finishing it up! ⏳ I was working mostly in my sketchbooks throughout 2025, but I want to get back to painting individual pieces more often. So we back! We back with this fabulous bird! Who remembers this fabulous bird? Or who can ID this fabulous bird based on this sneak peek? 🪶 . . #watercolor #paintingbirds #birdid #phillyartist #hiddenbirdstudio

Something a little different for today’s post... Nature and art greatly improve my mental health. And so does sobriety. 🧃 I took these video clips on January 1, 2025. I was starting Dry January. I had written “cut back on alcohol” on my list of 2025 goals. But in parentheses underneath, I wrote “or cut out if you’re feeling brave.” I kept going. It was hard at times. It still is hard at times. But it’s also so much easier than drinking. It’s so much easier than dealing with the hangovers, the shame, the dependency, the hangovers, the financial stress, the depression, the foggy brain, the hangovers, the drunken arguments, the transportation issues, the exhaustion, the next-day anxiety that happens to be so much worse than the anxiety I was trying to avoid the day before, and the hangovers. 😳 I’m actually proud of myself. It’s wild. I’m also so incredibly grateful for my partner, family, and friends. I’ve felt very supported and understood throughout this first year of sobriety. Thank you for cheering me on. Thank you. ♥️ . . #sobriety #soberlife #birdsnotbooze #phillyartist #hiddenbirdstudio

Well, shoot. The second day of the Mt. Airy Winter Market at @allenslaneartcenter had to be called off because of today’s snowy, windy weather. ❄️ Good call. Safe call. But sad. As an artist and small business owner, I count on the income I make at art markets. 🙏🏼 All vendors do. If you were planning on attending today, or you just want to shop small, check out the websites and Etsy shops of the vendors. Any support for small businesses is big time support. ♥️ My @etsy shop is linked in my bio. I’ll also share it in my stories. Check it out if you: ✨ Like birds ✨ Like nature ✨ Know someone who likes birds or nature ✨ Have ever seen a bird or been in nature There’s still a little time to get some last-minute gift shopping done! 🎁 . . #shopsmall #shophandmade #supportlocalartists #shopsmallthischristmas #holidayshopping #etsysmallbusiness #phillyartist #hiddenbirdstudio

A couple of gorgeous photos from a happy Hidden Bird customer! 💃🏼 It’s so nice to see my handmade ornaments hanging on a sparkly Christmas tree. I’ll have these and many others at the Mt. Airy Winter Art Market at @allenslaneartcenter tomorrow and Sunday! My booth is inside but it’s an indoor/outdoor event sooo…”don’t forget your booties because it’s coldddd out there today! It’s cold out there everyday.” ⛄️ Anyhoo. Swing by from 12-5pm this weekend for some festive vibes! ✨ . . #artmarket #wintermarket #holidaymarket #handmadeornaments #birdornament #sketch #greatblueheron #carolinawren #phillyartist #hiddenbirdstudio

I know you’re searching for the right gift for your birder friend. 🦆 I know you’re worried about finding beautiful bird art for them that says “I love you and I support your desire to bring up black-capped chickadees at every opportunity.” I understand. And I’m two steps ahead of you! 🫡 Swing by the Small Business Saturday Christmas Bazaar in Jenkintown on November 29th from 11am - 4pm! Not only will you be able to find that perfect gift for your bird nerd buddy, but you’ll be able to find gifts for everyone on your list. All while supporting makers and small businesses, such as myself. 🙏🏼🤎 Along with prints, note cards, stickers, and gift sets, I’ll have handmade ornaments at my table! 🌲 It’s an indoor event, so no need to worry about the weather. And since we’ve already tackled your other worry about the perfect gift, you’re good to go. If you can’t make it, save the date(s) for the Mt. Airy Winter Art Market! ❄️ It’s gonna be an amazing two-day event with a ton of talented vendors, so stay tuned for more info! #holidaymarket #holidayshopping #smallbusinesssaturday #shopsmall #birders #giftsforbirdlovers #shopsmallthischristmas #shophandmade #christmasmarket #christmasbazaar #jenkintownpa #mtairyphilly #allenslaneartcenter #hiddenbirdstudio