Caged Birds

 

acrylic on panel, 20" x 16"

This is a narrative painting that is attempting to capture the loneliness and isolation of life during the time of COVID.  Like caged birds, we are all being held captive by this pandemic, albeit to varying degrees.  I tried to show the beauty of the outside world in the colors of the sunrise as a measure of hope for better days to come.

My Heart

oil on panel, 8" x 8"

This is a study of a barn owl portrait, which I may do a larger version of, as it didn't give me quite the result I was after.  Still, I feel this little one is not without its charms.  

Capped Heron Study

 

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

There are so many extraordinarily beautiful bird species on this planet, and this is one of my favorites.  The capped heron is a rare bird that thrives in the rainforests of Central and South America.  I just love their colors!

Of Beauty and Sorrow

 

acrylic on canvas paper, 9" x 12"

A quick head study in acrylic, I used an atypical palette of Hansa yellow, Indian yellow, naphthol crimson, Prussian blue, transparent brown oxide, and chromium oxide green.  That was fun.

The Harpy

oil on panel, 10" x 10"

Back to birds, a frequent subject of mine, here is a portrait of a harpy eagle, an exotic-looking raptor found in Mexico and the tropical rain forests of Central and South America.  I am fascinated by all the wildly varying bird species that inhabit our planet.  I find them extraordinary in their uniqueness, every single one.

From Out of the Shadows

oil on panel, 11" x 14"

A few weeks ago, I didn't know who Amanda Gorman was, but her poem, "The Hill We Climb," and her inspiring recitation of it at the presidential inauguration on January 20 blew me away.  What a beautiful spirit!  I felt the need to paint her portrait.  We need more poetry in our lives.