Capped Heron in Flight

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

The capped heron is, to me, one of the most beautiful birds in the world.  The colors, I mean, c'mon, that turquoise beak against the warm yellow of the breast is inspired!  

The Marsh at Doran Park

oil on cradled panel, 9" x 12"

This is a scene I've been wanting to paint for quite a while.  It lies just south of Bodega Bay, on a bluff overlooking the bay, and is home to lots of birdlife, especially egrets and herons.  The marsh itself is a riot of color and has a walkway that circles it.  I take my dog here often to walk the loop and contemplate nature.  I painted this scene alla prima (in one session) from a photo I had taken and decided to leave it in its sketchiness.  My favorite pieces are often the ones I've done alla prima, those that convey a visible sense of spontaneity.  A singer doesn't sing half a song one day, then finish it the next; a poet doesn't recite half a poem one day, then finish it the next.  A painting like this is of a moment as well, so why not paint it in one go?