Fictional Literary Characters
Years ago, looking for an interesting place to volunteer my free time, I came upon the New Mexico Wildlife Center. I started out as a cleaner and was soon in the very same space as owls, hawks, and a fox. Later I was trained to ‘handle’ a few of the raptors who, because of injury, couldn’t be released back into the wild but could serve as ambassadors for their species in classrooms and at events. My teacher was a disheveled and very patient little screech owl named Methuselah. I fell in love!
Long Eared Owl Large Acrylic Painting on Canvas Original
I've painted this long-eared owl in the 'tall-thin position' it might use in daylight to appear large when a danger is perceived. At night the owl is the creature to be feared with its near silent wing beats and hearing about 10 times better than humans.
This painting was done in 2005 when I did a series of owl portraits following my time volunteering at a wildlife center. It was there that I met, in person, a number of owls that began my great fondness for them.
Width: 20 inches
Height: 30 inches
Depth: 3/4 inches
ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHTED.
Hawk Skull Copper and Canvas Original Santa Fe Art
Even in death, the red tailed hawk is formidable.
The work is made up of an original painting on copper attached by 8 brass nails to the frame of a hand painted canvas. The copper panel measures app. 3" by 5", and the canvas, 4" by 6" and 1 1/2" wide. The entire surface of the copper has been varnished to protect the image and sheen of the copper. The sides of the canvas have been painted and hanging hardware has been installed on the back. The work is ready to hang, or it can stand on a table or shelf.
Width: 6 inches
Height: 4 inches
Depth: 1 1/2 inches
ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHTED.
This is a fine art print of my original painting entitled '3 Barn Owls'.
I learned about raptors when I volunteered at 'The Wildlife Center' just outside of Santa Fe. I started as a 'feeder' and eventually was trained as a 'handler', someone who would take the resident, non-releasable birds out to educational events. I had only worked with the resident barn owl for a short while and was still wary of him, and he of me. The owl lived in one of the smaller enclosures, so that when you went in to feed him, or practice handling him, there was very little room to maneuver in. One day I went in to visit him and heard a terrible hissing sound coming opposite where he was standing on a perch. Turning, in a space not terribly larger than an old-fashioned phone booth, I saw another barn owl. But this one was was bright red! It was waving it's head from side to side and making a hissing sound, like steam escaping a radiator. Every hair on my body stood on end. I mean every one! I backed out of the enclosure and went to the office and asked, What is that?! The new owl had come to the center after a rancher had been spray painting the inside of his barn, red, and discovered the owl in distress. After many baths given in the ICU, and bunking with the resident owl, the painted owl was rid of his redness and released back into the wild.
Over the years I encountered a few other barn owls and found each and every one of them beautifully strange, other-worldly, and yes, a little intimidating!
Centered on 11" x 17" matte paper, the reproduction measures 9 1/8" by 12".
The print is archival, water-resistant and fade-resistant.
ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHTED.