In the Works

I've been staring at photos of two flying swallows for at least a year. Finally have put pencil to paper, (not brush to board), and will see how it evolves.

Every gray day this past year, I have taking pictures of clouds. Must have about a million photos by now.

So my composition is the two Cliff Swallows against the clouds--birds suspended in the air. The Swallows are only roughly drawn in now. I can see that the success of the drawing will be determined by the balance between the tone of the sky and the deeper value of the swallows. "Between conception and creation lies The Shadow" T.S. Elliot.

I just came back from the opening of the Society of Animal Artists 50th Annual Exhibition in San Diego. The show is on display at the San Diego Natural History Museum in Balboa Park. A wonderful museum to host the show.

An extinct great white shark, three times the size of the big ones we have today, swims through space in the main exhibition hall and prehistoric dinosaurs greet you on the ground floor . It seemed a perfect setting for all the animal art. The exhibit covers the walls on three floors--the top elevation covered in glass--beautiful lighting and a wonderful exhibit.

Worth seeing if you are in the area. My painting, Winter is in the show. More information is at the Society website, www.societyofanimalartists.com.