#4 Eagle Owl
#4 Eagle Owl (885mm x 710mm acrylic)
There are few sounds more engaging than the call of a lone owl from across the valley as dusk slowly descends into darkness. It is a sound that seems to resonate with something deep within our souls, possibly recalling a time when we lived close to nature, and even now, it still carries the imagination out into the darkness and the world of genets, porcupines and other creatures that live their lives hidden under the cloak of the night. To hear the call of the owl whilst sitting at a remote camp fire is an invitation to extend our awareness beyond the perimeter of the flickering light, and with the coming of the dawn the myriad of tracks in the sand share the stories of these nocturnal lives.
Owls are of course an extraordinary group of birds, specially adapted to hunting in low light and using their facial disks to focus sound. It is these features which make them such great subjects, their large eyes immediately engaging the viewer, and the feather patterns on the face seem to intensify the eyes even further. These features do make for strong images, but come with the added pressure of needing to spend time on the eyes and do them justice.
This owl represents the fourth painting and the end of the first month, but that does mean eleven months to go, or more challenging, four down, forty eight to go…
Africa Geographic Magazine and 52-Artworks
Today’s posting marks the beginning of a collaboration with this prestigious publication, for not only will they be running a monthly column in the magazine for the year, but they have also launched a Facebook competition where you can vote for your favourite artwork and stand a chance to win a signed print from the 52-Artworks collection.