Last summer I was fortunate to have photographed a family of Great Horned Owls not far from home in Colorado.  They were fascinating, and really, my first time to observe these gorgeous creatures while raising their owlets.  The two young ones were very different from each other, reminding me just how different my siblings and I are.  But that's what makes the experience so magical to watch.  This piece is based on a photo I took during that time, and one of my favorites. 

 

Work in progress #1:  The first stage of my work is always about the subjects, in this case mama owl and her two owlets.  I lay what I call the "foundation" (the basic information of shapes and tones) and refine them in further stages until they are finished to satisfaction.

 

 

Work in progress #2:  Here, I added the owls' environment, a large wall of rock.  Lately, I am experimenting with a more contemporary feel to my work with more loosely-interpreted habitat.  My art is all about taking risks and while my art has been quite representational in the past, I went all out this time with a more expressionistic treatment of the habitat.  While the pyrography stands out from the rock, I did tie the piece together by mimicking the hues and tones throughout in order to unify all elements and effect of the overall work.

 

 

Work in progress #3:  In this third and final version, I deepened the darks and lightened the lights to better emphasize the dimensional aspect of the subjects and habitat.  Here is where I sharpen the detail of the pyrography. Though these changes are subtle, they are very important in the overall appearance of the finished art. Thank you for following my blog and this piece.  Presenting "Safe Haven."