Where did the inspiration come from for this piece?
My inspiration for this Barn Owl painting was on a walk and coming across a barn in a very sad state, holes in the roof, cracks and gaps all over. I always enjoy painting owls and this was an obvious backdrop for a portrayal of a Barn Owl. With my painting, I like to create a situation, as in the saying ” it’s like a barn in here” referring to draughts, I indicated the wind blowing by the ruffled feathers. The moth was added to give the owl the alert look I wanted.
What is the creative process when creating your mixed media animal art?
These days I make my drawing for a painting as minimal as possible, I do not want the drawing to make me paint too tight. The freedom of fast confident brushstrokes is what I am after. Working with Acrylics in combination with a limited use of oil pastels give me the finish I want, which is not to represent a photo but my interpretation of whatever I am working on.
How long would this work have taken you?
I paint very quickly to loud music of many different musicians. It pleases me to complete a painting in one sitting, sometimes it makes for a long day for the bigger canvases. After a lifetime of working for publishers, I am now in the fortunate position to paint solely for the love of it. I am always very appreciative when others enjoy my art.
