Arboretum - Getting Ready

Did an exploration visit to the Jacksonville Arboretum to get ready for the paint-out - "A Brush With Nature."

Oak tree that greets the visitors.

Added a railing around the spillway - nice feature on the pond.

Color in the lichens

Another shot of the spillway

Across the pond

"Putting Down"

Pastel on sanded gatorboard, 14x11

This painting revised, retouched, and updated 2/21/2023 - see newer listing.

On rainy days, I go through my old paintings, reference photos, and drawings looking for things that interest me.  For some reason, I often find myself drawn to sea gulls.  I admire their freedom and exuberance. 

This particular gull is actually from a photo of a large flock, but his form and sense of presence attracted my attention.  I pulled him out for this study and first called it "All Alone" which is a little ironic because gulls are rarely alone.  "Putting Down" is more descriptive.

"My Tern Yet?"

Pastel on Wallis 18x12

Early in the morning when the tide is out, the gulls and terns stand and wait on the beach - waiting for the tide to move in.

The wet sand casts reflections almost as if it were standing water.  The scraps of foam from the receding tide and the scattered collection of a few shells are the only breaks in the vast expanse of wet.  Terns are divers, so until the tide comes in, there is nothing for them to do but wait their tern.

This lone royal tern seemed to be asking, "My tern yet?"