Eye of the Beholder-Great Horned Owl

As an artist, you want to capture the most typical position. You want to capture its real character. This works well with most animals because they only have a few of those characteristic poses. But owls don’t make it easy for artists. In lots of different positions they look very “owlish.” It is always a difficult choice. Since owls are the symbol of wisdom, one can concentrate on the look in the eyes. That look can be very intense. My much-beloved close-ups allow me to paint those wonderful things that the eyes are with great detail! In this painting, the bird is focused on something edible on the ground — mouse, insect, frog or lizard. For the composition it was important to put the eye right in the middle of the painting. One can feel the owl’s brain work to prepare an attack. In the beginning of my career, I avoided painting owls. The feather design frightened and discouraged me. Now it has become a challenging discipline. The biggest part of this painting is feathers — a lot of work. But your eye goes straight to the owl’s eye. What a shame after all that work! The yellow of my favorite lichens suits the color of these feathers very well, as does the reddish brown in the juniper branches. Such elements always give you a kick.