"Sewanee Barn (Feral Pigeons)"
Oil on board
13 x 30

Selected for the
2009 Birds in Art
Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum
Wausau, Wisconsin

Selected for the
2008 Kentucky National Wildlife Art Exhibit

Collection of the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum Wausau, Wisconsin

While hiking in the woods of Sewanee, Tennessee, I came upon a field with a solitary dairy barn. The dramatic play of sunlight on the long vertical boards provided a strong compositional element that I knew I wanted to paint. The next challenge was deciding what bird would best fit the setting. The trio of pigeons — a natural resident of barns —visually balance the upward movement of the structure. Their quiet awareness in the piece reflects the respect I felt when I happened upon the clearing where this weathered barn still stands.