We are fortunate to see Great Horned Owls in our neighborhood on a regualr basis here in Tucson, AZ. They are particularly active in the Spring and Summer when they are breeding, nesting, and when prey is abundant (assuming there is a productive enough monsoon).

I observed this bird high up in one of the neighborhood Aleppo Pines just as the sun was going down, casting a raking orange light over the scene. My primary interest here was the light. I loved portraying the owl mostly cloaked in shadow, only its dark silhouette betraying its camouflage against the blue, late afternoon sky. In contrast, the pinecones and much of the branches are brightly lit, allowing for an exploration of contrast in pattern and texture.

Though the vast majority of my work over the past twenty years has focused on animal subjects removed from their natural environments and recontextualized, this piece is all about the animal in its natural habitat at a specific time and place. Of course, I have taken liberties with the particularities for the benefit of a pleasing composition, but the atmosphere of the piece is very true to what I observed, the kind of quiet moment in nature that makes me feel privleged to be alive and very much at peace with the world.