Great Grey Owl ~ "Shadows of the Sky" ~ Pastel Pair and there's a tenderness in

and there's a tenderness in the way they perch near each other that I wanted to honor in this painting

The rufous tail is the painting's warm center

There's trust in that coordination

This least bittern watercolor painting captures the smallest heron in North America — a secretive marsh bird that most people never see

The medium's tactile surface quality creates a physical depth that echoes the layered softness of owl plumage

Great Grey Owl ~ "Shadows of the Sky" ~ Pastel Pair and there's a tenderness inThis great grey owl pastel painting captures the largest owl in North America by length a bird with a five foot wingspan and a facial disc designed to funnel sound so precisely that it can locate prey beneath a foot of snow. The great grey owl looks soft and round, almost gentle, until you notice the eyes. Those yellow eyes see everything and forgive nothing. I worked in pastel to capture the owl's extraordinary plumage concentric rings of gray,