A Sharp Eye on the Orchard

Sharp-shinned Hawks are common where I live in western Oregon, about 20 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. They are quiet and elusive, nesting in the deep forest that surrounds my home. I happened to be wandering about with my camera in hand the morning I saw this lovely bird. He was perched at the edge of my orchard and I was quite happy to capture his image, strongly lit by the early sunshine. I used UArt sanded paper as a substrate, Pan Pastels for the background and NuPastels to create the foreground components of my composition. Pastel pencils were used for blending with touches of very soft pastel used at last. I do not try to create every last detail in my work, though I do include finer detail where I feel it is necessary, as in the eye. I prefer the feathers, for instance, to look as if they might move if touched as opposed to a harsh rendering of every edge. Accuracy is very important to me and if I had to put my work in a nutshell, it is really about birds and their habitat, where I saw what and whom and in what season. It is an immeasurable comfort to me to see wildlife in an intact environment and I try to convey that joy and appreciation to my audience.

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Pastel Paper Used