Solitude: A Trumpeter Swan

Juvenile Trumpeter Swan 20" x 30"

I love the theme of this challenge. The solitude found in nature is one of my favorite themes. For this challenge I wanted to revisit the image of the juvenile Trumpeter Swan that visited our lake in September 2001. That was a difficult month for me, as it was for many Americans. To make it harder, I was living alone in what is now my studio while overseeing the building of our house. My husband would drive up north for the weekends but during the week I was alone. The visiting swan came when most of our resident waterfowl had already departed for migration. I would watch him from behind the bushes and when he seemed used to my presence I began to feed him every evening. Over the next couple of weeks I spent a lot of time in his company and I found some peace. I took several photo and a few years ago made a quilted portrait of this swan which sold at my show last summer. (The photo is on my website the 45 Degrees North Gallery)

This time I wanted to show the swan in the setting of the lake, in the early evening, and covey some of the peace that came in the solitude.


This piece measures 20" x 30" and is gallery wrapped. The background is a piece of batik that I thought looked like rippling water.


Thanks in advance for your comments.