My friend who takes amazing bird photos posted a photo on Facebook that inspired me. It captured the gracefulness of their moment and how time seemed to stand still as they glide through the air. I asked her about it, and she told me that they are Sandhill Cranes that “mate for life”. I was inspired by the way they soared through the air as one and then when I heard this, I knew I just had to “launch into a painting” about the timeless commitment and elegance they projected and how I felt inside.
I read about the birds and how they are raised by their parents until they are older and then join a group in their age bracket and set off to find a mate. Once they find that mate, they mate for life and “journey through life”, here appearing as one in flight.
As I worked on the painting, I took most of the background noise out leaving the motion of the birds with a timeless backdrop of the water and bank. I wanted to portray what I felt inside. In the end, time doesn’t matter, the journey, the togetherness, the oneness is what makes them soar. The title seemed to come out of the painting..."The Journey"
See more photos of "The Journey" here.