Journey Across the Barnegat

acrylic, 9" x 12", paper

I finished this painting for the 2015 Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest. The bird depicted here is a Brant, a migratory goose that lives across the eastern seaboard. The bay in the far back is Barnegat Bay in my home state New Jersey (hence the title). The lighthouse is considered as a landmark for NJ shore.

Since the bird itself has overall black feather, I chose a colorful fall sunset as background for it to stand out. The sun ray also adds a purple hue on the the birds, enriching the bird's color tone. I love the overall effect. Hopefully the judges agree with me! :-)