White faced heron - last one
'Heron Duty'. 2025. V Watson original
New Zealand white faced heron
The white faced heron is endemic to New Zealand and (I'm happy to report) not actually endangered, in fact they do quite well! They're a wading bird, but it is not unusual to see them grabbing a feed of worms in a nearby paddock.
I love their plucky personality, and way they're always watching - hence this one is called Heron Duty (i.e. her on duty) . This girl is looking back over her shoulder, with the expression "I'm watching you!".
The long skinny wood block reflects the bird's length, especially when standing upright.
The timber block was upcycled. It was 'dressed' by my husband (the rough bits planed off), then prepared with several layers of primer and then a few layers of gesso before the oil paint got 'spooned on' with a knife.
I adore painting shore birds, capturing the essence of an ordinary day on the Inlet, with the wildlife, the tides and the light all working in harmony as it does in nature.
Details:
Oil on solid timber block, 85mm w x 400mm h x 40 mm deep. Ready to hang.
Shipping - the art will be safely packaged for tracked courier inside NZ or Oz.