New Painting at CAG Gallery 4'14

Goose at Swan Lake

Last week, The Charleston Artists Guild sold one of my wildlife paintings.  Today I took a painting  in to fill the space on my wall.  It is a  9" x 12" oil of a Canadian Goose sitting on a Cypress Tree root.  It has always been one of my favorites in my wildlife series.  First of all, because it is actually the first wildlife I ever attempted in South Carolina, and second because I love the story behind it.

Swan Lake Iris Gardens is a County Park in Sumter ,South Carolina.  It is famous not only for its beautiful Japanese Iris which grow throughout the cypress swamp but for being home to all eight of the world's swan species.  I timed my first visit to the Park with what should have been the peak of iris bloom.  Ironically, there was barely an iris  blossom to be seen any where in the park.    Eventually I found out why.  All the swans were nesting in the iris patches.  Every so often one would lift its neck up and munch on the tender buds of what would have been an Iris flower.  The only blooming Iris I found that day were by this one goose.   Presumably, it too had build a nest nearby, and was protecting it from the swans, which allowed the Iris a chance to blossom.

My Wildlife Series at CAG Gallery

In any case,  my 'Goose at Swan Lake'  looks mighty fine amidst my other wildlife painting at the Charleston  Guild Artists Gallery