Thomas Anderson

"Reddish Egret"
Ink, 30" x 20"
$1800
©2020 Thomas Anderson

Reddish Egrets used to be unheard of at Bolsa Chica. Then one showed up and it was a big deal. Now there are a few at the wetlands all the time, and to me they are still a big deal. Herons and Egrets all have unique feeding habits, and the Reddish Egret is, I think, the most fun to watch. They dance, they run, sometimes in circles, they hop, they hold still and stretch out their wings to make an umbrella to create a shadow on the water that attracts little fish - whatever it takes to catch a meal. This bird was perfect for my graphic, ink on paper approach. Unlike the shorebird pieces where I'm focusing on the patterns on the feathers, here I wanted to capture the dramatic gesture that few other birds make, the collective pattern of Reddish Egret feathers with outspread wings. There is not, for me, anything else to focus upon. There is only this exquisite feathered creature evolved to live in this exquisitely specific way.

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