It’s no secret that I am a lover of all things pertaining to animals and birds. Earlier this year my husband and I took a trip to the Tracy Aviary in Salt Lake City. It was wonderful! They have so many great birds to see. This is when I was introduced to the Black Crowned Crane. These beautiful creatures are a wonder. I decided I need to explore this bird in paint.

This 12” planchette painting (think Ouija board game) is all about that which is mystical. This bird is found in the dry savannah in Africa, south of the Sahara. Cranes are thought to symbolize happiness and eternal youth and revered as mystical or holy creatures embodying good fortune and longevity. In China, the crane is a symbol of immortality.

Painted with the crane are a few Birds of Paradise flowers. These plants have their own interesting symbolism. Often, they represent joy, paradise, faithfulness, and having a good perspective in life.  They originate from South Africa where they got their nickname, ‘crane flower.’

These two ‘cranes’ come together to spark a fun marriage of color and whimsy and I thoroughly enjoyed painting them!
Interested in this piece? It can be found here.