BIRDS OF PREY

It is a magnificent bald eagle, swooping down through a turbulent sky toward its prey. "The bald eagle is a powerful bird and in this portrait I wanted to show a lot of force and motion. The clouds, if you study them closely, show an almost arrow-like direction to the left. This helps to convey the speed of the bird. Parting the clouds slightly also enhances the feeling of speed and direction. When my publisher decided to make prints of this painting, they asked me to put mountains in the background. However, this is the way I like it, with just the clouds to impart a feeling of freedom and majesty."