“Raven and the Sky” is a realistic acrylic painting of a Raven perched on the top of a cedar branch lost in thought. The sky in this artwork is made of splashes and pools of paint suggesting a literal cerebral air surrounding this intelligent bird.

As a BC wildlife artist I am especially drawn to intelligent animals like ravens that have a rich history with BC First Nations. In the legend of Camossung from The Songhees Nation, on whose traditional land I live, Raven is present when the transformer lets the girl Camosun pick herring, duck, oysters and coho for local food.

A close up within this acrylic bird painting reveals the thoughtful look a raven is casting off the canvas, caught in contemplation only the corvid knows the full meaning of. A raven uses her large beak or bill for eating, digging and as a tool and to communicate by snapping for a unique sound during courtship.

A miniature acrylic pour painting resides in the top left of the sky, mixing drips, puddles and pools of cerulean blue fluid medium with tiny rivers of advancing white ink. This small feature of abstract art adds a spiritual vision element of meaning to the sky.

A detailed view within this raven artwork shows the bird’s realistic tail feathers and legs as he rests grasping a branch with the talons in his feet. I painted cedar branch with a line based style outlined in brown and green in front of the sky, to show a brief grounding in thought and place.