The Call

The Rio Verde Foothills host all kinds of wildlife - including this mated pair of North American Ravens.  They hang around the horse pens, cadging horse treats and corn feed from the neighbors, sky-surf the flat rooftops in a gale, do their best to get into the trash cans on pickup day, play basketball on the roof (at least it sounds like it), wind-surf from the neighbor's flat roof on windy days, play air-tag with the local hawks, pull the buzzard's tail to get him to drop his food, and in general get into all kinds of mischief. They are incredibly clever, remember their friends, and mate for life. We're so lucky to have them around. I adore them, and love painting them as much as I enjoy watching their antics. This piece showcases the bird through the conceit of the inset - it creates a focus, while maintaining the clouds as a background. The Raven's home is the sky, make no mistake.