Heron

Heron / 5x7 / Oil on canvas / unframed / $68 including shipping

THE HERON GLIDES, even ascending, it seems, even while pushing its wings, it glides, still as night falling. It speaks to me of dark, quiet corners. Of memory. Of a time before history, when silence was a monumental asset. 

In small water, even - the creek by the side of the road - the heron stands and stalks and catches, then rises on its huge wings, successful - showing me that victories need not be large, nor beauty proscribed. 

***

For Today

I'VE MADE IT to Arizona, and Dad and I went out the other day to see the Javelinas de Tubac exhibit, which is all over town. 

Javelinas are a kind of wild pig that's found in the southwest. I've seen many of them in Tubac, sometimes with their babies, which are adorable. The grown javelinas are nor quite as cute, and can be real pests, digging up gardens, rooting around on property, etc. 

The Chamber of Commerce and the Tubac Center of the Arts had a local artist make maybe two dozen blank javelina statues, then invited Tubac artists to paint them. The statues are located all over town. They are all for sale, and money raised from the sales supports the Chamber and the arts center. 

Here's a short article on the project (to read it you will have to answer some questions, sorry), and here is a photo of Dad and me by one of the javelinas.