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Evening Roost
Acrylic & ink on canvas, 36x36  
$2000 (Scroll down for purchase details)

In my usual semiabstract style of interpreting imagery as I feel it more than as my eyes see it,  I took a deep dive into the world of the red-cockaded woodpecker. Woodpeckers have always struck my curiosity, but when I learned that these particular ones are endangered, I went to work.

I stumbled upon some folktales on this woodpecker and learned that some believe they are the symbols of the overall rhythm of life on the planet and, that some associate it  with the element of fire.

I tend to visualize everything I read and hear and seeing how this painting turned out;  I realize that the folktales I read came through loud and clear. 

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the red-cockaded Woodpecker is endangered.  While they are federally protected by  the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) and conservation measures are in place, the constant loss of habitat(clear-cutting and forest fragmentation) is causing a steady decline. It is estimated that there are 14k-15k living  across 11 southern states. In North Carolina, Sandhills and Coastal Plain regions  are the strongholds for the species. There are no others in the world.

Their favorite trees are live longleaf pine because it is the most fire-adapted tree and hosts great nesting cavities.
This curious creature is considered a a ‘keystone’ species as their cavities also serve as sites for 27 other vertebrates such as: birds, snakes, lizards, squirrels and frogs, to roost and nest, hence supporting a diverse and rich forest.

I also found out that breeding pairs are monogamous and for life and that their roosting/nesting cavities tend to face West or South.
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As for their coloration. Mostly black and white. The males have a sliver of red atop their white cheek, hence their name.

​For more info click HERE

On a side note, I experimented with the world's blackest black acrylic paint and really loved the results! Very black indeed!
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Setting is provided by pictorem to show aproximate scale only