Owl and Olive

12" x 4" x 1.5"

Acrylic on Canvas

With "Owl and Olive," my objective was to design a small, vertical, totem-like piece. I began the layout with two circles and a pyramid to capitalize on the vertical format of the tiny canvas. Upon completing the basic black line layout on the white canvas, the top circle appeared incomplete. There wasn't enough room to create a sun with triangular rays. So, I added two isometric triangles on either side of the circle to fill the space. While rendering details with acrylic paint pens, I kept referring back to the two triangles and the top circle. They began to evoke the image of a Great Horned Owl. It wasn't until the artwork was completed that I realized the dark red and drab yellowy-green hues resonated with the image of green olives and their red pimento centers.