Tawny Owl in Beech

The tawny owl is the most common and widespread European owl. During the day tawny owls like to roost near the trunk of a large tree where their silhouettes are not too obvious; like many owls, they can be bothered by small birds like jays and crows.

In this painting I wanted to capture the feeling of late afternoon, of being under the umbrella of the beech tree. The leaves of the beech form a kind of coppery tapestry, and the trunk is mottled with lichens. To me, the graphic look of the painting is reminiscent of the decorative Japanese arts.

Here I've shown the owl waking up, starting to think about the evening's hunt.