Snowbirding

A happy-go-lucky alligator crosses a road. Three snowbirds are looking through their lenses. They are focusing on the distance for some wildlife to... more

by AnnaJo Vahle

Original - Sold

Price

Not Specified

Dimensions

40.000 x 30.000 x 1.000 inches

Title

Snowbirding

Artist

AnnaJo Vahle

Medium

Painting - Acrylic On Canvas

Description

A happy-go-lucky alligator crosses a road. Three snowbirds are looking through their lenses. They are focusing on the distance for some wildlife to photograph. They are oblivious to all the critters right near them. This includes the gator. This is a figment of my imagination based on a variety of scenes I have seen over the years. Snowbirds are people, who spend a large part of their winters in a warmer climate. I live in Florida and have witnessed the influx to our population each winter over many years.
This isn't any particular place, nor are these any particular people. The people are supposed to be indicative of the typical snowbirds hunting wildlife with their cameras.
Not only do they not see the gator, but they haven't seemed to have noticed all the bird activity behind them and up in the sky. An osprey flies through the sky with a wriggling fish in it's talons. A glossy ibis takes flight over the water near a palm tree. A great blue heron sits on her tree top nest watching over her two chicks. They wait for the father to bring home a meal. He is in the reeds below the tree. He has just caught a big dark swamp eel. On another palm tree top, a pair of anhingas neck. They do this as part of their courting ritual.
I sorta kinda based this on the wetlands in Viera. I liberally used my artistic license by not painting any particular location. I made the roads more narrow and the water higher to better suit my composition. I mostly wanted to get the feeling of that area.
This is a sunrise morning. The birders like to get their to catch the wildlife begin their day. The animals are used to the photographers. They simply go on with what they normally do.
I actually saw some photographers miss an alligator as it walked right by them just as I have depicted. One of them was wishing she could see an alligator when I suggested she simply turn around. I've been wanting to do this painting every since. I have been quite ill. Thinking about this has been therapeutic.

5/31/22...Tied 3rd place win in FUNNY contest

31/23..3rd place tie in SECRETS HIDDEN IN ART

Uploaded

December 28th, 2013