Dinner at the Bar
35" x 17"
Painted completely within Inkscape - June, 2021
Printed on 100% cotton textured paper (not smooth)
In May, we visited the coast and saw a large number of sandpipers grouped in clusters.
I loved the interaction of their beaks and legs against the sand.
It's almost like a musical piece with the spacing between the groups matching rest notes.
First I created a Study of Sandpipers - this took about 2 weeks to create with all the birds' detail
This view of the sandpipers is almost 3 feet wide - similar to the view one would see at the beach.
I also tried to replicate the feel of the waves - with strong winds blowing the white foam at each wave.
One should view this piece at least 6 feet away to get a feel of the ocean's majesty and how small the birds appear.
Many many moons ago I saw Ben Shawn's "Still Music" at the Phillips in Washington, DC
It's a wonderful piece showing chairs and music stands almost arranged like a music composition.
When I started to work on Dinner at the Bar, I immediately thought of that composition, and realized the birds offer a similar opportunity.