Great Blue

This piece has quite a bit of symbolism for me... the heron with a white stone in its beak. The crow in the background amongst the heron nests...

"Herons share much of the same symbolism as storks, cranes, and other wading birds. To some, the appearance of a heron is a good omen, but to others, it warns of fire and drought. Since this bird is sacred to the Greek sea-god Poseidon, it is an emblem of Atlantis, the lost island paradise thought to be populated by his children. Herons are fabled to be the enemies of eagles and the friends of crows. In Japan and China a heron and a crow may be pictured together as a symbol of the yin-yang.

This bird's long "nosy" beak makes it a symbol of curiosity, nosiness, and busybodies. However, when pictured with a white stone in its beak, the heron is an image of discretion, and the wisdom obtained through the Christian practice of silence. Like the crane, the heron's habit of standing on one leg earns it a reputation for contemplation, vigilance, divine or occult wisdom, and inner quietness. Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, employed a heron as one of her divine messengers. Native American legends tell of wise men who, having died, visited the earth in the bodies of herons."

http://users.netnitco.net/~legend01/heron.htm

Colored Pencil on Board

14" x 14"