Sunlit Geese

I was a bit hesitant about posting this, even though I really like it. I had wanted to draw geese and especially the goslings for quite a while now. I had tried before to capture the glowing fuzziness of the little ones, but couln't manage to do it well. I got lots of advice and have been practising that technique. Then I got this book from the library with the a watercolor demo of geese and goslings that looked almost exactly like the photo that I had. The demo had 4 goslings, my photo had 3 and the positions were a bit different. But I feel that I must mention the book and the demo as this is similar to it. The book is called "Watercolor Workshop" by Glynis Barnes-Mellish.

The reason I wanted to paint this is that for the last seven or eight years, a pair of Canada geese has come to the outside courtyard of the college where I work, to nest in one of the large concrete planters. It's a good spot because it juts out over the lower courtyard, and can't be reached by curious bystanders. Once the goslings are hatched, the proud parents march them through the courtyard, down the steps, and out to the pond in the back. We are all quite protective of these geese, but unfortunately last year, the female was killed, probably by a coyote. This is the first year for a long time that the college community has not come together to look out the window at the nest, and marvel at the renewing of nature right in front of us. Perhaps the male will be back with a new mate, but I really hope not. There are two many aggressive coyotes around now, and I think none of the little ones would survive. So I will miss them, but I will remember them in this small way.