Loons on the Lake

 "Early Morning- Loons on the Lake" was my second acrylic painting. I had promised my brother Jim I would paint a painting for him, and he could pick the subject of the painting . Jim enjoys bird-watching and has always liked loons, so he gave me a book with many photos of loons to use as a reference. I have been fascinated by artists who paint night scenes. I decided my painting would show loons on a lake when the stars were just beginning to fade away as the sun came up. I had no reference for what I painted-- I could just see it in my mind's eye. I wanted the viewer to feel the darkness and dampness of the early morning hours... to almost hear the water lapping at the shore... to see the reflections of the sky's colors on the water... soon it would be light.