Western Sandpipers – Northern Migration is an oil on canvas painting, now available. The canvas is 18″ x 24″, with the silver frame as you see it making it approximately 24″ x 30″. It’s now available. I have other frame options for this as well.

I’ve had my sights on this painting idea for awhile. In fact, since I had my canoe along the Port Townsend shoreline a few months ago. I was paddling peacefully along and suddenly, right in front of me and within about 15 feet, a cloud of little brown sandpipers erupted off the beach – scaring the heck out of me. It was actually a wonderful experience, and I tucked that memory away for later. And, here’s the experience a second before they all flew.

These birds change colors from their summer arctic feather colors and patterns to much brighter colors to attract a mate. A few months later when fall comes around, they head south for the winter and change again to dull brown, grayish white and many other shades for camouflage to hide against overhead predators such as hawks and eagles. It also makes them almost invisible to paddlers like me!

And so, I made the painting with that in mind. Not obviously bright-colored birds, no brash and colorful wildlife, just a real experience I had seeing about 30 birds very close-up. It’s a believable experience, I hope, as you run your eyes around the canvas counting birds.

Here’s an early photo of my process with this painting with a working frame I use as I go along. You can see the progress of working out the design, adding the birds and shells. The big log in the background hasn’t been figured out yet.

This painting is $1300 with the silver frame you see at the top. Shipping is extra but boxing is included. Outside framed measurements are about 24″ x 30″. Oil on canvas and varnished. If you’re interested, or just want to communicate, write me at larryeifert@gmail.com

And below is the boat I used for the sandpiper experience – I built it last year!

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Larry Eifert

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