The Winds of Wonder

Fall at Sacramento Sandhill Crane Refuge — A Painting

Akash Deshpande:

Fall at Sacramento Sandhill Crane Refuge 30” x 48” oil-on-canvas, full painting. 

Sandhill Cranes: “They are an amazing sight. Often you hear their loud trilled calls long before you spot them wheeling above you, searching for suitable feeding and resting grounds. They are known for their incredible eyesight. As predominantly plant-eating herbivores, they choose territory that provides them with abundant food, a temperate climate, and an acceptable living environment. They are social birds that often forage in large flocks. Many Sandhill Cranes use the Pacific Flyway to migrate each year, which is one of four Avian Flyways that exist in North America. Only about 5,000 to 6,000 of the Greater subspecies winter in California, whereas the total number of Sandhill Cranes in California is projected at around 250,000, with another 40,000 wintering in southern Arizona.”

Claude Monet: I can only draw what I see. When you go out to paint, try to forget what objects you have before you, a tree, a house, a field or whatever.