Marsh Hen: On The Run

I recently arrived at what I call my “marsh studio” in Engelhard, NC, and my neighbor, Louis, pointed out two marsh hens in the front yard. They weren’t in sight long as they quickly scurried into the spartina grass. Louis explained that the marsh hens are specifically known as Virginia rails. He said they come every year and parent a brood of black-downy babies. He said he tells his cats they are off limits….I wonder what his cats are thinking at that moment, but anyway, it was cool to see the pair. According to my brief research, I found the Virginia rails are very shy and secretive birds. They are monogomous and are, if hunted and cooked, pretty tasty. Personally, I am not expecting them to appear on my table, but I am looking forward to seeing the brood running around in a few weeks. The piece I just finished is the first of a series of marsh hen studies I’d like to do this Spring….I am inspired but we’ll see what happens.

The painting below started slow and I nearly discarded it after the first pass with the brush. But then something happened. As the roots of the spartina grass and other marsh vegetation darkened and grew richer, the hen’s orange-brown breast and white trim popped. It is nice when this happens and reminds me of moments when camouflaged and relatively “invisible” creatures suddenly come into focus. Such sudden discoveries suggest I am in need of more mindful attentiveness. The little hen in this piece is a teenager trying out his legs, and he has two companions— the katydid in the upper left and (my favorite) the little ladybug to the right of the bird. The Mattamuskeet lodge smokestack in the upper left corner marks the location.