Farmland Peace

by Nancy Lee Moran

Original - Sold

Price

Not Specified

Dimensions

24.000 x 18.000 x 0.250 inches

Title

Farmland Peace

Artist

Nancy Lee Moran

Medium

Painting - Oil On Board

Description

Quail thrive in the habitat between woodlands and farm fields of corn and milo, at edges where weeds, grain, plum thickets, and trees abut. Quail like crimson clover and clumps of little bluestem (a native North American prairie grass).

The scene in my painting is meant to be July in Nebraska, when quail youngsters are leaving the nest, but remaining near their mothers. A clutch is usually 14-16 eggs. Since some chicks are killed by predators, and some eggs fail to hatch, I decided to show ten chicks in the art. In the evening, the father quail whistles to call the chicks together. They huddle during the long night.

Nick, a fireman and chairman for Southwest Iowa Quails Unlimited, asked me to paint a landscape that included quail. He loaned me a taxidermy male quail. In my studio, I painted from the model. I gathered plant specimens to put near the quail, to see the comparative sizes of animals and native plants. In 2008 "Farmland Peace" (originally titled "Evening Roundup") was sold at auction to benefit Iowa Quails Unlimited. Its size was 18 x 24 inches, oil on board.

In August 2008 I traveled to Arizona to help with home hospice care for my grandfather. Sometimes I would sit outside to rest and, yes, to grieve. A family of bobwhite quail skittered through the back yard several times a day. One adult would flutter atop a post or roof line, then signal to the chicks that it was safe to cross the open ground. Another watchful adult followed after the chicks. A band of soldiers would have admired the patrol strategy of these quail as they protected the family unit.

My friend, photographer Lynell Morgan, allowed me to use a photo she had taken of a windmill and circular horse tank. As the old windmill turned, it pumped water for cattle and horses into the tank. Lynell also took photos of native plants to supplement the photos I was taking. I signed both of our names to the painting, since Lynell's contribution was creative and fundamental.

A mile from our town, I discovered a cornfield, its leaves drying out in the September sun until ready for harvest. A barbed wire fence ran along it, one that had old posts made from trunks and limbs of small trees.
I returned often to the scene to match colors and sense the atmosphere. I heard insects buzzing and cows lowing.
Nebraska is usually windy. As the sun sets, however, breezes die down. All is quiet then. Peaceful. Colors become more muted as the sun glows ever more coral and yellow.

Fine Art America watermark will NOT appear on purchased artwork.

Copyright Notice: This image does not belong to the public domain. It may be licensed by asking permission, nancylee@nancyleemoran.com. All artwork in the Moran portfolio is copyrighted and owned by the artist, Nancy Lee Moran. All rights reserved.

Uploaded

July 17th, 2016

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