Barn Owl Miniature
May 23, 2012
Whine Alert! I threw my back out and even my regular swimming routine isn’t helping restore things. It has been over a week and sitting at the computer only seems to aggravate it. Oddly, standing offers the most relief, so I’ve been painting.
My apologies for not leaving comments on my favourite sites. Even this just sitting here is causing shooting pains.
This pair of Barn Owls is from a photo on the BBC Website, without credits as to whom the photographer was/is. I’m in the process of offering compensation for my using the image as reference.
The Barn Owl (Tyto alba) is, oddly enough, common in a great many countries but not here in Canada. From Wikipedia: “. . . It is known by many other names, which may refer to the appearance, call, habitat or the eerie, silent flight: White Owl, Silver Owl, Demon Owl, Ghost Owl, Death Owl, Night Owl, Rat Owl, Church Owl, Cave Owl, Stone Owl, Monkey-faced Owl, Hissing Owl, Hobgoblin or Hobby Owl, Dobby Owl, White-breasted Owl, Golden Owl, Scritch Owl, Screech Owl, Straw Owl, Barnyard Owl and Delicate Owl. “Golden Owl” might also refer to the related Golden Masked Owl (T. aurantia). “Hissing Owl” and, particularly in the USA, “screech owl”, referring to the piercing calls of these birds. . . ”
Work in progress . . .
The finished piece–a birthday gift for my friend Shiela
“Barn Owls”, watercolour on Hot Press Arches 140 lb. Paper
image: 2.5″ x 2.5″
framed size: 4″ x 4″
Thank you for your patience and support. I’ll be seeing my doctor soon, and hopefully we’ll get to the cause of the problem.
weisserwatercolours 
Thank you ‘a million’!
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Hey Brilliant art, =) wow just wow *speechless*
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Where are you, Lance? I think of you all the time and hope you are well. Please post a smiley face, at least! 🙂
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I’d love to see one of these great birds! We have owls here, of course–I hear them in the early early morning–but these look mythical and so grand. Thank you for your empathy over my soreness. I have a feeling it is something to do with my hip. Thank you for your words of encouragement!
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I didn’t know you were having such a problem! I read about the shoes. Yes, I saw the same report on TV weeks ago. The Shape-Ups are bad. The report was about false advertising, but people said their backs suffered. I am sorry to hear about your awful problem!
I love those owls. They are my favorite ones. I am fascinated by the faces that look painted on. In real life, they look the same. You can’t see the individual feathers! It’s really weird. You captured them really well here. Lovely portrait. I like that there is a pair.
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How very kind of you, Diane, as usual! Thank you for being so supportive and yes, monkeyface really does seem to sum up how they seem! When I look at them in the abstract, they have an alien faced look to them, ala ‘Close Encounters’.
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HI Lance-well, considering the pain you’ve been in, what wonderful work! But creativity is the great healer, I think, perhaps just because of how it preoccupies our thoughts away from our physical issues, etc. Barn Owls are such exquisite creatures…I like the one nickname expecially…monkey face. Your painting is another masterpiece, and framed one can really see it as a wonderful minature. Hope you feel better soon.
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thanks for that confirmation–I thought maybe I was delusional, but I’ve tried several times and they only make things worse and worse. And yet, when I go back to my old clunkers, I get relief! I feel so much better hearing you tell me this news!
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I just saw a report, sorry I don’t have the link, that sais the Shape Up shoes were a scam. No support to their claims and like you lots of back problems. I can’t wear them either.
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many thanks for your support and wishes, 3wishes kim! I have traced the back problems to these new revolutionary running shoes called ‘Shape Ups’ which have an inflated arch so that I kind of rock when walking. They are supposed to make me walk straighter and with more intention. Instead they are killing my back! I do hope your own back issues are not going to go on any longer! Thank you for stopping by.
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Well of course I love those cute little owls. Sadly I know all about the back and totally understand that sitting makes you feel worse, I too am still going through that – now 5 months into it. Hopefully you will not have the same long drawn out discomfort and will feel back to your old self again soon. Love,love, love those owls. Feel better soon. Kim
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I hope your back is a little better by now, Lance.
Ciao, Francina
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thank you, nia my dear
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Thank you very much for saying so, Eve–I appreciate your encouragement.
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I am very glad for your good wishes, Francina.
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Thanks Linda, thank you very much.
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thank you Darlene, very very much.
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Very very kind of you, Laz. Your work is very inspiring to me.
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how interesting–it’s not a side effect one expects from medication. This seems to be associated with my hip, I have a feeling. I appreciate your words.
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Yes, it is a very striking depiction–in an actual barn!
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how kind. thank you so much.
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I’m very sorry to hear of your backache, Lance, and hope that you will soon find relief. I remember that the last time I had something like that, I heard a lot of different advice before my doctor discovered that my suffering was due to the side effect of some medicine I had been given. The body is so delicate a machine… and once something has gone off kilter, it is difficult to know the source of the problem. I can only wish you health and happiness, Beautiful painting
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Just beautiful, but then again your work is AMAZING!!! Hope you feel better soon!
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LOVE the barn owls. Take care of yourself.
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Beautiful work! Take care and hope you get well soon. Linda
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They are so beautiful and so lovely too… I loved it dear Lance, standing so nice… Love, nia
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Yes–I see what you mean! I just now googled the name and discovered them. What a strange looking bird! They’re both scary and cute at the same time (smile). I think they would be quite a challenge to paint, actually. Thank you for tipping me off to them.
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I hope the pain goes away soon.
Your painting as always is beautiful! Have you ever tried painting a tawny frogmouth? They are related to the owl. They are hard to see in the wild as they look like the bark on trees. I hear them when I walk my dog at 5am but it stays hidden in the dark.
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Feel better….we need to see more of your work!! smile
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Wow! So beautiful! 🙂
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Thank you for your encouraging words, Graham, and taking the time to tell me.
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oh that would be so wonderful. I don’t know what owls we have here, but when I walk the dog at 5 a.m. they are usually in the Ponderosa Pines and making themselves very known. Thank you!
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Ouch, been there, done that! Yoga was my saving grace, no more back episodes since I started practicing every day. Love the owl image; we have small tree owls here and the highlight of an September or October night is to hear them hoot softly in the woods all night long. Enchanting 🙂
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Nice work Lance. As always it is interesting to see the work in progress.
Sorry to hear of your predicament – hope you get better soon.
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Your welcome and take care 😉
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I love these owls. I’m sorry to hear your back is out… that is always a very painful happening. Take good care of yourself!
Ciao, Francina
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And I for you–it affects everything. Thank you for your empathy.
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that’s the best of compliments, Rhonda!
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thank you very much, orples my dear. It is very consoling reading this
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thank you for your support!
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Thank you for being your sweet self, Jen!
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Beautiful! Lucky friend you have there! 🙂
Hope you start feeling better! I’ve been dealing with foot pain for over a month now, I feel for you!
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I love owls. These are beautiful. I’ve been fortunate to see barn owls in person and they are gorgeous creatures. Your painting definitely does them justice!
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I don’t envy you your back pain at all, Lance. Thankfully, though you are able to paint, so it’s not all up hill. I hope your Doctor finds, and solves, your problem soon. My heart goes out to you. In the meantime, you’ve done a beautiful job on your little owls.
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Get well soon Lance! 🙂 Nice owls!
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Truly beautiful…feel better soon.
My drawing teacher did a great pen and ink and colored pencil drawing of a barn owl http://www.etsy.com/listing/98398338/rustic-elegance. I love owls as subjects, they are so mysterious…
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Hi Lance…welcome back and hope you are feeling better…Love your work..exceptional !
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thank you so much, Betsy!
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I hope you feel better soon! I am a huge fan of owls of all kinds. This is an exceptional painting. great work…
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