Description
Prothonotary Warbler – 7 x 12; Offset Paper; Edition Size 950; $105.00 U.S.
“Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet!” is the loud, ringing song that makes my heart leap.
It is leaping right now, a little bit, as I write this, thousands of miles away from prothonotary territory.
This is because it brings me back to some of the most joyous times of my life…birding with friends
along the north shore of Lake Erie in the middle of May. This is the time of peak spring migration
when the twigs and branches seem to be literally dripping with birds. Sights and sounds and the
smell of blossoms almost overwhelm the senses. To add urgency to the action, the aim is to identify
as many different kinds of birds as possible in the day or weekend. This means intense tuning in to
every twitch and twitter. In short, there is a very strong sense of being fully alive…a sense of being
completely present in the here and now.
As a Canadian and a naturalist, I have always had a particular fascination with our ” southern climes.
“These are little patches of the Carolinian zone that make it up to southern Ontario. Tree species such as
cucumber magnolia, tulip tree, sassafras and sweet gum are found nowhere else in Canada. There are a few
special birds as well, the tufted titmouse and Carolina wren. But the little bird that carries the most
weight with me is the prothonotary warbler. Perhaps it is the wet woods habitat or maybe rich, egg yellow
color. It could be the nostalgia of those birding jaunts in Canada’s “deep south”that makes my heart
leap when I hear the “sweet,sweet,sweet,sweet” song.”
Robert Bateman
Biography
Robert Bateman has been called the most famous living artist. He continues to paint and tour the world to promote conservation and preservation of nature. We have represented Robert Bateman for decades and are now the sole publisher and distributor of his reproductions. We are so honored to work with him and witness his success. He has made such a massive contribution to the art world and the natural world as an artist and educator of the earth’s most important resources.
Nature as a subject is becoming more and more popular as our environment is in peril. What better subject is there than the beautiful creatures we share this world with? Robert Bateman’s appreciation and understanding of nature are apparent in his paintings. He is able to paint flora and fauna the way your eye would perceive it in real life. It is important that the animal takes full attention. The background becomes muted, and therefore it doesn’t take too much focus away from the subject. His paintings seem effortless and masterful all at once.
Bateman’s eye for composition is unparalleled. Each painting is a composed like a symphony, leading the eye to wander. From the backyards of North America to the sprawling plains of Africa. Robert Bateman captures nature the way it should be enjoyed. Above all he is a champion of wildlife. For this reason he has become a household name for art collectors.
