Print. Original is 19" x 27" pastel on paper (private collection).
This young bull moose was eating willows in the woods by our yard (yes, its eyes are indeed very blue), his breath rising in the frigid air. To me, the pose presents a certain stillness and spirituality. (The word “spirit” comes from the Latin word spiritus, which means “breath.”) I almost named this piece "Call me Ishmael," referring to the book Moby Dick, as the moose's great snout makes me think of a sperm whale breaching. Is that too obscure? The pastel work on this fellow resulted in a wonderfully fine and rich appearance for his fur, and there is an interesting rainbow effect in his antler--both of which were happy accidents.
This artwork is available as a reproduction in various sizes and by different methods (paper, metal, etc.).
