Winged King of the Avians

Oil and gold leaf on panel - 16” x 20”

Winner of “The Miracle of the Portrait” 2022 Best Portrait award from the Portrait Society of Canada.

King Steven bravely focuses on his threatened kingdom with his pensive gaze. He is ready for battle as is evident by his upturned feathered wings and crown of prickly locks reminiscent of a “bird ready to attack”. Albrecht Durer’s “ Knight, Death 💀and Devil” influenced his stance representing both “physical and spiritual” strength.

Steven’s strong and slightly beaked nose is one of his many endearing features - it also influenced my bird tessellation design which serves as a flat backdrop to the King. What is a King without gold? 👑 Gold leaf is peppered throughout the tessellation creating a visual play between flat shapes and rendered forms in this composition. Varying optical textures and the limited fall palette were influenced by the brisk autumn days of this painting’s conception.