JOHN COSTIN STUDIO

Also called the “American Flamingo”, this bird is a striking coral red that would captivate any viewer. Ironically the first-year birds are brown and white, greatly different from the adults. The landscape depicts the Greater Antilles where they are found in addition to South Florida. This is a four plate, hand-colored etching that is hand-painted with transparent watercolors.

An active hunter, this heron can be animated with wings open when stalking prey. The white chest and grey feathers make it distinctive from other herons its size. It is not unusual to observe this heron with other wading birds on the pursuit of prey. It has learned to coordinate its hunting practice with other birds, letting other species stir up fish that it will ambush. The life size etching is created with four plates, 8 inks, and hand-painted with watercolors.

Great Blue Herons are upper-level predators of sawgrass marshes, stalking prey with stealth and guile. With a sharp eye for movement, they can attack with precision and speed using their beak like a spear. This etching was printed from the large “Great Blue” plate on Arches watercolor paper with one ink, black. This watercolor paper gives more latitude in applying watercolor because it has more glue (sizing) then the normal printmaking paper used for editions. All the colors are hand painted. I consider this a varied edition where each print varies considerably, different colors and forms in the sky. Each is an original watercolor.

The rarest egret in North America, the Reddish Egret is primarily a coastal bird inhabiting saltwater estuaries. They get their food from tidal washes that shift bait with the current. The most animated of egrets, they are entertaining to watch as they jump, leap, wave wings, and run after their prey. A small percentage have all white feathers, referred to a white morph, but retain the same blue legs and pink lores. This is a four plate etching using 10 inks that are hand-printed; afterward each etching is hand-colored with transparent watercolor.

One of my personal favorite herons, the Little Blue has a subdued character when searching for prey, focused, and determined. Native Americans relate to blue herons symbolically as self-reliance and self-determination, the ability to evolve and progress. During the first year of their life cycle, their feathers are all white which has a practical function of improving their survival rate. Because they are white, more white herons and egrets accept them (Snowy Egrets and Great Egrets) in their foraging groups which give them easier access to prey. A four-plate hand-colored etching with transparent watercolor.