This painting was an experiment by Bateman. He used gold leaf because after seeing this in real life in the Serengeti images of Japanese screens with gold leaf backgrounds became a recurring thought. He stated that it was worth a try but there was a risk because he would be combining gold leaf with a realistic image.
I really like the natural light in this image. The angle he has stood at has caught the light of the sun set, the cause of the golden colour. Although it is an experiment I think it has worked well. The dark background has pushed the attention to the lighter foreground and middle-ground without creating to much negative space.
The shapes in the water are very interesting. Almost all the water is rippling because of the commotion of the storks. Bateman thinks that they are they to feed before they rest in trees for the night. The fact that he has chosen to add a flying stalk just makes it for me. It emphasises the fact that they are moving and have came to the water for a reason.
The piece has such a natural feel to it, the birds are so realistic; this is a talent that Bateman has as his work is so lifelike. I feel this is probably one of the most important aspects for a naturalist, similar to Ansel Adams and Cristina Penescu.
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| Serengeti Dusk - White Storks, DATE 36" x 72", gold leaf and acrylic on canvas |
http://www.robertbateman.ca/index.html
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