No,I've never been to Savannah, let alone seen a sunset there. The title refers to a handsome Savannah Sparrow seen at sunset at the top of the dunes at 'The Meadows' at Cape May, NJ last November. At that time most everything is in shadow with light just focused on small areas. In this case it was this Savannah Sparrow, with a bit of a yellowish wash caused by the sunset and everything else in purplish-blue shadows.
I didn't do any field sketches then. It was cold since it was November and the wind always whips off the ocean as you cross the dune. But the scene was striking, both the sparrow who is always handsome, like a refined Song Sparrow, and the play of light and dark. So I took a number of photos. I've looked at them many times wondering about doing a painting based on one. But something's always put me off. Maybe the cliche of sunlit focal point and purplish-blue shadows. Today however I couldn't resist a quick, small watercolor.
Like the last one of the bluebird this is done on the tiny 5x8.5 inch pages of the Moleskine watercolor sketchbook.
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