“Sandhill Crane” (11 X 15 in)

The Sandhill Crane is an amazing creature migrating all the way from the Arctic to winter in the California Delta. The town where I live has a yearly Sandhill Crane Festival. I entered this watercolor as part of the art exhibition. This crane is huge, standing almost 6 feet tall. What attracted me to this image is the massive shoulder muscles that are needed to flap its gigantic wings. In flight it looks very graceful but taking off and landing require great effort. Dusk is the best time to view these cranes. Their arrival and cacophony of sounds are an unforgettable memory set against the setting sun and Mt. Diablo.

Robin Vander Hamm

I specialize in watercolors that are inspired by my world travels. My subject matter ranges from South American landscapes to the flora of California. The use of bright colors, original designs and exotic settings are components I bring to my paintings. The incredible range of transparent watercolor allows me to capture the fragile beauty of a single flower or the somber mood of a gray day. For me, an artist is only limited by their imagination and technical skill. The elements of control and spontaneity make it a challenging endeavor. The thought of ever mastering the medium becomes more and more elusive and perhaps a goal never to be fully achieved.

I find the process of creating watercolors very satisfying and it also provides many side benefits…the greatest of these is the ability to see beauty everywhere.

So please wander through these images. There is some text beneath each. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did creating them.