The Keeper of Twilight – Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area
36″ x 24″ x 2″ – Original Acrylic and Oil Painting on Canvas
Brian Christopher Zickafoose © 2016
Approximately 150+ Hours
About the Artwork
Hues of autumn and twilight color the sky, as the mighty screech owl emerges from a hidden nook. This fantastic scene was inspired by an overnight hiking trip at the Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area with my wife and children in 2015. The haunting crystal moon was brilliant and filled the night sky with pale blue luminescence. Our heads were weary from our travels when we arrived upon our quarters. I unloaded the last of our gear from the vehicle when suddenly a screech owl’s shattering cry startled me from the tree line. I turned to look and behold, a piercing gaze caught me cold and we locked eyes for what seemed like eternity. The owl scanned my soul intently and seemed to examine every aspect of being. I began to squirm under its scrutiny and stepped hard on a twig. Snap! The sound alarmed my feathered friend and in a flash of lightning, the fierce screech owl took to the night. That was the last I saw of it. The next morning we ate breakfast ravenously in preparation for our hike through the beautiful landscape at Seneca Rocks. My encounter with the owl the night before stuck with me throughout the day and later in the evening as we rested, I sketched the initial roughs that would eventually become this painting. Thanks for looking. Enjoy!