My First Exhibition: Silent Wings Loving Heart

I’m thrilled to share some exciting news — my barn owl painting has been selected for the Animal Artspace Online Virtual Exhibition. This marks my very first exhibition, and to see my work displayed alongside such talented artists is an incredible milestone.

When I chose to paint the barn owl, it was for more than its ethereal beauty. It was out of fascination, reverence, and concern. This past year, barn owls suffered their worst breeding season on record, a stark reminder of how vulnerable they are to harsh weather, dwindling habitats, and the pressures of our changing world. My painting became both a celebration of their presence and a call to notice their fragility.

A Bird of Symbol and Story

For as long as humans have lived alongside barn owls, they have inspired awe, fear, and wonder. Their pale wings and silent flight have earned them a place in myth and folklore across cultures:

In Ancient Greece, they were sacred to Athena, a symbol of wisdom and protection.

In Medieval Europe, their ghostly calls were feared as omens of death.

In Native American traditions, owls could act as messengers — guiding or warning.

In British folklore, their presence was seen as either blessing or curse, depending on the storyteller.

To me, this duality — wisdom and fear, fragility and resilience — makes the barn owl deeply compelling. They are creatures that seem to hover on the edge between worlds, carrying with them centuries of human imagination.

The Reality Behind the Magic

Beyond myth, the barn owl is a remarkable hunter. With wings adapted for silent flight and hearing so sharp they can locate prey in complete darkness, they are built for the night. Watching one float over a field feels like witnessing something otherworldly.

And yet, their lives are precarious. Their dependence on open countryside and dry weather means even one bad season can have devastating consequences. The recent record-low breeding success struck me deeply. These birds, which have long symbolized mystery and endurance, are facing an uncertain future.

Painting the Owl

When I began this painting, my goal wasn’t just to reproduce what a barn owl looks like — it was to capture how it feelsto be in their presence. That mix of stillness, quiet power, and delicate beauty.

I worked layer by layer to create the soft luminosity of their feathers, letting the light and shadow evoke their ghostly grace. The eyes became my focal point — dark and unblinking, holding both centuries of symbolism and the quiet truth of their survival struggle.

This painting is, for me, part tribute and part reminder. A way of honoring their presence, but also of acknowledging how fragile that presence really is.

My First Exhibition

Having this piece included in the Animal Artspace Online Virtual Exhibition is more than an artistic milestone — it feels like the perfect way to give voice to the very subject that inspired me.

Art has always been a bridge: between people and nature, between history and the present, between emotion and action. My hope is that this barn owl, now taking flight into its first exhibition, can carry a little of that magic forward — sparking wonder, reflection, and maybe even care for the real owls that still glide silently through our night skies.

You can explore the exhibition and discover the incredible animal-inspired artworks