Introducing this wonderful Eurasian eagle owl, the star of What a Hoot! This is the third happy creature to feature in my series of joyful animals against blue backgrounds.
There are eagle owls living wild in the UK, and although I have yet to see one myself, I have had the great pleasure of getting up close to some which are in captivity at sanctuaries here in Cornwall. I find them to be particularly magnificent, in part due to their sheer size and strength.
This beautiful owl was a treat to paint in soft pastel, especially as it looks as if it is chuckling to itself, which only serves to endear me to it even further. One very wise, and I suspect witty old owl.
