My last name for most of my life was Herron, and growing up in Florida, I would see the bird quite a bit. I think I took their beauty for granted as a child, but for the past several years I've come back to these enchanting, dinosaur-like creatures in awe. This painting is one of a series of aquatic birds, all monogamous in nature, all linked by their legs forming family crest-like icons. I'm interested in the familial connections within and beyond these birds. A connection that beckons and embraces all of us. In the words of the poet Mary Oliver, "Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --over and over announcing your place in the family of things."