All Along the Watchtower

One of my favorite songs is All Along the Watchtower, written by Bob Dylan and performed by Jimi Hendrix. For years, the lyrics have been teasing my brain, wanting to come forth in a painting. This painting combines the exacting realism of the bird and objects with an unrestrained abstract finish on the background - an effect achieved with broad, loose strokes of paint textured with lightly scratched lyrics. And since I obviously couldn’t get an actual magpie for my scene, I researched the birds extensively and then sculpted my subject out of foam to ensure the shadows would fall perfectly