Loyalty

My friend Federica's parents are soon celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary (April 2012), so she commissioned me a painting in which I had to convey all the marvellous feelings of a lifetime together.

I wanted to stick to my turf, nature and possibly European, so I asked an ornithologist friend of mine which bird was the most loyal of our continent. No albatrosses, which live only in the Southern emisphere, but another big white bird, the whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus).
Some web research later I found this wonderful courting couple (here the original picture [link] ) that was perfect for my aim.

Done with collage and acrylics on plywood board.