“Birds Eye View” | Hand-painted Buffalo Skull Artwork

Sometimes the world/the universe/God (whatever you’d like to call this) gives us a little nod. Something seems to happen to confirm the direction we’re considering. A little nudge that boosts the confidence to put a little more weight into a terrifying dream that could come true.

When I was laid off on January 31st the shock and abandonment paralleled a whisper I kept hearing “This is good.” I began navigating the rough waters of unemployment, insurance, resumes and cover letters, jobs to reach for, jobs to dodge, and the pounding question around even wanting a new job.

I allowed myself to explore turning my freelance graphic design and artist side hustle into a full-time gig. I ran with this idea in one hand, and the possibility of a new graphic design job at a better company in the other.

Exactly two months later on March 31st, I heard from my first stranger requesting a commission to paint her bison skull. This is a milestone for any artist–to have someone unrelated in any way seek you out and pay you to paint something specific to them. I was so excited to have the opportunity and immediately whispered to this gift “I see you.”

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We met the following day to exchange the buffalo skull and discuss her vision. The client was open and trusting of my skill set and only requested to incorporate birds somehow.

She showed me photos of the space where it would hang above the fireplace. It was modern, clean lines with rustic texture, and a subtle nod to a mountain cabin. Designed for grown ups to feel like kids again with contemporary bold art, a beautiful wood-grain ping-pong table, and whimsical accents tastefully placed throughout.

The piece would hang on a wall of vertical charcoal stained wood above the fireplace which sparked the first creative direction I took. Often I work with black on the bottom half of the hand-painted cow skull designs and had I done that here it would have gotten lost in the backdrop it hung on. I pulled from the color palette of the room and used a beautiful gray-blue. This allowed the iconic western shape to stand out as a dominant focal point.

In a way to blend seamlessly into the space, I maintained a clean line approach while still applying the composition in a way that would compliment the shapes, much like a well-placed tattoo. The top half of the concept is a topographic map of Mount Sneffels, located in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. I often ask what mountainous locations they’re fond of, a place that brings them joy, or meaning. For this family that was Telluride, Colorado, and the Grand Tetons in Jackson Hole Wyoming. Two undeniably beautiful locations in the Rocky Mountains.

I was able to combine these two spots with two contrasting approaches. One, the topographic map is highly detailed, and the other is a bold and simple silhouette of the Teton mountains. The combination allowed each to stand out in their way, and compliment each other without competing.

The oversized “sun” or mustard-colored circle in the center grounds it all together and perfectly draws the eye to the top layer of birds soaring at sunset, or sunrise (whichever tickles your fancy, for me, that’s often the sunrise).

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Western skull paintings are such a unique canvas they’re sure to spark conversation, and my goal is for that conversation to lead to a greater understanding of the homeowner. For someone to ask this family what mountains are featured on this buffalo skull they’ll be able to express two of their favorite places and their love for the freedom of birds soaring above them.

To the owners of “Birds Eye View” thank you for the opportunity to add to the interior design and comfort of ‘home’!

Cheers,

Jess