2015
Blossoming – Mourning Doves
by W. Allan Hancock
About the Painting
“When I think of Doves in general, words like soft, gentle and peaceful come to mind. In this painting of Mourning Doves, I tried to convey these aspects through the coziness of the birds and the beauty of the setting. I also chose a setting that would reflect the fact that Mourning Doves are common in both rural and urban areas – the branch they are perched in could be from a tree in a country orchard or a city park. By featuring two doves in different positions I was able to highlight the beauty of the entire bird, pointing out subtle differences between the male and female. And while I love the excitement of an alert bird, a relaxed bird just seems to blossom.”
About the Artist
W. Allan Hancock
W. Allan Hancock has had a fascination with the natural world from his childhood days. Allan spent most of his youth in Saskatchewan where abandoned homesteads and the remnants of human heritage also began to leave a lasting impression. Today Allan continues to share these two interests, reflecting on the passing of time and our influence on this world.
Allan’s art career began in 1989 when he accepted a full-time position as a wildlife artist for a greeting card company. He soon found gallery representation and a growing demand for his work. Drawn to its natural beauty and abundance of wildlife, Allan moved to Vancouver Island in 1995 to pursue a self-employed art career full-time.
Allan’s artwork has been selected for numerous fund-raising projects for wildlife and habitat conservation purposes. In 1996, he became the youngest artist ever selected as Ducks Unlimited Canada’s Artist of the Year and was honoured with the Waterfowl Art Award. His artwork is also featured on the 2005 & 2011 Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamps as well as the 2014 Salmon Conservation Stamp.
Two books prominently feature Allan’s work. Award-winning Canadian poet Patrick Lane requested one of Allan’s paintings for the cover of his compilation of selected poems entitled Witness, while Amazing Animals, a non-fiction book written by Margriet Ruurs, presents fifty of Allan’s paintings depicting a wide range of creatures.
Allan resides on Salt Spring Island with his wife Taryn and their children Ezra and Sage. He is represented by White Rock Gallery in White Rock, BC, Peninsula Gallery in Sidney, BC, Steffich Fine Art on Salt Spring Island, BC, Birthplace of BC Gallery in Fort Langley, BC, and Webster Galleries in Calgary, AB. His paintings can be found in collections throughout Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia.
