Thesis - Bald Eagle

This is the seventh in a series of ten paintings for my thesis, An Illustrative Exploration of Birds of Prey in History and Culture. This is a look at the bald eagle in Native American beliefs.

Both eagles native to North America (the golden and bald) were revered by many tribes. Since I already explored the golden eagle in Mongolian culture, I decided to explore the place of the bald eagle in Native American culture.

This eagle was especially respected in the Pacific Northwest, where fish was an important food source both for people and eagles. The figure of the bald eagle appears on carvings, sculptures, masks, and other works of art. I portrayed it here with a salmon, which is an important food source.

_{Watercolor on cold-press Arches, 10 X 13 inches}