Don Balke: Gyrfalcon and Mountain Avens

Artist: Don Balke
1932 -
Nationality: American
Artwork Year: 1978
Image Size: 14.5 by 13.5 inches
Overall Size: 17 by 14 inches
Medium: Water Color on Cold Press Illustration Board

GYRFALCON Falco rusticolus
Recognizing the Gyrfalcon's superior hunting skills, ancient kings preferred this bird to all others for falconry. The rare, white Gyrfalcon was indeed, a gift of distinction, and none but royalty were permitted to own one. The Gyrfalcon family ranges in color from white to a deep grey, and may be found from the Arctic Circle southward to Oregon. The female Gyrfalcon settles the brood in a nest of sticks, bones, and pellets of indigestible matter, while the male combs the tundra for food in a ground-hugging flight. Occasionally, the male snatches prey from another bird's kill to feed his own family.

MOUNTAIN AVENS Dryas intergrifolia
Mountain Avens, a low perennial evergreen shrub, thrives in the highlands of Europe and North America. It is popular in rock gardens for its profuse flowering and its rambling, mat-forming qualities. Its small white or light pink flowers blossom amid leaves of deep green. In autumn, these flowers give way to hordes of feathery seed heads. From these seeds grow the fruit, dry heads of achenes with long, wispy styles. Interestingly, Indians and colonists used the root of the Mountain Avens as a medicine, and people of the European Alps use the leaves in making Kaisertee, a refreshing tea.

This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood® commemorative cover for the Birds and Flowers of Canada - the Northwest Territory, cancelled April 1, 1978.

Artwork Copyright © 1978 Unicover Corporation. All Rights Reserved under United States and international copyright laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, transmit, or otherwise exploit the Artwork in any way. Images of the Artwork may be watermarked and/or digitally watermarked. Any sale of the physical original does not include or convey the Copyright or any right comprised in the copyright.

Our Stock Number (SKU): XB05171

US$ Price: $1,250.00

Easy Purchase Plan: Buy this ArtworkOriginal with 8 monthly payments. Payments will be charged automatically as due to your Credit Card.

How to buy Original Artwork:

If you would like to buy Original Artwork, there are several convenient ways:

Use The Artwork Gallery: simply click the "Hang in Gallery" for pictures of interest. This puts the picture in your Personal Artwork Gallery, where you can view or remove it. When you've finished hanging artwork in your Personal Artwork Gallery, Go to your Personal Artwork Gallery and select an option for contacting us or ordering from us from there.

To get in touch with us directly about a piece of Artwork by Phone note the SKU and dial TOLL FREE 1-800-443-4225 from throughout U.S. and Canada.