Cardinal, Water Color on Paper, app.5"x6 7/8", Betty Justin, Copyright 1997
Sketch from my Christmas Card 1997
Curator's Note, this was the first piece of art Betty did after her husband, Jim Justin, passed away. He used to work for a company called Cardinal and the Cardinal had always been our favorite bird before that in any case. They live in our area, frequent our feeders and the local pair nested in our firethorns in the Spring of 1997. Cardinals have been sort of a family theme, and my Mom seems sometimes to think of my Dad when she sees a Male Cardinal, or such is my impression. I know I do. In any case, I believe this piece has a bit more emotion in it than one might expect on a Card.