Painter Thomas Swanston captures the life-changing experience of observing a natural migration. When the Atlanta-based painter witnessed flocks of birds in the sky over his farm one day, he became fascinated with Sandhill cranes, an interest which would change the trajectory of his art.
Swanston began annual trips to the Central Platte River Valley in Nebraska to photograph and observe the over 600,000 birds that migrate through the area. Swanston witnessed how the birds’ travels are rhythmic, with a pattern of departure and return, and are part of the natural flow of the planet.
Drawing on these first-hand experiences, he depicts the cranes through a host of media and techniques. He uses materials ranging from gold leaf, silver and pewter to oxidized copper, palladium and gouache. The gilding allows his paintings to change according to the light.
A 1978 graduate from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Swanston complemented his Bachelor of Arts degree with studies at the New York Studio School. After enrolling in 1980, he became one of the first to earn a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Parsons School of Design and met his wife and fellow artist, Gail Foster. Together, they now run their own art center, StudioSwan.
Swanston later attended AIR Serenbe, a nonprofit that connects individuals to nature. He played a major role in founding its art program, which continues to support artists today.
Swanston has exhibited his work in numerous solo and group shows. His art is in private collections around the world, including Ritz-Carlton hotels in the United Arab Emirates, Japan and China and Four Seasons hotels in California, Wyoming and Morocco.
Swanston and his wife continue to share their passions for art and nature from their studios in Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of Thomas Swanston’s paintings and mixed media.
Up in Blue
By Thomas Swanston
Located in Bozeman, MT
It is a tall, vertical painting. The mixed media is composed of oil paint and gold leaf with smaller silver leaf birds at the bottom of the composition. The bird silhouettes look lik...
Gold Leaf
Mini Me 4961
By Kate Salenfriend
Located in Napa, CA
Surrounded by artistic inspiration from a very early age, Kate Salenfriend learned most of her technical skills from her great-grandfather, Stewart Robertson, the registered Californ...
Gold Leaf
$183
H 7.29 in W 7.29 in D 1.19 in
Robin Love 4, Over The Moon, Birds, Animal art, Nature, Gold leaf, Metallic art
By Anya Simmons
Located in Deddington, GB
New Series - Over The Moon with Little British Birds. We are so blessed with such a variety of beautiful garden bird species within the UK. I feel inspired and 'Over The Moon' with ...
Gold Leaf
"Cheek by Jowl" Abstracted Bird Silhouette with Embroidery
By Kelly Kozma
Located in Philadelphia, PA
"Cheek by Jowl" is an original 20in x 20in painting on canvas by Kelly Kozma featuring black birds against a blue and white background with mixed media elements. This piece has the ...
Canvas, Latex, Mixed Media
$2,800
H 30 in W 24 in D 1.5 in
"Native to Brazil", Contemporary, Hummingbird, Oil, Acrylic, Collage, Painting
By Anne Sargent Walker
Located in Franklin, MA
"Native to Brazil", by Anne Sargent Walker, is a deliciously yellow green oil, acrylic and collage painting on stretched canvas depicting tropical flora of vines and flowers surround...
Mixed Media, Oil, Acrylic, Canvas
$183
H 7.29 in W 7.29 in D 1.19 in
Little Wren 4, Over The Moon, Bird, Nature, Animals, Gold
By Anya Simmons
Located in Deddington, GB
New Series - Over The Moon with Little British Birds. We are so blessed with such a variety of beautiful garden bird species within the UK. I feel inspired and 'Over The Moon' with j...
Gold Leaf
$353
H 12 in W 12 in
Gorgeous Georgia - Original Animal Painting - Happy Pop Art Red Cow Artwork
By Fredi Gertsch
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Swiss artist Fredi Gertsch creates lively colorful pop-folk art paintings with one inexhaustible element: the Emmentaler cow. Humor and optimism are essential traits of the artist: "...
Canvas, Paper, Pastel, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$183
H 7.29 in W 7.29 in D 1.19 in
Little Kingfisher, Over The Moon, Birds, Animal art, Nature, Gold leaf, Metallic
By Anya Simmons
Located in Deddington, GB
New Series - Over The Moon with Little British Birds. We are so blessed with such a variety of beautiful garden bird species within the UK. I feel inspired and 'Over The Moon' with ...
Gold Leaf
"Rights". Contemporary Neo Expressionist Painting
By Sax Berlin
Located in Brecon, Powys
The goat plays a strange role in mythology and legend; perhaps its ambivalence, appearing on both sides of the spectrum, give it the appeal it enjoys. Most ancient cultures from the Assyrians via the ancient Greeks and Vikings have a goat appear in their legends. Berlin’s goat skulls...
Gold Leaf
$5,900
H 57 in W 71 in D 2.5 in
Dinner Date, acrylic painting depicting blue lizards, nasturtium, dry grass
By Ben Darby
Located in San Diego, CA
Dinner Date was conceived during a nature walk along the Balboa Park area of San Diego, specifically underneath a bridge leading to the park. This day, Ben...
Textile, Cotton Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$183
H 7.29 in W 7.29 in D 1.19 in
Little Blue Tit 4, Over The Moon, Birds, Animal art, Nature, Gold leaf, Metallic
By Anya Simmons
Located in Deddington, GB
New Series - Over The Moon with Little British Birds. We are so blessed with such a variety of beautiful garden bird species within the UK. I feel inspired and 'Over The Moon' with ...
Gold Leaf
$7,909
H 44 in W 56 in D 1 in
Kamdhenu 5, Hindu Goddess, Mixed Media, Red, Yellow, Blue, Green, Pink"In Stock"
By Dharmendra Rathore
Located in Kolkata, West Bengal
Dharmendra Rathore - Kamdhenu 5 - 48 x 36 inches (unframed size) Mixed Media on canvas Inclusive of shipment in roll form. Style : Dharmendra loves experimenting with different form...
Canvas, Mixed Media
$6,615
H 38 in W 56 in D 1 in
Kamdhenu 6, Hindu Goddess, Mixed Media, Pink, Blue, Red, Orange "In Stock"
By Dharmendra Rathore
Located in Kolkata, West Bengal
Dharmendra Rathore - Kamdhenu 6 - 48 x 30 inches (unframed size) Mixed Media on canvas Inclusive of shipment in roll form. Style : Dharmendra loves experimenting with different form...
Canvas, Mixed Media
Going to the Edge of the World Again
By Thomas Swanston
Located in Bozeman, MT
This painting is rich in texture. Golden, rusted and silver geese fly along the gritty blue, turquoise sky. Deep cerulean blue tree tops stand in the foreground. Thomas Swanston was...
Mixed Media
Coming In
By Thomas Swanston
Located in Bozeman, MT
This is a square painting with a stunning sunset on it. The sky starts as a deep blue and fades into yellows, oranges, and pinks until the sky touches a purple mountain range. Geese ...
Mixed Media
Sweet Morning Light
By Thomas Swanston
Located in Bozeman, MT
It is a tall, vertical painting. The painting's medium is acrylic paint and silver leaf on linen. The birds' silver silhouettes fly across the dream acrylic background. Thomas Swans...
Silver
Through and above Farmland I & II
By Thomas Swanston
Located in Bozeman, MT
This is a diptych painting. The painting's composition is birds flying across the two panels on a a blue-gray background. You can see faint traces of gold underneath the oil paint. T...
Silver, Gold Leaf