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
$368
H 7.29 in W 14.57 in D 1.19 in
Little Blue Tit 4 and Little Kingfisher, Over The Moon Diptych, Birds
By Anya Simmons
Located in Deddington, GB
This is a diptych of a new series - Over The Moon with Little British Birds. This Diptych include Little Kingfisher, Over The Moon and Little Blue Tit 4, Over The Moon, We are so bl...
Gold Leaf
$8,500
H 40 in W 60 in D 1.5 in
Horses Painting BOHO Heavy Textured on Canvas 40x60" Love Between Horses
By Irena Orlov
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Love Between Horses Couple Painting One of a kind Mixed Medium on Canvas Artwork: Original abstract mixed media work on canvas, which combines new media - digital original hand pain...
Canvas, Varnish, Archival Ink, Acrylic, Mixed Media
"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
$184
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
$184
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
$1,325
H 30 in W 24 in
Big Hats and Cocktails - Expressive Abstract Animal Horse Painting on Canvas
By Kellie Newsome
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Columbus, Georgia-based artist Kellie Newsome specializes in dynamic and expressive animal portraits that radiate vitality and personality. Her unique style combines abstracted forms...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$184
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
$375
H 13 in W 13 in
Sweet Sam - Happy Animal Painting Original Pop Art 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
$330
H 12 in W 9 in
Brown and Pink Swiss - Original Abstract Cow Mixed Media Painting on Canvas
By Kellie Newsome
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Columbus, Georgia-based artist Kellie Newsome specializes in dynamic and expressive animal portraits that radiate vitality and personality. Her unique style combines abstracted forms...
Canvas, Mixed Media, Acrylic
$375
H 13 in W 13 in
Adorable Ally Mixed Media Painting, Contemporary Pop Art Animal, Signed
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, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Pastel
$184
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
Jolly Julie - Purple Pop Art Cow Original Artwork on Canvas
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, Mixed Media, Acrylic, Paper, Oil Pastel
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