I was on an early morning field trip in British Columbia recently and had been watching the activities of a variety of water birds from the banks of a large lake when I saw a mute swan bathing, a behavior which most birds do as part of the plumage maintenance. For this particular swan, the ritual consisted basically of three distinct activities which it repeated continuously for approximately fifteen minutes.

First it began with a rolling motion, tumbling over and over in the water several times. It then attempted to lift its body out of the water with outstretched wings. Just at the point when I thought the swan would break free of the water, it plunged back into the lake totally submerging its body. Having completed the sequence, the swan began to roll once again.

In my painting, I wanted to recreate the energy and drama of the swan's movement - suspended at that instant, when the height of its upward momentum is counterbalanced by the weight of the water trapped in its feathers. By keeping the background simple, and by using the spraying water, I have tried to form an interesting design, which I hope will help the viewer to focus on the power and graceful strength of the moment.

- John Seerey-Lester