Giclée print on textured watercolor paper.

PLEASE NOTE: 16x20 prints are often made to order and may take up to three weeks to ship.

My favorite memory of the great blue herons is watching them flying overhead at dusk, traveling between their hunting grounds at the L.A. River and their nesting grounds in a eucalyptus stand by the Silver Lake Reservoir in the springtime. They are a striking bird - graceful and awkward by turns, long-legged, and one of the largest birds many people will ever see. It is easy to understand why they have become a symbol of the Los Angeles river to many people. One is almost guaranteed to see one on any visit to the Glendale Narrows, the forested part of the river near Griffith Park. The image of the heron graces the wrought-iron gates to the river entrance on Fletcher Drive.

The Los Angeles River has had a fraught history in recent years. Originally a wide, seasonal, alluvial river, it has now become a narrow, concrete-lined flood-control channel for much of its length. It is regarded by many as nothing more than a stream of liquid trash, and visitors to LA often laugh at the idea of calling what they see of it a “river.” While it is true that much of the running water of the river comes from treated wastewater, it is still a thriving haven of biodiversity and an essential resource for wildlife.

Due to increased advocacy for the river in recent years, concrete has been ripped out and some sections have been restored to a more natural state, with an earthen riverbed. Development is planning along the entire course of the river to create a more inviting habitat for wildlife and for human recreational use. The great blue herons need the water and fish found in the river in a way that humans don’t anymore - like the Tongva people that used to rely on the river for food and water. However, modern urban residents are beginning to recognize the modest waterway as an important resource, and a treasure to be preserved.