Great Blue Heron in Marsh
Original painting on paper or cardstock, possibly a high-quality art print • Barb Mullene (as signed in the lower right corner)
Style & Movement
Contemporary Wildlife Art / Regional Realism
Medium & Technique
Acrylic or gouache on paper; features flat color application with some textural dry-brushing on the reeds and heron's plumage.
Creation Period
Late 20th Century to early 21st Century (c. 1990-2010)
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 11 x 14 inches; Portrait format
Subject Description
A Great Blue Heron standing in shallow water among cattails and marsh reeds. The composition is a vertical profile of the bird, utilizing a warm, muted palette for the background suggestively representing dawn or dusk.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good to Very Good; appears to be stored in a protective plastic sleeve which has preserved the surface from dust and moisture.
Estimated Market Value
$50 - $150 USD
Auction Estimate
$30 - $80 USD
Provenance History
Likely acquired directly from the artist or a local craft/art fair; typical of regional decorative wildlife art.
Art Historical Significance
Representational of the late 20th-century American interest in decorative wildlife and wetland conservation imagery; functions primarily as an decorative rather than academic piece.
Notable Features
Distinctive cursive signature 'Barb Mullene' in the lower right; stylized treatment of the cattails using dark vertical strokes.
Condition Issues
Minor curling of the paper substrate at the edges; slight wrinkling of the protective plastic may have caused minor surface pressure marks.
Conservation Recommendations
Should be removed from the non-archival plastic sleeve and mounted using acid-free materials behind UV-protective glass to prevent fading.