three painted turtles, three temperatures rising
Acrylic on masonite, 22 x 14 inches (2008)

It is not uncommon when paddling along a quiet bay in the mid-day to see one or more turtles sunning on a log or rock. I have always presumed that "sunning" means to raise their reptilian cold-bloodedness to a reptillain functional blood temperature.

When you get too close to them, they slip away into the depths, often without noise and nary a ripple. For those of us who have tried to gently catch these fine creatures to show appreciative children in the boat, it can be embarassing . . . and potentially disasterous if you are in a canoe!

Turtles have been part of the biodome for many millions of years, and in basically the same kind of portable home. Scientists have postulated that the current versions mushing through water and damp forests are only following the habits of their forebearers. They have adapted to breathing in the air or in the water, and barely breathing at all when semi-frozen in their winter hideaway in a frozen lake bottom.

Please do not reproduce the images in this display.
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