Pileated Woodpecker—The Limited Edition

By Cindy L. Beyer, Cindy L. Beyer Design

Did you know that Reston has an official bird? It is the Pileated Woodpecker, the largest woodpecker in North America. It is one of the biggest and most striking birds on the continent. At 15 inches, the size of a crow, its colors are black with bold white stripes down its neck and a flaming red crest. It can be found nesting in the dead trees around Reston. As it searches for carpenter ants and other small insects, this woodpecker leaves a recognizable rectangular hole in the tree. They raise their young in a nest within the hole. When the babies are grown, the woodpeckers abandon the hole for the next happy homeowners.

This summer, Friends of Reston commissioned our very own Reston artist, Dana Ann Scheurer to paint this magnificent bird. Dana’s striking image of the bird is now available as a limited edition iris giclee print, and the original is on display as part of the permanent collection at the Walker Nature Center. Dana’s unique style of whimsical, bold layering is evident in this beautiful limited edition print. Dana likes to hide images within her art which brings the viewer back again and again, hoping to find a new surprise every time they look. Upon inspection you can see little ants tucked into the rectangular holes, a snail peeking around the side and to create movement, she has painted a little woodpecker in flight.

Dana has created many fine pieces of art for Reston. Her works include: a big mural on New Dominion Parkway, 2015 GRACE Race T-shirt, Reston Home Tour Logo, Reston Triathlon Poster, Walker Nature Center 5K logo, Reston Kids Triathlon logo, Reston Association parks signs, Cornerstones 30th Anniversary painting, and various other pieces collected by Restonians afar. She is one of the longest attending artists in the Northern Virginia Fine Arts festival held in May. Visit Dana at www.danascheurer.com to view her many pieces.

If you would like to be an owner of one of the 125 fantastic limited edition prints, contact Katie Shaw at kshaw@reston.org to arrange for a pick up at the Walker Nature Center’s Nature House. The price for a 16”X20” print is $125. You can also purchase a 4" x 5" framed print for $25.

So next time you hear a loud “crying laugh” in Reston’s woods, remember it is the Pileated Woodpecker letting you know that it is proud to be the Official Bird of Reston.