For the birds
I believe in creating or collecting your own source material whenever possible. Sure it’s probably faster to grab other people’s work off the Internet, but is it right? Taking the time to work in the presence of whatever object or subject you might need makes for a better study.
Birds are frequently featured in my work. I have lived with birds, which have given me good images and inspiration. But I have also picked up dead ones found on the road. I might be the only woman happy to get a standalone freezer for her birthday because my man didn’t want the road kill birds next to the grocery store birds in the kitchen freezer anymore. But you don’t have to live with live birds or pull over the car for that road kill. Just head on over to the beach or the zoo for your bird and animal imagery.
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Here is a narrative piece I did for my Innocence Project in 2008 and also another one from my Broken Bird series in 2004. I always preferred working in a large scale so every detail is meticulously executed to perfection before I go through the next phase of my work. It is this attention to the particulars that allows me to work at this scale.
This piece contains a newly deceased mourning dove I found on my morning walk. If it weren’t in my gloved hands, I would not have discovered the heart shaped pose. This makes for a unique composition and adds to the symbolism of the painting.
