Prompt = Birds
The Great Backyard Bird Count
Welcome to this week’s collage prompt!
Birds
You might think today is all about Valentine’s. Yet - Today also marks the start of a four-day citizen science event called The Great Backyard Bird Count.
As I share in this 2023 "Artist Note," I started participating in this event in 2020 and have since counted (and painted) many birds in celebration.
This year, though, I’m celebrating with a fun little peacock-inspired bird collage on my studio table this morning (as well as by going outside and counting the birds, of course!)
This piece is made from a packet of postcards I bought as a part of a Vintage Postcard Collage Kit by Kelly Lynch (Barnes & Noble link). While I’m not sure it’s totally successful (to me, it feels a little clunky, yet sweet), it was a fun way to spend my morning before I look for the more native bird species out and about in my neighborhood.
Mostly, though, I wanted to try out the sewing machine I just received back from the shop. (Shout out to the excellent care and expertise provided by Whitlocks in Salem, Oregon.)
I recently adopted my mother’s 1960s Viking Husqvarna - a sturdy workhorse with all kinds of stitch pattern features (like the stitch pattern around the top edges of my peacock collage).
I need to do a little more familiarizing with the manual, stitches, and pedal speed, but I had fun seeing if I could stitch the “feathered” pieces of paper onto my collage. I definitely stitched some pieces better than others!
Prompt #6
Prompt = Birds
Incorporate your favorite bird species or bird features (such as feathers) into your collage. Consider the symbolism of your choices.
Symbolism: an art movement
“The Symbolists sought escape from reality, expressing their personal dreams and visions through color, form, and composition.”
~ metmuseum.org/essays/symbolism
Birds as a subject matter often lend themselves well to symbolic expression due to the varied cultural histories that may be associated with them.
[In Chinese culture], the peacock’s colorful appearance is often linked to the arrival of spring and the renewal of life. It is a symbol of the changing seasons and the beauty of nature.
I love using peacock imagery in my work due to its life-affirming symbolic qualities. It seems like an easy choice for the joy I feel before heading out to count all the sweet little backyard birds.
Happy collaging (and birding) - and Valentine's Day!
Jennifer
Bonus Valentine and bird-themed
