I started drawing birds because they came to me. Over a short time period, there were several that flew into my glass studio door and died. They were so beautiful that I couldn't simply throw them away, so I photographed them as they landed on the patio tile and then brought them in and drew them.
Birds are compelling subject matter in several other ways: they fly, which we can only dream of doing, and they walk on two legs, making them easy to anthropomorphize.
There's something peaceful about these birds in such a state of repose. I've started exploring the idea of birds that cannot do what birds do best, which is to fly. Bound birds, dead birds, confined birds, all of which are in some way held back from that most basic of bird activities.
