Avian Architecture
The nest series was inspired by watching a robin build her nest one spring in the witch hazel tree in my garden just outside the window of my studio in Onancock, Virginia. That voyeurism led to the creation of 12 paintings exhibited in a solo show at the Anthony Brunelli Gallery in Binghamton, New York. As is my preference, I worked from actual nests gathered from my local surroundings and often supplied by friends eager to contribute to my knowledge. Along the way I learned the different nesting materials favored by different species, the preferred placement (trees, bushes, high, low) and what species were the best builders.
“Many bird species are highly social. They breed in colonies, bathe in groups, roost in congregations, forage in flocks. They eavesdrop. They argue. They cheat. They deceive and manipulate. They kidnap, They divorce, They display a strong sense of fairness. They give gifts. They play keep-away and tug-of-war with twigs, strands of Spanish moss, bits of gauze. They summon witnesses to the death of a peer. They may even grieve.”
Jennifer Ackerman, The Genius of Birds
