Aviary features a series of large-scale drawings of birds on a variety of surfaces. Acting as surrogates for complex emotions, these avian figures are presented as either life-size or larger than life. A quote from the writer Jones serves as inspiration for these works: “Trauma has no language of its own; it must recruit metaphors” (https://saltyworld.net/dirt-under-my-nails/).
This is what these birds function as– conscripted visual metaphors to express emotions that are difficult to put into words.
When starting these pieces, a sense of divine providence guides the choice of bird. Harking back to the Greek myths that were ever-present stories in my childhood, I reference ornithomancy, the telling of the future through the interpretation of birds. It is as though the bird has chosen me, and each one has a special power that allows me to connect with that emotion. These avian emissaries serve as stand-ins for hurt, passion, fury, shame, pride, jealousy, and even love.
