about the birds The bird paintings are more like assemblages: hand-cut birds and striped ovals of paper lie between layers of a beeswax and resin mixture (encaustic method). I then sometimes draw back into the topmost layer of clear beeswax with a sharp tool, filling the lines with oil paints and oil pastels. A propane torch is used to fuse it all together, and make the surface smooth. The striped ovals are derived from my photographs: the images are manipulated in Photoshop into colorful fields of stripes (my secret!), then inkjet printed onto acid-free paper. The birds are drawn in Illustrator, printed and cut in the same manner. I watch a lot of Science Channel and Fine Living Network programming while cutting out the birds! why birds? Birds are constantly in motion - just adding their easily recognizable silhouettes to a composition gives the piece instant movement. And, they're just sweet! Their expressions change with a simple a tilt of the head. And they're everywhere, outnumbering humans by the thousands. They're a little bundle of wonder to me, so I like to place them in curious situations and enviroments, and have fun with color and flora at the same time. They bring a splash of joy to a room - it's just my way of adding a little happiness to everyday life. Note: I add a new bird to almost every online sale!