Habitat Collection

The Habitat Collection is a series of intricate bird's nest paintings and illustrations.

The work reflects my care for all living things, and represents a marker of hope for the survival of delicate ecosystems.

The nests are created in my signature 'stylism' - with a degree of realism and exaggerated simplicity.

Combining acrylic paint, ink, pumice gel and textured mediums, with brushstrokes, palette knife, pen and sea sponge.

The use of these mediums adds a twiggy texture and provides each original artwork with depth of field.

I try to capture the energy of the elements and environment surrounding each nest - a wind whipped coastal nest,

another constructed with thorny twigs, indicating that the world into which chicks emerge is both cruel and beautiful.

Birds represent freedom, spirit and peace.

Their nests are symbolic of resilience, hope and renewal. Birds build nests for their young with enormous effort, resourcefulness and ingenuity. Working together to forage for materials they elaborately weave twigs, mosses, leaves, grasses, animal fur, wool, and mud into an insulated cocoon.

It strikes me as poignant that these delicately woven cocoons face extreme adversity, determined predators,

and harsh conditions to remain safe, intact, and to protect the young.

The delicate eggs and naive young chicks within them have no concept of the fragility of their situation.

The same might be said for humanity ...