Birds Eye View
Birds Eye View (oil on birch)
INSIGHT: Annual Student Juried Exhibition, Visual Arts Center, Boise State University, Boise, ID, 2016 (Juror: Jason Manley, visual artist [sculpture and public art] and Assistant Professor of Art, Weber State University, Ogden, UT)
Unclassified: MFA Spring Exhibition, Fine Art Building Gallery, Boise State University, Boise, ID, 2016
Birds Eye View is a short meditative art film featuring twenty small oil paintings on cut tree branches, with bird songs and the sky as a backdrop. Created after a summer of birding, I painted the eyes of some of the more memorable birds I encountered. As I studied them through the circle-eyes of my binoculars - the birds looked back and examined me. In Birds Eye View, we are both the watcher and the watched - yet with mutual interest and curiosity, we share a connection. Birds in order of appearance: Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Steller's Jay, Western Scrub-Jay, Western Screech Owl, Black-necked Stilt, Osprey, Red Crossbill, Western Tanager, Canvasback, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Double-crested Cormorant, Brewer's Blackbird, Cedar Waxwing, Brown Pelican, Barn Swallow, Surf Scoter, Turkey Vulture, Rosy Finch, Bendire's Thrasher, and Least Sandpiper.
Birds Eye View -Alternative Gallery Installation
In this alternative installation of Birds Eye View, the paintings are arranged vertically on a high wall, reflecting the approximate location where each bird was first sighted in its natural habitat. The lower birds were spotted near bodies of water, such as oceans, rivers, lakes, and waterfalls. The middle birds were found in shrubs, brush, and sturdy tree branches, while the highest birds were soaring above or perched at the top of trees.
The purpose of arranging the paintings in this format was to create a challenging viewing experience for gallery visitors. By making it difficult for the viewer to see all of the paintings, I aimed to replicate the feeling of searching for birds in the wild. When observing birds in nature, they are rarely in plain sight, and it takes patience, perseverance, and a steady hand to identify them, even with the aid of binoculars.
To enhance the viewing experience, binoculars have been placed by the paintings, allowing gallery visitors to see the individual bird paintings, particularly those hanging higher up on the wall. By inviting viewers to interact with the binoculars, I wanted to provide an opportunity for them to mimic the same stance and behavior as birders looking for birds in the field.
Unclassified: MFA Spring Exhibition, Fine Art Building Gallery, Boise State University, Boise, ID, 2016