new BIRD HEAVEN

Bird Heaven

I just re-read my Elizabeth McGrath book called 'Everything That Creeps'. I LOVE her work. It takes shadowboxes and art to a macabre level that I'd love to see in my own work. (The fact that she did a community service stint in a morgue is evident in her approach.) Anyway, after re-reading her book, I knew that I had to attack 'Bird Heaven' from my own viewpoint. Elizabeth's work is consistently about what she wants to say, and she never tones it down because she thinks she might offend someone.

I completed 'Bird Heaven' in August of this year (2007), but as soon as I was done, I wasn't happy with it. It was on display at the local cafe for two months. But a week ago, after re-reading 'Everything that Creeps', I drove over to the cafe, took 'Bird Heaven' off the wall, took it home, took it apart, added some more details, took out the word stand ('oh Death, where is thy sting?') and stuffed the box with more birds.

'Bird Heaven' was originally a commission for an undertaker. When I worked on it, I tried to think about what the undertaker might want. As a result, I wasn't happy with it. And guess what? The person who commissioned it liked 'Good and Evil' much better and bought that instead. So I learned my lesson. I should always make the shadowboxes the way I want. They tell a better story when I go with my gut.

I should have that tattooed on my forehead- GO WITH YOUR GUT, in some gangsta script.

So here it is- the new and improved 'Bird Heaven'.

'Bird Heaven' was inspired by a bird that my cat brought to the back door. My cat, Angus, had had his fun torturing the poor bird and left him dying. I can't hate him- he's just being a cat. Angus brings me lots of birds and mice but they're usually dead. I bury them in the garden and then later use the skulls in my shadowboxes. But this bird was different. I was gardening that day, and every time I walked near the back door where the bird was dying, the bird would cry out. He was really mangled and I knew he only had a few hours to live. It was very disturbing. I felt so helpless and all I could think was, "You'll feel better soon, little bird. You'll be in Bird Heaven and there won't be any cats."

'Bird Heaven' has lots of bird skulls on the left and right side of the box. In the centre is a garden with a big tree, lots of flowers, and a two nice bird baths. The scroll above the tree says 'Honor Roll'. There's a little girl with bird wings who is talking to the bird in the birdbath.

That's me. The man, also with wings, is the undertaker who is guiding the dead birds toward the garden.

Thank you Elizabeth McGrath for reminding me to Go with Your Gut.

So now I think I'll try a shadowbox on a completely different subject- women of the Wild West. Annie Oakley, Belle Starr......... hmmmm. Women and guns and horses. I'll let that idea percolate for awhile.