Red-Winged Blackbird (Corn-Thief, Agelaius Phoeniceus), 2012
Paper, acrylic
paint, armature
2
x 2 x 7 in.“The Red-winged(sic) Blackbird is so
well known as being a bird of the most nefarious propensities, that
in the United States one can hardly mention its name, without hearing
such an account of its pilferings as might induce the young student
of nature to conceive that it had been created for the purpose of
annoying the farmer.”
-John James Audubon, Birds of America,
First Octavo Edition, 1840
Black Capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), 2012
Recycled paper, acrylic paint,
armature, glass eyes
4 x 2 x 7 in
“That whimsical fellow called
Evolution, having enlarged the dinosaur until he tripped over his own
toes, tried shrinking the chickadee until he was just too big to be
snapped up by flycatchers as an insect, and just too little to be
pursued by hawks and owls as meat. Then he regarded his handiwork and
laughed. Everyone laughs at so small a bundle of large enthusiasms.”
-Aldo Leopold, Sand County Almanac, 1949
-Aldo Leopold, Sand County Almanac, 1949
( TOP LEFT)
Ivory-Billed Woodpecker (The Lord God Bird, Campephilus Principalis), 2012
Ivory-Billed Woodpecker (The Lord God Bird, Campephilus Principalis), 2012
Recycled paper,
acrylic paint, armature
9 x 11 in.
“Travelers of all nations are also fond of possessing the upper part of the head and the bill of the male, and I have frequently remarked, that on a steamboat's reaching what we call a wooding-place, the strangers were very apt to pay a quarter of a dollar for two or three heads of this Woodpecker. I have seen entire belts of Indian chiefs closely ornamented with the tufts and bills of this species, and have observed that a great value is frequently put upon them.”
-John James Audubon, Birds of
America, First Octavo Edition, 1840
(BOTTOM RIGHT)
American Crow (Corvus Brachyrhynchos), 2011
American Crow (Corvus Brachyrhynchos), 2011
Recycled paper, acrylic paint, armature
7 x 9 in
“It would be needless (observes my
ingenious friend in the conclusion of the entertaining account of the
crow) to recount instances of this bird's understanding, cunning, and
operations, which certainly exhibit incontestable demonstrations of a
regular combination of idea, premeditation, reflection, and
contrivance, which influenced his operations.”
American Robin (Turdus migratorius),
2012
Recycled paper, acrylic paint,
armature, glass eyes
4 x 2 x 9 in
“Several persons may at this season
stand round the foot of a tree loaded with berries, and shoot the
greater part of the day, so fast do the flocks of Robins succeed each
other. They are then fat and juicy, and afford excellent eating.”
-John James Audubon, Birds of
America, First Octavo Edition, 1840
