"Swallow Clementines"

For well over a decade, birds have fluttered into my art. It started as a way to cope with the loss of my mother and to keep her memory alive. Now it provides an opportunity to connect with others who have experienced the difficulties that come with losing a loved one.

I had several goals for this specific painting, one of which was to showcase the gorgeous iridescent blue colors of the tree swallow. When light touches this bird’s feathers it gets reflected by its microstructure, like so many tiny mirrors, making the swallow’s plumage look extra bright and beautiful. Similarly, when light hits the painting, it appears to glow.