Blue Feathers Series

Blue Feather

As some of you know already, I recently completed a small series of work with a bird/winged narrative running throughout, exploring parallels of nurture, growth and development between ourselves and the natural world. A certain surreal parody runs along these works also. 

This series is called Blue Feathers. A story that starts with a single blue feather. These tea pieces are larger in scale than my previous tea pieces; 76cm x 56cm on 535gm watercolour paper.

The Becoming - Our journey begins with the initial formative stages of a life, its potential seen by the growths on its back as to what it is to be or could become. It takes shape within an oval encasing, referencing a womb or maybe even an egg. A blue feather gives us a clue and takes our story forward...

The Becoming

The Two Surrogates - Here I make reference to the nurture a life needs to grow and develop, in this case two blue feathered birds (blue tits) are taking care of this child as their own. Attentive and Caring for it by nourishing it with allsorts. Feeding it with worms (protein), sweets (sugar), a pill (medication) and even iron (vitamins/minerals) in the shape of a paperclip.

The Two Surrogates

Fallen Fledgeling - As this creature grows and develops in the proverbial nest, it still must learn to fly. Here we see inexperience, attempts at making decisions and taking that jump to leave. But not all her siblings as well as herself are ready, and some don't make it. We see her wings have not fully formed yet.

Fallen Fledgeling

Wings of Promise - Our protagonist has now fully matured and has her wings fully prepped and ready to make it on her own. Her wings now represent all the possibilities and potential that she may reach. Taking her cue from another bird that has spread its wings and has now taken flight, it is now her turn...

Wings of Promise

The blue feathers are the key to this series, the only spot of additional colour to these tea pieces. Linking each piece to each other.