pastel and charcoal on reddish-brown paper
30″ x 40.5″ x 0″
“Corvid Cacophony” depicts a group of California Scrub Jays “objecting to” the presence of a hapless juvenile crow, who has unwittingly entered the jays’ nesting territory. I find birds to be the most fascinating family of animals on the planet–they are the living members of the dinosaur family, and have adapted to every ecosystem there is–including Antartica. The Corvid family especially, includes some of the most demonstrably intelligent creatures on earth.
I have found that contemplating the beauty and relative quiet of the nearby woodlands of Los Angeles seems to empty the mind of the trivial, with the poetic taking its place. Being in the natural landscape as well as public gardens can inspire a state of creative reverie. These areas, managed or wild, are an invaluable asset to Angelenos. By treading quietly and with great care in such places, we may find a deeply affecting connection with the local flora and fauna, and moreover, our essential sense of self.
