About the work

I have always loved watching nature, especially in the Spring. There are several tall oak trees in my backyard in North Carolina that make great homes for birds. One of my favorite things to do in Spring is watching the birds fly in and out of trees, delivering their findings to their nests. This act of bird watching inspired me to create this piece. I focused on the simple beauty of bird eggs in a nest, while also capturing the frenzied techniques of nest building. I love how the chaotic lines of the nest compare to the smooth, spherical lines of the bird eggs. I chose to use pen to outline the lines and emphasize the inherent difference between the nest and the eggs. I used a soft blue to paint the eggs. To me, this blue is calming, serene, and as beautiful as the process of eggs hatching in the Spring. I used brown tones to paint the nest to give the piece a natural quality. By using several different brown tones I was able to create definition in the nest and show the layers of materials the birds worked hard to gather. I painted the eggs in this nest to resemble blue Finch eggs. Along with Wrens and Robins, Finches are very common sightings in my backyard. I enjoy the color of Finch eggs and the darker blue specks that often pattern the eggshells. This simple pen and watercolor print features the promise of life found in nature and the excitement of eggs about to hatch in the Spring.