BFA Sketchbook

A Path Lined with Feathers

The other idea I had was also born from my personal beliefs and symbolism that I have developed. Since 2012, like so many, I have had issues with depression. For a painting project I painted two turkey vultures and throughout that project I fell in love with these birds. I began reading about vultures and their role in the environment, and how they take care of the dead so other animals won't get sick eating the carrion. Paired with my depression and noticing these birds wherever I went, I had the idea that, turkey vultures could cleanse me of my negative and depressive thoughts.
Shortly after I developed this belief I began therapy. I then started seeing the northern flicker everywhere, which signaled to me that I was on the right path, and I was where I was supposed to be. So this series would be a narrative of this kind of journey with the symbolism of the turkey vulture and the northern flicker.

The narrative would start with a portrait (that would be a similar composition to a self-portrait I painted of my depression, this has the most possibility of being cliche.) The portrait would begin a transition from 2d to 3d as dark thoughts (in forms echoing brain cells) leak from the forehead of the portrait. These brain cell forms would be scattered on the floor for a turkey vulture to sort through. The turkey vulture sculpture, wings spread, would have a bright thought of a gem, holding it triumphantly in its mouth. In the narrative the vulture would then pass this gem to the norther flicker, the flicker would then be seen placing this thought in the forehead of the second portrait.  
   

The works I would create:
Two paintings (starting portrait (bottom), ending portrait (top))
at least one full bodied turkey vulture (hollow form, paper cast feathers?, sculpted head, and feet)
at least one full bodied flicker (paper sculpture)
brain cells (marbles covered in tulle worked into the form of brain cell)
*the transitional vulture/ flicker piece could be fragmented sculpture or another painting/ illustration (in the interest of time)


I have looked at several 3d artists who focus on animal subjects.

Of course Ellen Jewett is an inspiration I was looking at how she handles feathers in her sculptures.

 

Nichola Theakston has beautiful sculptures that don't always feature the entire animal. I've been looking at how she fragments her sculptures so that I can see an example of a finished piece that does not have a complete animal figure.

 The day after I sketched my concept with the turkey sorting through the brain cells, I remembered seeing a similar work of art. Javier Perez's piece Carroña, depicts stuffed crows with a shattered glass chandelier. Whether I realized it at the time or not this was definitely an influence and I will continue to look at this piece for inspiration.