Crow: Mirror Muse and Sentinel
For the past decade I have been engrossed with bird studies of all sorts. I have examined behavior, song and ecology; worked with ornithologists, taxidermists and skydivers; endeavored to identify and identify with every bird species that crosses my path. This project grew out of my experience with The Crow.
The Crow
Humans have always mused over crows, they are in fact one of the most distinct and complex of birds. Crows are often ridiculed for their brash, vulgar barking calls and lack of color, but these birds have been
capturing our attention for centuries. Folktales and ancient belief systems call for the examination of crow calls in divining future events, hunting prospects, predicting the weather and even to foretell the birth of a child.
Today we have a new opportunity to learn about ourselves and them, by taking note of their evolution, adaptation, response and behaviors in relation to our human made environments.
The Work
Crow: Mirror, Muse and Sentinel is an ongoing series of research and investigations that re-imagine the tradition of observing and counting crows. This series includes painted images have been installed as large-scale murals, illuminated panels and projections, as well as a multi-media exhibition including photo, video and performance based work. I also printed a limited edition book based on the series along with a smartphone application that fellow crow enthusiasts can use to access and add to the current conversation about crow ecology.
Just click on an image below to learn more about each piece.
One is for Sorrow
Two is for mirth
Three is for Marriage
Four is for Birth
Five is for Laughter (performance prop)
The Crow:
Mirror Muse and Sentinel, is a personal reflection on Corvid Mythology and Ecology.
Mythical history is full of explanations for the crow’s seeming invisibility. As noteworthy as these birds are they are just as easily ignored and dismissed. Every continent has its crow; the most recognized yet rarely considered black bird punctuating the landscape. Still, their abundance and our proximity, have granted us unique insights about and influences on crow culture; and they in turn provoke, challenge and inspire us. By examining ancient descriptions of crow attributes and behavior alongside current ornithological research and corvid ecology, I attempt to locate the defining factors that imbed our dynamic interrelationship with these birds as well as my own particular fascination with them as an artist.
Counting Crows: Community Project
I have created a series of interdisciplinary workshops that ask participants to examine the awareness and insights that marks our human experience with crows while deliberately creating their own auguric (fortune-telling) methodology based on their future desires.
Together we will conduct a crow watch at a local site, and create field guides on local crow behavior and sightings. Then we will explore the mythical history of crow culture and create paintings based on sacred geometry and visualization. Finally, we will enjoy a creative writing session to investigate the history and meaning of traditional Counting Crow rhymes, and create our own.
A curated selection of participant’s work and writing will be printed as a book, and installed at a chosen site within each community.