The Bird Nest Series (2000-2010)

From 2000 to 2010, we owned a small house in South Bristol, Maine, a little lobster town which in the winter has 600 residents. The prior owners left a beautiful Robin’s nest on the front porch for us. So perfectly made – grasses and straw on the outside with clay on the inside. A few years after we moved in, as I was working on bird paintings, I thought it would be fun to paint some nests. But where to find them?

Eventually I spoke to our wonderful landscaper, Steve, about keeping his eyes open for any nests he might see, where we lived in Black Rock, Connecticut, and the nests started arriving! I would find them at my doorstep from Steve and soon, friends would bring them to me. I must have 40 or more nests by now.

The hardest one to paint has been the dove’s nest. It’s so flat but made of layers of twigs. It’s hard to give it depth. The most fascinating nest so far has been the orioles. Such a sculpture – it’s a weaving in itself. Each type of bird builds its own unique type of nest. Really Amazing. So, as I work, I am very aware that I’m painting sculptures! I like that idea!