PORTFOLIO: FLOATING WORLD - DRAWINGS & PAINTINGS
I have long cultivated an affinity for things with wings. "Floating World" is a concentration on a fascination of feathers and their intrinsic mystery. My inquiries have helped me decode and interpret the grammar of Anamacy, via the curiosity and attention I devote to the making of these images. Holding or waving a single feather, I can feel not only its power, but its ethereal delicacy and intelligence. I am awestruck by the beauty of this engine of biodiversity. Metaphorically, feathers signify freedom and are aligned to swift and potent healing; transformation. Thus, they are still used in indigenous cultures as a means of connecting with the spirits.
The California Cóndor is the largest bird in North America, with the wing span of a minivan. Cóndors date back to the Pleistocene era, but currently live with the real and constant threat of extinction. They are under protection and "Pleistocene Rewilding" in Big Sur, thanks to the amazing efforts of the Ventana Wildlife Society. Given their recent plight resulting from the destructive force of wildfires, I felt a keen sense of purpose while making the drawing, California Cóndor (‘Finger’) Feather.
California Condor (‘Finger’) Feather, 2020
Conté Crayon on Paper, 61 x 44 in, 155 x 112 cm
