I love when something unexpectedly comes together. I began working on this piece years ago, with an initial drawing of the central  bird-like form, but I never liked it. The burnt sienna colored design seemed forced and just kind of odd. The original bird reminded me more of a dead chicken hanging from those store windows in China Town than it did an elegant, energy filled bird. Unhappy with the piece, I stashed it away hoping that maybe someday I would come up with a brilliant idea as to how to salvage the darned thing.

A few months ago I pulled out the piece again, determined it could be saved. I worked on it a bit, but no epiphanies were made, so the drawing got sent to the corner.

Two days ago, as I desperately searched for an idea that would motivate me to create something I loved, I once again pulled out the bird. I’m not real certain why I thought it would be the piece that would fulfill me. Up until this point the drawing had been utterly unwilling to work with me in being something amazing. It was boring and disjointed and I saw little hope for its  survival. Yet, here I was pulling it out again.

I am so thrilled I did because I think this piece turned out awesome (totally tooting my own horn here, I realize). Its got movement and texture and energy. Heck, I even like that I stuck with a monochromatic palette of browns -which is shocking to me. I really couldn’t be more pleased.