Colaptes auratus falls, flailing a fire-hued fan, so neatly collapsed moments ago.
Cyanocitta cristata stands still, fringed feathers trickling down tendrils of outstretched wings.
This is the moment where Red and Blue meet.
My project To Be The Bird consists of two costumes, made two years apart. First, the Red Northern Flicker awed me with its wings, calling me to mimic, starting this ongoing exploration of birds. Birds, who bathe in symbolism that stretches across our world’s cultures and beliefs. Birds, who live in realms we can only dream of. For me, these costumes are a way of escaping this human body I inhabit. I feed my imagination with the feeling of flight, allowing myself to embody an animal that reminds me that I, too, am a creature of this natural world. Fueled by intimate observations with these winged creatures, who continuously keep me company, I was, again, called to mimic. This time, I heard a scream and glimpsed a bold dash of blue. Curious, cunning, intuitive and arrogant, the Blue Jay with a trickster reputation, became my next muse.
I would like to welcome you to my fiber world and encourage you to touch and to feel.
