The Scavenging Six

The order has been a bit jumbled. Their names are: Zeus, Sebastian, Artemis, Clarence, Fred & Charlie.

I haven't updated this in a long time, and feel that it is about time I did!
Deadline ended officially 1 hour and 23 minutes ago!
My work has made me look like something of a crazy bird-lady. I wanted to create a little collection akin to something an eccentric pakrat might display in their home. The kind of person that collects miscellaneous objects all featuring specific animals- we all know someone like this!
I tend to think it is quite a tasteless, and pointless hobby, yet I have discovered a tendency to obsessively hoard and collect useless objects, in myself...this is quite worrying!
The inspiration for this came from a tutor, in what I'm certain was intended to be an insult, and thus it provoked me to carry on, against his advice- I am stubborn, not 'rebellious'. He likened my paintings to 'The Gothic versions of ducks flying over a mantel piece, ' and thus the concept was born.
I have tried to create a series of bird portraits, each with their own individual personality and 'mood'. Ideally I'd quite like them to appear in someone's house, perhaps even amongst portraits of humans!

My friend, Ashley Middleton, studies History of Art, and curated an exhibition as part of her final project. 'Sale of the Curios is a silent and affordable art sale at Liverpool John Moores Art & Design Academy', the proceeds of each winning bid was donated to the Marie Curie Hospice in Woolton. It was an amazing event to submit work (3 paintings) for and take part in. Fortunately mine got a couple of bids.

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Some other stuff I have done.
Juan Cruz called my work 'finicky' a while back and now I can see why!

Jacques

I have almost completed my painting, which was originally meant to feature a jackdaw sat atop a pile of jewels. I was going to collage coloured material onto the bottom of the painting and sew jewel shapes over it, however, having almost finished the bird, I feel that it may be too over the top, and may detract away from the bird.

Unfortunately I've taken the majority with my camera phone, since my digital camera is supremely out of focus without the flash! Bah!

This week I have been painting a jackdaw, I am contemplating painting a series of scavenger birds to represent my own interest in hoarding trinket-y objects with sentimental value, or just that I find aesthetically pleasing!

I have been meaning to do this for a while now, so here it goes!

Here is some of the work I have currently been faffing about with. I enjoy painting and sewing so most of my work incorporates this. I especially like to draw with stitch, however time consuming it may be!