artwork > drawing

Christina Pettersson's Grave
Christina Pettersson's Grave
graphite on paper
42" x 42"
2010

A tree as envisioned for my own cemetery. The three bird species are from Audubon's original "Birds of America" book which have gone extinct- the Passenger Pigeon, the Carolina Parakeet and the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker (until recently of course, since both the parakeet and the woodpecker have been rediscovered in the last year). Five birds altogether from his book have gone extinct, but the other two are ducks that weren't in Florida. The birds in my tree are directly taken from Audubon's original plates, in poses and even the number of each species he drew. I like the idea that the birds which James Audubon killed and stuffed in order to draw them as if alive I then take and return to the trees they were stolen from. And bring them back to life.

Quinn & Lady Smith Collection