For Ms. Rosa

When Becky from Tribeca Trunk told me Ms. Rosa's daughter bought her 9 Bird Eggs for her birthday, from the Light, As a Feather exhibit it made me very happy. Happy to know how joyfully it was received. Since you asked to know more about it, Ms. Rosa, I write a few thoughts about one of my favorite artworks.

©B.N. Ochenkoski, Ms. Rosa's gift of 9 Bird Eggs by Kathleen O'Brien

I usually begin art making without any preconceived ideas. This piece was different, I intended to create collages as a multiple about bird eggs. It required some research about birds habits. You can also see this as a magic square of 9.

©O'Brien, 9 Bird Eggs, multiple collage, 30 x 30" 

After painting the backgrounds abstractly with watercolor, I drew each egg with Prismacolor pencils. Each one in the collage is the exact size one would find in a nest. Each drawing was glued onto the painting.

©O'Brien, 9 Bird Eggs, detail of Mocking Bird Egg

Mica pieces that I formed to size represent the number of eggs one would generally find in that birds nest.

©O'Brien, 9 Bird Eggs, detail of  Meadowlark Egg, mica

For each bird I attempted to gather botanicals that each would use in their nesting materials. so in this example of the Song Sparrow - one of my favorite song birds - you see leaves and grass glued onto the painting.

©O'Brien, 9 Bird Eggs, detail of  botanicals, Song Sparrow Egg

In all my work I have scripts that are an invented language, a universal language that you may bring your own meaning to what you see. This is symbolic of the importance to everything in life, of communication. Notice how these strips of scripts are aligned in 3 rows, intended to feel connected. This symbolizes our connection to all life.

©O'Brien, 9 Bird Eggs, detail of  Bluebird Egg, script

May you enjoy this as much as I have cherished it, and belated Happy Birthday.