Whitneybird

Here's what happened one radiant Saturday morning:

I was heading out on my ritual walk through Prospect Park when I spotted a dirty cardboard box on the corner.  Compelled to investigate randomly placed boxes in case they contain animals that need help, I peered into it. Inside the box was a dead rooster, carelessly wrapped in a bloody grocery bag and dumped behind a street lamp—most certainly an animal sacrifice or the loser in a local cockfight. The discovery was heartbreaking. I hope my tribute on the lamppost honored his stolen majesty and pride. That was one incident that inspired me to continue learning, educating and advocating for the dignity and respect all living beings deserve.

What Drives My Work

Initially, I just wanted to express my respect for nature. Now my growing interest in environmental issues and involvement in wildlife care is altering the way I think about my work. I try to establish links between urban decay, “progress” and anthropogenic influence on the environment. For me, anchoring delicate glass to various forms of urban deterioration is a manifestation of the tenuous state of relations between humans and the natural world. 

My hope is through my small acts of creativity and other avenues, I can in some way ameliorate our behavior and bring trust and responsibility back into our spiritual connection with our home. 

Street Art

I am drawn to fragile, resilient creatures. With birds, butterflies and other creatures, which are sometimes a city dweller’s only connection to nature, I aim to bring awareness of how humans and the built environment interact with other living things. Ideally when placing my street art, I look for color, texture, decay or various artists' work that I find visually compelling. I prefer making small pieces because they encourage more intimate observation, which is what I wish more people would do in life.  When we look closely at something, we exercise our sense of wonder and gain understanding. When we understand, we become more compassionate. 

Collage and Mixed Media

Working with glass can feel limiting sometimes. For me, it’s a challenging medium to convey ideas. It's unlike painting, which conforms to your skill level in every color under the sun. I choose to work with glass and mosaics because I admire their visual and tactile qualities. I love choosing objects and exploring how they fit together. It’s fun to watch a dialogue develop between light, texture and shape, sometimes creating a mysterious relationship between the pieces and the spaces between them.  A hand-made and imperfect aesthetic appeals to me more than machine-like precision. Many times glass has its own idea of what shape it should take, and I listen.

Exhibitions and Commissions 

Thank you for your interest. Please feel free to inquire about potential exhibitions or commissions.

10% of all sales will benefit one of the following organizations:

Wild Bird Fund (NYC)
Farm Sanctuary
charity: water
Humane Society of the United States
Environmental Defense Fund
Sierra Club