Our connection to nature and how we communicate with nature has been a long running theme in my practice. This time I chose the black ravens and crows. I could not help noticing how they are everywhere apparent in and around London. Assuming that our connection to birds were a lot closer in the past when the weather report came with the birds I also found out how throughout history and with the application of augury our destinies great and small were changed depending on the interpretations given to behaviour of the birds.
The old collective noun for a group of ravens in England is an 'unkindness' or a 'conspiracy of ravens'.
The raven plays a significant role in many creation myths around the world and while each culture's stories of the raven are different they have a practical relationships in common. They are for example guides in hunting have a special relationship with wolves and with people. They will trick other animals for prey and are considered the most intelligent and largest of the songbirds able to mimic voices and copy words.
I have enjoyed working with the raven paintings and here a little glimpse of work in progress. They are on 40cm / diameter circular canvas board painted in acrylic. And some drawings in ink on paper.
