Little birds, big meaning
Little birds have been appearing in my artwork for quite some time now. It all started during a difficult season when I felt lost and forgotten. One day, as I sat in my car in a parking lot, gathering the motivation to head into a store, I noticed several small birds flitting around a tiny tree in front of me.
Jubilance, 6×6”
Immediately, I was reminded of two passages from Matthew where Jesus speaks about birds. In one, He notes how they do not plant or store food, yet they are always fed. In the other, He speaks of how God knows when even a single bird falls to the ground—and if He cares so much for them, how much more must He care for each of us?
That moment stuck with me, and soon I began sketching little birds and weaving them into my artwork. For years, I did this almost religiously. At first, I didn’t explain why, but people began to notice, and when they asked, I shared the story.
A couple of years later, I encountered my first dead bird while walking my dogs. I nearly stepped on it—a small, delicate form lying on the sidewalk. Its stillness struck me. There was something melancholic yet beautiful about it. I took a photo, imagining how it would look against a stark white background. At first, I walked away, but then I remembered—I had plastic bags with me. So, I turned back and gently picked it up.
That was the first of many found birds I would photograph. For a long time, I wasn’t sure what I would do with the images. Eventually, I found the courage to incorporate them into my artwork, and to my surprise, those pieces resonated more deeply with people than I ever expected.
Fallen, 20×20”
Over the years, little birds have continued to find me during difficult times. Friends have even brought them to me, knowing their significance. It always moves me, reminding me of memento mori—a Latin phrase meaning “remember death.” This concept has long served as a reminder to cherish the time we have, as life passes all too quickly.
Lately, I’ve been grappling with how to respond in my work to the increasing injustice and hostility toward democracy in our country. The idea of returning to my dead bird series surfaced. These images remind me that, even when things seem bleak, God is still in control, weaving everything together for good. That thought gives me hope, though I know many may not feel the same.
I wasn’t sure whether creating this series in response was the right choice—until I found a little dead goldfinch on a walk the other day.
And then, it became perfectly clear.
Once I finish my current projects, I will return my focus to little birds. One of my ongoing pieces already contains a dead bird, and as I create new ones, many will likely capture the melancholic beauty of death. Others will depict birds perched in the stark branches of bare trees, a different kind of quiet reflection.
I don’t know how long I will stay in this season, but I am praying that things do not become as dire as I fear.
