birds in flight, rice paper and candy wrapper foil

A riot of colour

Noon sun – birds meet their shadows

a few of my favourites

late afternoon sun shadows

A simple mobile. I like watching the birds move.

birds in blue bowl in snow

I wanted to try the birds outside, but it was pretty windy, so tried this sheltered tree

“Are they really larks, mum?” asked one of my daughters. “No, they are just birds, but I love the phrase “exultation of larks”!  (I also like “a labour of moles” and “a parliament of owls”.)

Apparently, some people think the correct phrase is a “exaltation of larks”.

Although both words mean extreme joy or happiness, exAltation also means to raise up, lift or promote to a higher place or position. ORIGIN late 16th cent.: from Latin exsultare, frequentative of exsilire ‘leap up,’ from ex- ‘out, upward’ + salire ‘to leap.’

I enjoy creating these birds. I am also having great fun playing with them – how can I arrange them to give them that sense of flight, of leaping into the air, of exultation?  I have posted some more photos  of these little birds in the Gallery entitled “Recent Work.”