During 2012-2015 I found myself drawing phoenixes or birds & eggs with flames below them, and making them in various materials.
I even started writing a short story for children: about a land that suffered under a prolonged hot & dry summer, because the young Firebird in residence refused to go up in flames – not AGAIN! – and so the seasonal change into autumn could not occur.
This unique glass artwork was made by sandblasting one of these hand-drawn phoenixes on an egg-shaped disc in glass fusing, and joining the disc with a white crystal rock. It is one of a kind. I cut out the drawing from the foil by hand; a special kind of adhesive foil protects the glass that will not be sandblasted. Then I painted the Firebird in steel blue and the flames in gold.
We human beings are on a journey evolving (back) into unconditional love, or unconditional acceptance. Animals (other than human beings) help us on our journey – if we are willing to be aware of this, and are willing to be taught by them.* They are far more intelligent and conscious than we have been led to believe, and this includes our pets and livestock. Even some ‘wild’ animals agree (at some level of consciousness) to be tamed and be dependent on humans.
The day before yesterday I did a workshop photographing birds of prey. I felt a little ambivalent about meeting these birds, because these were not animals in the wild – yet if they had been, I would not have been able to observe them up-close.
To me, birds of prey represent a fierce concentration, and a keen sense of timing. They observe, wait for the right moment, and then strike with a swift kill.
Barn owl
I’m grateful to the people at Fotovillage and Valkenvlucht for organising a workshop with these magnificent birds. It was quite funny to see all these men – and two women including myself – prostrating in the grass or on their knees in front of the birds, admiring them and aiming for the best shot. Not with bullets, spears or nets, fortunately, but with our cameras.
It was great to see these beautiful animals fly. Taking pictures, I concentrated on enjoying their beauty up-close when they were sitting on their perch. I used my Canon 700D camera & Sigma 105mm F2:8 OS DG Macro HSM lens. Follow the links in the list below to a few portraits, and/or scroll down for some other impressions.
*) Do animals really teach us anything? For instance, check out this video. It is an extract from a longer documentary that you can buy here, and that covers work by Anna Breitenbach (click here for her website animalspirit.org).
