My practice is initiated by image collecting, news articles, and drawing, and is based on a preoccupation with anthropomorphism and interpretations of care. Birds of prey, with whom I have a close working relationship, are loaded with cultural symbolism. I collect images that show them in moments of tension – not flying but captive, handled, close, at rest and in care. I often combine images to create ambiguous drawings, using space as an abstract tool to suggest bending and twisting forms. This unfamiliar portrayal of birds creates a feeling of unease – all gaping beaks, talons and feathers – in a way that is both intimate and intense. This is amplified by vast contrasts in scale – from looming gestural drawings to delicate photographic prints that demand you get up close and personal.

My work is fragmented to entice the viewer to read it like they might do a social media post or headline – filling in blanks based on ostensible assumptions. I play with ideas of care, value, and information dissemination through printmaking and twisting of its traditional associations. I frequently use sugar paper, newsprint, and scraps for my prints, this subversion of material hierarchy tying in with ideas of value in my imagery – trying to decode what is cared for and what is neglected from appearance alone.

I challenge the traditional representations of birds to raise questions around the interpretation of visual imagery and information, the impact of anthropomorphism, and our perceptions of cruelty and care in our relationships with animals.