Reflections on a work in progress

Last year ended with some amazing shows. And I’m looking forward to what this year brings.

Here’s a piece I started sometime last year. Finally, I’m going to be able to complete it this year. Around the time I started working on this piece, I found a nest of bird eggs in my front garden. And I got excited about watching them hatch. Bird-watching will soon become my preoccupation. For weeks, I will set up my phone on a tripod and leave it outside for hours; hoping to catch a glimpse of Mama bird & Papa bird.

I’d set up the tripod and watch from a distance making sure I didn’t disturb the birds or scare them away. Often, I’ll watch the live video on my Apple Watch as my phone was recording. Soon, my phone was filled with bird videos. For many bird-watchers this will come as no surprise to you. I lost track of the hours I spent watching first Mama bird, then later Papa bird, circle their nest, ensuring it was safe before they approached. Their patience and persistence were incredible. They waited until no humans were nearby (or so they thought) before returning to their eggs. Watching them inspired me a lot as I created this piece.

Circles in my work often symbolize life cycles, the Creator’s infinite nature, and the belief in limitless possibilities. But why circles? Interestingly, they emerge intuitively as I draw—unplanned, from somewhere deep within. Lately, I’ve started to reflect a bit more on these shapes that seem to appear out of nowhere and take residence in my work.

As I created this piece, the circular shapes started to take on new meaning. They’ve become more than my initial thoughts of life cycles, infiniteness, and limitless possibilities. They reminded me of the birds circling their nest, ensuring safety before landing. This behavior expanded my understanding of what the circles in my work might represent.

I can’t wait to share more reflections on this with you soon.

Till next time,