This portrait is an exploration of the personal freedom that comes from letting go – of other people’s expectations and preferences, of crippling self-imposed perfectionism, and a turning away from the negativity so prevalent in our culture.
Birds are a recurring theme in much of my work because I have always felt a strong attraction to them. Whether they are wild, domesticated, songbird, scavenger, or bird of prey makes no difference to me. I love them all!
I have long felt that birds are the perfect symbol for freedom and creative expression. To be able to fly and spread joy through song makes them a perfect accompaniment to my portraits of empowered women.
In Taking Flight, I used barn swallows because historically they have been used to symbolize luck and good omens. In some cultures, they are believed to carry souls into the sky. In this portrait, they are juxtaposed with bright colors and strong shapes. The figure’s hair mimics their flight, as well as sharing their golden aura. It is a symbiotic relationship of joy and new beginnings. - 2024, painting on canvas
UPDATE
I added a handmade frame and hand-carved MDF barn swallows to this piece because I felt the original painting was missing something. By attaching 3D barn swallows to the frame, the composition begins to leave the geometric confines of the canvas, building further on the symbolism of freedom. As the birds swoop across the edges of the composition, both toward and away from the figure, they begin to expand the realm of possibilities. – 2026, 3D elements added