I drew the Kirtland's Warbler in May and have only now managed to 'gently reference' it. At the time I wrote the below, where I explain why I selected this particular bird. This drawing is included in a new virtual exhibition at Spencer Museum of Art in Lawrence, Kansas. Explore the exhibition here: https://spencerart.ku.edu/artists-respond "In New York, on the 25th of May in the midst of the crisis, Christian Cooper went to Central Park to go birding, what transpired was a racially motivated event, Amy Cooper called 911, suggesting she was being attacked by an African American man, after an altercation about a dog and a leash. She weaponised her racism and a backlash in-sued. This happened on the same day George Floyd was murdered by police officers in Minneapolis, resulting in a much- needed escalation of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. On social media, as #BlackBirdersWeek emerged in response to the events in Central Park, I wanted to draw a Kirtland’s Warbler in solidarity. Cooper mentioned the bird in an interview with The New York Times. This led me to research the symbolism of birds in popular culture. I began exploring the personal and political meaning of birds and I am developing research into the naming, categorisation, colonisation, capture and breeding of birds throughout history. This research bolsters the reading of the birds posted on social media and the personal and political become entwined. What began as a personal consolation for my own mental turmoil has (according to the messages I’ve received) offered some solace to the people that follow me. I am acutely aware of how lucky I am during this time and I’m hugely grateful to have the luxury of expressing myself creatively whilst others struggle to survive. My motivation as an artist has returned and in some small way, I hope these drawings contribute to the creative response artists a driven to make in troubled times." My research continues on #BirdsCanFly For the curious here is where you can see all the birds I've drawn in #Lockdown https://thepansyproject.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage?sort_by=title-ascending https://www.instagram.com/p/CEuLgFVlHPH/?igshid=10zea7wqumfxp