Sally Hickman
Missoula, MT
Exhibit Year: 2017-2018
Artist Statement
We soon learn to identify a bird by its song, and if we pause for a moment in the forest, or field or wetland, it is easy to imagine the song’s image as we listen. With a little imagination the notes of a bird song correlate with color and composition and magically create a reflection of the mysterious, the joyful, the calming – the emotional experience of hearing a bird sing. Painting what we hear nourishes the imagination and drives new perceptions of our environment.
This multi-media work, “Bird Song Imagined,” offers a unique perspective on observing our natural surroundings and encourages the use of new techniques in the artist’s creative exploration. The pieces also provide an interactive challenge to the viewer, young and old, when matching song to image.
There are 10 paintings and accompanying bird song recordings, which I use with permission of the Macauley Library of Cornell University.