Birdy Harrison `Grit and Splendor`

Oil, cold wax, and collage on wood, Framed, 27 x 25 x 2 in. Birdy Harrison is a painter currently located in Los Angeles; she obtained her BFA in a traditional program of studio art. After college, she turned to experimenting and problem solving on her own with alternative materials, including abstract elements. She earned her MA in education so that she could share all her learning and enthusiasm through teaching art. Having lived in the countryside of Connecticut, metropolises of New York and Los Angeles, and the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, she has always been attracted to both cities and nature. Her art may start out with something realistic from life, but then she brings something new and emotional to the work making it abstract, focusing more on the elements of art themselves such as color, line, shape and texture. Her work has been exhibited and collected nationally. Her creative process is deeply rooted in the tactile experience of making, where the combination of diverse materials allows for experimentation with depth and dimension. “The visual experiences also express reflections of my personal growth from a reserved child who found voice in art, to an artist whose creations boldly defy that introverted past. Being colorblind in a field where color perception is often considered essential, this trait has encouraged me to develop an intuitive approach to my work, focusing on the emotional resonance of texture and form, and pushing me to experiment with materials in ways that highlight their intrinsic beauty and complexity. My art is an ongoing exploration of self and the surrounding world, motivated by the urge to articulate the unspoken. Through my art, I aim to create a space for contemplation, where the intricacies of human feelings are explored, and our contradictions become a source of strength and inspiration.”