Birding

Commissioned by Brooklyn Bridge Park and the City of New York
99 Plymouth Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

October 2016 to February 2017

Birding is a mixed media installation using photography, watercolor, and linoleum block prints documenting the more than 120 species of birds that call BBP home. For six months, I made bi-weekly bird-watching walks to the Park. After photographing the various species, I drew each image onto linoleum and carved it out. Using a hand crank printing press, I made multiple impressions of the blocks onto paper before cutting out each bird. I arranged the richly colored and textured prints along the hallway in groups of aquatic birds, including Canada geese, mallard ducks, wood ducks, mergansers, seagulls, and more.

Section 1: The Salt Marsh is a 12-foot wall located in the Community Room. I created an interactive piece representing a bird habitat observed during my daily walks using block prints, watercolor and cut paper. Guests were invited to print and cut sea creatures and add them to the ever-changing mural. 

Section 2: Mallards contain linoleum block printed birds, hand-drawn water, rocks, and pilings. It lines 24 feet of public wall space. 

Section 3: Seagulls contain linoleum block printed and hand-drawn rocks. I used hand dyed Japanese paper for the background. This section was influenced by the flocks of seagulls that swarm the fisherman on the park’s piers. It is 16-feet long.