“Wild & Winged” is one of my most popular prints. It’s the shape of Prince Edward Island, with many of the Island’s species of birds hidden within. I’m a pretty huge lover of birds, and was pretty excited to do this piece.
I began with a pencil outline of Prince Edward Island. I really like to simply use the shape from Google Maps. I began penciling in the different birds I wanted to include, and a rough idea of a branch that I wanted to make across the Province. My idea was to give a perching space for the birds.
I made a list of the birds I wanted to include- Which was sort of tough! We have hundreds of species of birds here, and I wanted to include some favourites and some that have meaning. The Canadian Goose would be a good example of one I don’t personally love, but how could I do this and exclude them? Plus I do love goslings.
I narrowed it down the 11 species, mostly full grown and some of them with their chicks (the goose and the piping plovers).
I had to include barn swallows, because they’re one of my favourite annual sights at a family friend’s farm. They get multiple mud nests made in their barn every Spring. They’re really very cool.
Blue Herons also have a special place in my heart, I see them so often on Fortune River. I have since did a piece of just a heron, which is a nod to this.
When I began in with pen, I used only the Sakura Micron Archival Inks in a 005- It’s one of the smallest pens in the series and gives you these super small delicate lines. I would estimate this piece took 30 hours overall, between laying it out in pen and finishing each small detail.
I love the finished piece- It’s likely because I adore the birds, but also any of the pieces where there’s so much hidden inside and I’ve take the time to use mostly 005’s- generally get a special place in my heart. It’s a lot of hours into one small thing and that resonates with me.
The original of this piece is for sale in my Etsy Shop. You can also find limited prints of it in the original sizing of 11” x 14”. These limited prints come numbered, and always include the list of what to find within the piece.
