Rare Birds - Angela Babby

This artwork brings together people, animals, colors and patterns that I love. I was looking for an Audubon painting of a prairie chicken on-line to put on the wall in this design. Instead, I found a picture of the extinct Heath Hen created by George Boorujy a pen and ink artist from New York. His artwork had the emotional power I was looking for so I got his permission to include it in the work. Heath hens were one of the first bird species that Americans tried to save from extinction as early as 1791. In 1840 a bill "for the preservation of heath-hen and other game" was introduced in the New York State Legislature. Some representatives misread the name of the bill as to protect "heathens(Indians) and other game". In Montana, where I live, there are constant battles going on over the prairie chicken, buffalo and wildlife in general. The expression on Boorujy's Heath Hens face echoed how frustrated I feel when people talk about the danger to our financial wellbeing with regard to preserving and protecting wildlife...not to mention the fact that this face would be the single most attractive image to a female Heath Hen. Nature is a complicated web and we can't keep only the animals that we like...we need them all if we want our world to remain diverse, healthy and able to sustain us. The wallpaper on the wall is of birds feeding their young, mating and otherwise enjoying their lives. The Heathen woman wears a necklace of Pope Francis. Pope Francis has been called a heathen by "traditionalist Catholics" and others if you can believe it. I created this piece to recognize the bravery and commitment to inclusion of Pope Francis...his values match mine.