Lynn’s Birds

Handing over a commissioned piece is such a rush.

I met Lynn, long-legged & genuine, at the East Austin Studio Tour a few years ago and we became fast friends. Originally from West Texas, he is a water conservationist, was head of Austin Museum of Art (the Contemporary) board for 10+ years, is a fly fisherman, and has great taste in art 🙋🏼‍♀️👈🏽. When he requested a custom piece, he left it open-ended in terms of context. He speaks of his daughters often and with great pride [he has TWO sets of twin girls, all of them intelligent and lovely in their own right]. I picked his brain and asked him questions like, “If your daughters were colors, how would you describe them? If they were birds, what kind would each of them be?”

This piece is inspired by his high regard of family and the women in his life. In the background are clippings from antique publications such as 1917 ‘The Household’ and 1949 ‘American Rifleman’. Each of the species in this piece represents each daughter – finch, hummingbird, woodpecker, owl. They uplift him, surround him, are entwined in him, and are a part of him. The orange in the twine represents his Mother, who has played a strong role in his life. He is the pistol (a rare Colt First Model Dragoon), rooted where he belongs, facing NW toward Montana, a special place for him.

“You nailed it,” he said. Such a good feeling.

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See process photos in the gallery below. Click to enlarge
For commission inquiries, please email me at eegcreative@gmail.com.