Winging It: Birds in Art, Annmarie Arts Center, The Smithsonian

Mentation from my Baroque series is selected by Saul Drake, Exhibits Project Director, Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Services (SITES), for the Winging It: Birds in Art exhibit at Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center (main gallery).

This marks my sixth consecutive acceptance at this prestigious venue affiliated with The Smithsonian, coinciding with the Landmark exhibit at Kay Daugherty gallery (above the main gallery), where my other piece, Canyon I, is on display. Visit both shows and enjoy the spectacular sculpture garden throughout the summer.

Duration:

June 5 (opening night)–August 23, 2026

About Mentation

Media: Layered hybrid media (pastel, acrylic, and pigment print) on watercolor paper mounted on a 24×36-inch cradled wood panel.

Concept: I am interested in the gap between the known (recognizable) and the unknown (abstract), inviting the viewer to delve into their subconscious and “finish” the painting.

Applying this philosophy to Mentation, the images of birds are deconstructed to serve as a metaphor for human cognition. By using headless, abstracted birds, the work moves away from ornithological study and toward a representation of “flying thoughts.” These avian forms symbolize the erratic and elusive nature of imagination—ideas that take flight before they are fully formed. It captures the kinetic energy of a mind in flight—a personal experience amidst work in progress, depicting my creative frenzy.