“This new body of paintings was born in a still moment in time, one where the entire world slowed down. Where my home, that we call “The Birdsnest”, and the garden around it became my whole world for a time.

Nature always informs my artwork, and I was lucky enough to enjoy that nature just outside my door, in the garden of beautiful trees, plants and flowers shared with squirrels and crows, song birds, bees and butterflies. At some point during this creative journey I feel like I packed up some of those outside inspirations and dragged them into The Birdsnest with me and a dialog between interior and exterior began. 

I like to line my inside "nest" with curiosities and talismans, symbols, images, patterns and handmade objects. Having a lot of visual information inspires me. I like to set up tableaux between objects inside, so new relationships and meanings can unfold before my eyes. 

The evolution of “Minding the Beasts while Polishing Pearls” happened within the backdrop of my interior world when the exterior garden where my creatures often live inserted itself, and a marriage of the two was formed.”

 – Jennybird Alcantara