For the birds

For those of you familiar with The Art Mill, you know I've been making these ceramic birds for a while now. They came about for a class and exploded from there thanks to designer Julia Russell. I was making another "batch" of birds and started thinking about why I make birds in my art. They show up in my paintings, graphic design and pottery. I know they are trendy but that isn't what draws me to them. Ironically real birds freak me out. My dad had one that he let fly around the house and the fluttering of its wings when it chased me to land on my shoulders will always haunt me. (it only happened once) I blame Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds. I watched that movie way to young.

The reason I came up with is that they are so versitile. They represent so many things and can be seen in such different ways depending on their depiction. They can represent life, freedom and religion (think dove) they can also represent horror and death (crows or vultures). I think for me they offer a focal point that can be taken in new directions depending on the viewer. What may be for me chance and uncertainty (the painting I did of birds outside of a cage) could be about freedom and choice for someone else.

Are there things that you are drawn to and don't know why? How about recurring themes that you use sometimes almost subconsciously?