THE
NEST
PROJECT

After my daughter moved to New York in 2019, people continually asked how it felt to be “an empty nester.” It is a strange feeling to have your child move away after having cared for them daily for almost twenty years. I found it alternately poignant but also liberating.

Since nests were on my mind, I found myself building nests from twigs, leaves, and grass from my garden. I photographed them so that I could return the materials to the garden. Intrigued with how they turned out, I printed out the images using both an inkjet and a laser printer. I then did image transfers on various substrates; canvas panels, wood panels, and pre-gessoed panels used for mixed media. The inkjet transfers were less precise, but the color changes that happened during the process inspired me to hand re-touch and intensify some of the colors. The laser prints are a more photo-representational image, but I hand re-touched areas of those as well, adding textured backgrounds and color washes. The prints seen here are photos of these various panels.

The pandemic gave me time to focus on this project, and the circumstances gave it a deeper meaning. Having to shelter in place, or “nest” for an extended period of time allowed me to experiment and create in an entirely new way. Nests not only symbolize the home, but can take on deeper meanings related to transitions.

Creating, waiting, anticipating, hatching, growing, and ultimately taking flight.