(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 1987) Barnes, Cynthia Dianne
I use images which depict and demonstrate the cycles of life. There are trees which are bare, in leaf, and in fruit. The tree, whose roots are in the earth, and branches which stretch toward the sky, give protection to a myriad of animals. The snake, a creature grounded to the earth, and the bird that soars in the sky, find shelter in trees. I often observe birds in flight. With the onset of this spring, I began finding numerous dead birds. I collected them. Handling the birds, reflecting on them as symbols of freedom and flight, I thought of death as a release from this world. In making the birds exist in my art, they seem to have achieved immortality on earth, for I have perhaps interrupted the cycle, by denying them death. The myth of the Phoenix, consumed by fire and reborn has become a symbol of triumph over the mysteries of death. The birds, bugs, cats and snakes have undergone a transformation and have become for me, a way to help in my understanding of my relationship in this world, my collective past and offer a glimpse of the future.
