Thanks to NBF (Non-Blogging Friend), I’ve been doing some thinking about the ‘still birds’ pieces.   I’ve done many drawings and encaustic pieces based on photos of either dead birds or taxidermied birds (which, regardless of how lifelike they are, are ‘still dead’).

NBF had some ideas about the many possible meanings of ‘still birds’. Here’s the definition of ‘still’ that she sent to me:

1 a : devoid of or abstaining from motion b archaic : sedentary c : not effervescent <still wine> d(1) : of, relating to, or being a static photograph as contrasted with a motion picture (2) :designed for taking still photographs <a still camera> (3) : engaged in taking still photographs<a still photographer>
2 a : uttering no sound : quiet b : subdued, muted
3 a : calm, tranquil b : free from noise or turbulence

And here are so not-so-still birds…