Aqua Nest

Aqua Nest

This watercolor was painted for an exhibit I was juried into called Flights of Fantasy: The Artistic Bird, at Brookgreen Gardens located in Pawleys Island. The watercolor paintings, chosen from the South Carolina Watermedia Association members, will hang in conjunction with a sculpture exhibit. The show is September 6 - November 2, 2008

“Aqua Nest” is a painting that was inspired by the Southern hairdos I witnessed growing up in Spartanburg, SC.

My Dad was an avid photographer so my Mother’s hairstyle is well documented --- from cute pixies to bountiful bouffants. These images are part of the inspiration in the creation of this painting.

I also remember well my first grade teacher, Miss Johnson. She had beautiful white hair piled high in a bun. To our surprise and delight, she would randomly decorate her bun with fruit, flowers or even a bird’s nest on occasion. Whether this was for educational purposes or not, it certainly sparked my imagination.
Some Southern bouffants were so elaborate, with curls and waves; it was easy for me to imagine birds flying in and out to make nests in them! If this was more than just a childhood fantasy, I wonder if the women with the big hair would notice something had taken up residence on top of their heads!