Bailey Szychowski
Coop (series)
Oil Paint
The main inspiration for my work comes from two sources, natural and historical. I was raised in a small town where hunting and fishing were a prominent fixture in day to day life. Consequently the sight of a dead animal is celebratory rather than macabre, invoking within me an appreciation of the natural beauty of the animal’s form. My historical source is the works of Flemish Artist during the Baroque era. I feel a connection with these artist due to our shared medium, oil paint, and our desire to replicate reality in a two-dimensional form. In this series the bird’s bodies are strewn across the composition surrounded by pools of blood and tools used by taxidermists to preserve the beauty of the animal. To stay true to my goal of rendering the realistic my own living room serves as the background. This also serves to bring forth the normalcy of taxidermy within my life, and the art and craft I see within the profession itself.