{"id":23512,"title":"2022 REVIEWED","description":"A look back at some highlights from 2022, from books, blooms and birds.","content":"

\"4wxnjosz8xm8ohmc93qhlvv1jaoakpcnjcfnwcgrsz5qn0dg.jpg\"The turning of a year is a chance to reflect on the passage of time. My own reflections largely focus on my art practice. The pandemic impacted my own behaviour and sparked the reawakening of my focus on ornithology. As 2022 unfurled I tried hard to re-enter a world of social interaction after the enforced lockdowns of the early twenty twenties took their toll on my mental health and my life-long tendency to self isolate. It was fortuitous that my bird focused artwork born in The Lockdowns helped me get back into the world.<\/p>

\"bezgsy4flt7p6u5exg8y3pimhypc6jsy2brjqcxxietwey7a.jpg\"2022 began with my prize winning entry and subsequent inclusion in the launch of Queer Britain, there I made many new friends and was lucky enough to have my work included in the beginnings of this lovely London based museum that will continue to celebrate our LGBTQ+ history and community in the UK and beyond. I was lucky enough to have my work included in their gift shop. I\u2019m so grateful for their continued support, and I\u2019m honoured in 2023 to be one of the judges for the next celebration of British based queer creativity supported by Madame F Wine.\u00a0<\/p>

\"fiqdfmdlzkhizswawx25foxnwldm8i4bgzbdyhxcatofc5wy.jpg\"In 2022 I managed to get some illustration and design work which took some of the frenetic money making activity of selling bird and nature themed T-shirts and prints away from me. I\u2019m not a natural sales person so the opportunity to refocus my activity on research and creativity was welcomed. The introduction of paid work did slow down my bird illustration production, though this slowing enabled me to be a little more considerate of each drawing and pay more attention to the research and story\u00a0 behind each bird. This more reflective mode of production will continue in 2023 and beyond.\u00a0<\/p>

\"bodkrekjurexxttfsph78s75re4btuy47qwonzwtkknle9ct.png\"A highlight of 2022 was the inclusion of my work in Into The Red<\/u><\/a>, I was approached to contribute this year by Kit Jewitt and Mike Toms from BTO<\/u><\/a>, I assumed that they would simply need an illustration to highlight the plight of a bird of my choice (the Slavonian Grebe) from the sadly increasing Red List. This second in the series is a wide-ranging response to bird life, from more than 70 artists and authors, the first lovely book was\/is quite a conventional collection of illustrations and text. \"xazgwkmazcs9zzy3g4crnp6mzecja5l39yjoyaxz67dckhne.jpg\"I was thrilled when it seemed that BTO would make the \u2018brave\u2019 decision to include my gentle reference of the Slavonian Grebe in this moving collection of British threatened birds. I\u2019m incredibly honoured to be included.<\/p>

\"1gtzbyacjdd5o1hhu8l6otusio7vtvyv7gdtchxoj2sejgco.jpg\"Continuing the publication theme, 2022 also saw some attention for The Pansy Project. My work was included in a beautiful book that launched in 2022; Flora Photographica: The Flower in Contemporary Photography<\/u><\/a> is a wonderfully rich book that celebrates the multiple international artists that use flowers in their work and I\u2019m honoured to be amongst some true greats, including Cindy Sherman, Pedro Almod\u00f3var and Martin Schoeller. This inclusion is just one of the many books my work with The Pansy Project is mentioned in, including: Flower: Exploring the World in Bloom<\/u><\/a>, Street Art. Jeux \u00e9ph\u00e9m\u00e8res<\/u><\/a> and the now classic; Trespass, A History of Uncommissioned Urban Art and Street Art<\/u><\/a>. In 2023 The Pansy Project will feature in another book that will focus on Guerrilla Gardening, more details on that publication soon.<\/p>

\"7lxnaqctyg6pzwnprrvlsjufmpwbiaz5zn3ybvdd7pvypvll.png\"Perhaps the most international exposure The Pansy Project has ever had was on RuPaul\u2019s Drag Race UK<\/u><\/a>, my friend Cheddar Gorgeous made a reference to my work with one of their runway looks. I was watching live when Cheddar mentioned The Pansy Project<\/u><\/a>, it was a complete surprise and delight and has led to a huge spike in activity on my site and my socials. <\/p>

\"rxkmefzqdx7mxrqmzfmv74fyw8xrymjo93fcwguj3wzu9qub.jpg\"I\u2019m still trying to catch up with the correspondence. I\u2019m so grateful to Cheddar and the many, many people that took the trouble to connect with me. Where this attention will lead remains to be seen.\u00a0<\/p>

\"idgogcjrmwby9gq7vltnscmebpooqjmhyshs2hxhtmxtxm5s.jpg\"<\/u><\/a>As 2022 draws to a close I have finally managed to bring all my gentle references to one easy to view place here<\/u><\/a>. Above are my top drawings and references of 2022, in 2023 there will be more birds, more research and hopefully more opportunities to share my work with even wider audiences. In the meantime I thank you, dear reader for visiting and sharing my work with your nearest and dearest. Here\u2019s hoping 2023 will be a fruitful and happy year for us all.<\/p>

With Love and Thanks Paul x<\/p>","urlTitle":"2022-reviewed","url":"\/blog\/2022-reviewed\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/2022-reviewed\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/birdscanflystore.com\/blog\/2022-reviewed\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1672495377,"updatedAt":1672497109,"publishedAt":1672497109,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":107566,"name":"Birds Can Fly"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/tucgiho26afmyfdfcgypmswh82vdnvm3wmcwmnp0jz8fk83h.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/tucgiho26afmyfdfcgypmswh82vdnvm3wmcwmnp0jz8fk83h.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/tucgiho26afmyfdfcgypmswh82vdnvm3wmcwmnp0jz8fk83h.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"","metaDescription":"","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":31278,"title":"The Birds of Macbeth","url":"\/blog\/the-birds-of-macbeth\/","urlTitle":"the-birds-of-macbeth","division":107566,"description":"The Golden Eagle. My most recent drawing and gentle reference has been made in association with Heart of Glass and Shakespeare North Playhouse.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/v7zjxopovzt1pgd8ksrcqx9bmppcgtlf19z3tvtweeiloity.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855&z=1.1&fx=0.49838044892471&fy=0.53520184420328","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/v7zjxopovzt1pgd8ksrcqx9bmppcgtlf19z3tvtweeiloity.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440&z=1.1&fx=0.49838044892471&fy=0.53520184420328"},"hidden":0},{"id":25655,"title":"The Rise of the Peregrine Falcon","url":"\/blog\/the-rise-of-the\/","urlTitle":"the-rise-of-the","division":107566,"description":"The Peregrine Falcon emerged into my childhood, during the eighties. I recall reports of declining numbers and concerned natural history presenters urging children to write to their MP to call for the falcons protection. Decades later I wanted to look again at what was going on then and now with the Peregrine and other birds of prey","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/rfrket64kfbioy5plwjwavryjv4ezt7bujxv6edphacvnlkc.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/rfrket64kfbioy5plwjwavryjv4ezt7bujxv6edphacvnlkc.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":10431,"title":"Birds Can Fly: Hearing from the Winners","url":"\/blog\/reflecting-on-the-birds-can-fly-competition\/","urlTitle":"reflecting-on-the-birds-can-fly-competition","division":107566,"description":"Hearing from the winners of my Second Birds Can Fly Competition and reflecting on the impact of this new body of work.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/4ssny9ukfh73kvpgeqxj8aclazu3iziv69lte62andyxlhqx.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/4ssny9ukfh73kvpgeqxj8aclazu3iziv69lte62andyxlhqx.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}