one with the birds

In the dark past (the 80's) there was a period when images of dogs seemed to be everywhere.It was hard to know if it was some kind of zeitgeist effect or style band-waggon jumping.I was guilty of this myself and am still known to torture the surfaces of pots with roughly renderered pooches.
Well it seems that we have made a shift to the ornithological:what's with the birds? Images of birds (and bunnies,and deer) began to appear a few years ago in the visual arts and seem to have migrated to popular culture via album cover art (Neko Case, Devandra Banhart et al) and sophisticated animation.The style seems often to be drawn from the 50's and 60's magazine and book illustration.These images seem to be harking back to a seemingly less complicated time. I'm always more interested in the 'why' rather than the 'how' in making ceramics (or anything for that matter) I started to become very cynical about all of these bird images appearing at once and then realised that I too was doing the same thing.

When this phenomenon happens,(cosmic-consciousness ?) one can't help but wonder why.Is it neo-hippy naturism, eco illustration orthe endless regurgitation of fasion.Are birds this seasons black?


ps. While wandering through the city market yesterday I saw owls everywhere , not in the trees but on publicity materials for neo-folkies.Also here is a track listing for a cd I put together to accompany a vase and teapot which featured the birds from the particular songs.

The Seabirds 3:19 The Triffids Australian Melodrama Alternative & Punk
Painbirds 3:51 Sparklehorse Across The Great Divide Rock
One With The Birds 5:12 Bonnie "Prince" Billy Unconditionally Guaranteed 1
Mexican Blue 6:30 Jolie Holland Springtime Can Kill You Alternative & Punk
Maybe Sparrow 2:38 Neko Case Fox Confessor Brings The Flood
The Littlest Birds 3:59 Jolie Holland Catalpa Alternative & Punk
Little Birdy 2:14 Kristin Hersh Murder, Misery And Then Goodnight
Fish And Bird 4:00 Tom Waits Alice Alternative & Punk 7
Feather By Feather 5:36 Smog Supper Alternative & Punk
dont wanna be blue 3:59 Retreads

The Cuckoo 2:57 Hem Rabbit Songs Alternative & Punk
Blackbird 2:06 Paul McCartney Unplugged - The Offical Bootleg (Live On MTV Unplugged)
The Black Swan 6:11 Bert Jansch The Quiet Revolution Folk
Black Crow 4:23 Joni Mitchell Hejira Rock
Birds And Ships 2:16 Billy Bragg & Wilco Mermaid Avenue Country
Bird On The Wire 6:54 Leonard Cohen Leonard Cohen Live In Concert
Babe, You Turn Me On 4:21 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds The Lyre Of Orpheus (Disc 2)
All The Morning Birds 4:23 Jolie Holland Catalpa Alternative & Punk