Artist Statement:

"This series of illustrations portrays a mostly true story of wildlife rescue. The narrative travels through a very abnormal chapter in the life of a young cooper's hawk. This hawk has the misfortune of encountering a bird feeder in front of a large window and strikes the glass while clumsily attempting to catch a songbird for lunch. It is then picked up by a well-meaning human, gently placed into a cat carrier, and taken to a nature center where wildlife specialists attempt to revive it and, eventually, re-release it. The scenario covered by the illustrations has the benefit of educating the viewer as to what to do if injured wildlife is encountered, as well as providing information as to the species in question. Illustrated books of a similar nature were my favorite to read as a child and proved influential to the genesis of this series. The illustrations are digitally created, as I didn't start drawing seriously until I discovered digital art, particularly the stunning revelation that art created with the aid of computers need not look as though it was created by a machine. By using gestural strokes and hatching in conjunction with paint and pencil-mimicking "brushes", the computer is utilized in a manner that brings the character-giving flaws that make us human into the purely digital images that comprise the work. This interaction between human and machine could be considered a parallel to the work's other key aspect: the interaction of modern society with the natural world and the denizens thereof. As humans must learn to coexist with new technologies, so must we learn to coexist with what here before us. From the effects of pollution on the environment, the use of animals and pl;ants for resources, to the interaction of pets with their owners, and even the direct influence individuals have on the environments they visit, it's all connected to this overarching concept that is endlessly intriguing to me. As I work together with my computers to create my art, I always keep this parallel in mind and therefore incorporate it into the work as much as possible, such as in the story of the hawk." -Rebecca Mills