Other things Australian

This piece was created by Vivika Denegre and when I saw it I loved it. Sometime later, I created a piece that she admired.  I suggested a trade. Voila!  It's now one of my favorites in my small, but growing, collection of art quilts.

Years ago when we lived in Australia we turned a casual interest in birds to a full-fledged passion for birding.  We traveled much of the continent taking in the landscape, flora and fauna...and the birds! 

Because there WERE few ground predators, many of the bird species have both males AND females that are very colorful...and plentiful...which was very nice for beginner birders to become successful at finding and identifying species.

This particular art quilt is Vivika's "Satin Bowerbird" and it reminded her of her home-stay with a Victorian family for her junior year in high school.  The male bowerbird collects items (for the Satin they are blue or white) to decorate the bower that he has made in his attempt to attract a female.  If she  is attracted by the blue bottle caps, clothesline pegs, bits of glass or shell, she will enter the bower of grasses and twigs.  Then they will find a place of their own, mate, build a nest and raise their chicks.