Owl

In my “Wisdom Box,” I continue the use of natural materials from trees to tie my pieces together, reinforce the role of nature, and create a habitat for the dominant object – the owl. This bird is used as a symbol of wisdom and is a favorite animal of both Cornell and I. Cornell was known to take walks in the Long Island woods, and probably came across these creatures on a fairly regular basis. He also frequented the Museum of Natural History in New York and studied the related displays. These were fond childhood memories – thus Cornell uses the owl as a symbol of lost youth. In addition, the birds represent spirit, imagination, and freedom in many of Cornell's pieces. To me, the owl mainly represents wisdom and reminds me of a phrase I am sometimes described as: “wise beyond her years.”

Left: Joseph Cornell, Untitled (Great Horned Owl with Harvest Moon), 1942