I was watching a story on PBS’ Frontline last week about a 70-year-old painter named Mary Jo McConnell who travels to the remote rain forests of West Papua, New Guinea, to document the little decorative cubbies called “bowers”. Bowers are special structures created by a certain species of bird who has come to be known as the “Bower Bird”, a performance artist of sorts. (He can sing and dance too, all this to woo a mate).

Mary Jo pointed out that the bower opening always faces east and is always in a bright spot of the forest floor, so as to capture the best light for enhancing the collection of found objects. (The bird even knows the importance of lighting!!). It can take several years for a male to complete the thatched portion of its bower, but the stylings are continually reworked…daily, seasonally…until his goal is achieved, getting a female to enter.

Mary Jo described her fellow (bird) artists as each having their own unique style. (But of course they do!). She calls one of them “Andy Warhol” since he has an unusual penchant for collecting rubbish to adorn his rebel abode, in a “just so” kind of way. 🙂

She has a such a great deal of respect and admiration for these birds, and their human neighbors (all trying to cling to their natural way of life), that she couldn’t resist making the perilous journey to see them one more time, at least, and hopes for more.

The aesthetic leanings of this phenomenal bird blew my mind!! Who knew?? But then I’ve always felt that animals and children deserve a lot more credit than we give them, both artistically and spiritually.

The Divine Creator is the best artist by far…channeling through EACH and every ONE of US with such BEAUTIOUSNESS!!