Work has begun on what I hope will be the largest project I have undertaken to date.

My work has often been inspired by nature writers, and this series is no exception. Ten Birds That Changed the World by naturalist and author Stephen Moss combines two of my greatest passions: social history and birds.

As described by its publisher, Faber & Faber:

“In Ten Birds That Changed the World, British naturalist Stephen Moss explores how our long, eventful relationship with ten specific bird species has shaped human history, culture, mythology and science. Rather than the birds themselves taking action, the book reveals how humanity’s interactions with them—whether hunting, worshipping, exploiting or studying them—changed our world.”

This project differs significantly from my previous work. Rather than focusing solely on the birds themselves, I am illustrating the stories behind each bird. Following extensive research, I begin with a series of sketches representing key historical events and themes. From these, I select the most relevant images and develop the final composition, drawing them together into a detailed background that tells the story.

Once the design is complete, I paint the background before having the artwork scanned and printed onto fabric. I then use free-motion embroidery to emphasise and enrich the narrative elements within the piece.

The slowest stage, but always the most enjoyable, is hand stitching each bird. These meticulously crafted birds are created separately before being stitched onto the completed background.

The birds are the stars of the show. Created to be as realistic as possible, they stand in striking contrast to the largely monochrome narratives that surround them. Their beauty and detail draw viewers in, inviting closer inspection before prompting questions about the stories unfolding around them.

Stephen and I are exploring the possibility of developing the ten completed pieces into a travelling exhibition for museums, galleries, and community art spaces. Through this work, we hope to highlight the remarkable ways birds have shaped human history and encourage audiences to reflect on our relationship with the natural world.

At the heart of the project lies an important message:

“When we mess with nature, we do so at our peril.”

The Images show progress on the first two birds I’ve selected.

The pigeon during WW1 & WW2 and the Tree Sparrow, one of Mao’s targets in his ‘Four pests campaign’.