Where do the birds come from?

Often, I'm asked how I got started painting birds. Honestly, I don't know for sure, but I have a hunch it began with my admiration of St. Francis. I was raised Catholic - as a child I attended Church and a little Catholic elementary school (St. Clare). It was there that I first learned of St. Francis- the saint who can be found in gardens throughout the world. I was drawn to him because he was a free spirit who renounced his upper-class life and set out to heal/help the sick/poor. I also thought it was pretty cool that he could talk to animals. When I had my first child, I named her after him and pronounced him the patron Saint of our family. Here's a drawing of him delivering his message to a crowd of birds.

I like to think that the birds of St. Francis find their way to my paintings to bless the work and to remind me of all that St. Francis preached.