THROUGHOUT THE Covid-19 pandemic, and the unprecedented demands and strain it has put on health workers, one woman found respite through watching birdlife.
Working as a doctor in University Hospital Galway, Sacha Hutchinson found that taking time to observe the native and visiting birds was an important part of her day - a break from the intensity of her workplace.
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She began to sketch and paint the birds that she saw and the results are now on display in a new exhibition, Forget Not, at Anton’s Café, Father Griffin Road. It features paintings in gouache and oil, as well as drawings. The vulnerability of nature is a theme throughout the works.
“With less traffic and local walks within 5km during the lockdowns, we have all rediscovered birdsong," says Sacha “we try to identify different species, and have become aware of the significance of our visiting and resident birds.”
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Declining numbers in the native bird population is something that concerns Sacha a great deal. “This is due in part to the loss of habitat as small fields and farms are being abandoned and sold to developers,” she says. “The bungalow drift for example, has taken away the barns and sheds where the returning swallows would nest.”
By drawing and painting these birds, the artist is hoping viewers will see the importance of protecting them from habitat loss, plastic pollution, overfishing, and climate change.
The exhibition is open weekdays through June and July (closed Saturdays and Sundays ). All works are for sale. See www.sachahutchinson.com
