Brilliant Birds, 2025
Ms. Bassett's Class (P.S. 87, Class 2-202)
Alcohol marker, acrylic paint, and mixed media on canvas with nylon twine

In Brilliant Birds, the young artists of Class 2-202 collectively evoke a sense of flight, wonder, and place. Each hand-drawn bird - rendered in saturated hues inspired by the avian life of New York City - finds itself suspended along a taut line of black nylon twine, a metaphorical horizon where nature and imagination meet.

The luminous backdrop, painted collaboratively by the children, transforms the canvas into a shifting skyscape, a ground for both individual expression and shared vision. Scattered golden dots punctuate the surface, inviting the viewer to consider the relationship between earth and sky, form and formlessness, play and precision. Together, these elements capture the joyful tension between spontaneity and intention, hallmarks of both childhood creativity and contemporary art-making practices.

Birds in order (left to right):
Kabir, Willa, Arden, Saanavi, Daniela, Hazel, Lucy O., Aiden, Emma, Kyree, Charlotte, Jacky, Lev, Hana, Lucy M., Alia, Noah, Gil, Ester, Anthéo, Holden, Charlie, JP, Lily, Yuval, Allegra, Lex, and Hugo.

Frame donated by Amsterdam Art Gallery, Inc.