“The Essence of Birdness” was my final project for a Masters degree in Creative Practice, completed in September 2024. The main element is a suspended installation of porcelain pieces combined with fragments of taxidermy birds. On the walls are boards displaying glass feathers and there is also a collection of prints. The work was created in response to my research into the use of fragments of taxidermy in art. It evolved during the 2 years of research to also reflect my interest in birds and express the sense of loss that I experience when considering extinction.