In late 2004, after a short West Coast tour promoting my album The Orange Songs, I returned to Florida and decided to make some changes in my life. Part of this restructuring included the challenge of removing the Internet from my apartment for a year. The allure of gay chat sites and online interaction can be both time consuming and damaging. I am a creative person whose mind races 2,000 miles a second. I knew without the Net in my life that it would be a good idea for me to find something to keep my mind busy. It was then I began collecting owls.
I have no idea why I began collecting owls. It started as a fling — a spontaneous compulsion necessary to segue out of a dark period of my life. At the thrift store down the street from my apartment I found solace and refuge. With oldies blasting from their cheap sound system, I browsed their shelves for hours, lost inside my own head.
In 2006, after I brought the Net back into my home, I continued collecting owls. I returned to the Net armed with a newfound power. But I was not ready to let go of my owl collecting. I saw so much of myself in these creatures. I was drawn to their wisom. I am nocturnal.
Collecting owls helped me work through a very dark and sad space inside of myself that has now healed. As of November 17, 2010, I no longer collect owls. I have 602 owls that took five years to collect and six hours to photograph. I hope you enjoy their beauty. To view my owl collection click here.
This article appears in Nov 25 – Dec 1, 2010.
