Once I had made the drawings of the blackbird I buried him and some months later dug his skull and bones out of the earth. I drew the skull alongside the bird to preserve the memory of the life of this lovely creature. In this drawing, the dead blackbird is almost consumed by darkness but the 3 swallows (vintage wall ornaments) swoop down in tribute carrying flowers (made by my son in primary school for Mother's Day) and illuminate the body of blackbird.