We're Talking Swans on IPR's "Talk of Iowa"!

This Wednesday, April 5, I'll be talking about Iowa Bird of Mouth on Iowa Public Radio's Talk of Iowa with Charity Nebbe! How exciting! There'll be lots of eyes on the site, so get your trumpeter swan poems on! Plus, it's National Poetry Month. Swans & poetry: that makes sense! There's never been a better time to post a poem.

"Trumpeter Swan" by Polyphony Bruna

Polyphony is a brilliant artist and Ames High School student who is rendering our spotlight birds. 

Medium: Charcoal

Dimensions: 9 in x 12 in

"The decision to work with charcoal for April’s Trumpeter Swan stemmed from the purpose to portraying the underwater composition. First of all, this versatile medium would allow me to create both a smooth texture for the underwater background and a rough texture for the bird’s feathers. The contrast between these textures would help bring the bird to the foreground as well as convey the underwater scene. Furthermore, the monochromatic palette and soft or muted tone that comes with charcoal would create the murkiness of underwater. These elements would also mimic the deadened silence that one experiences underwater. The use of just a single medium diminishes the vibrancy of the piece, similarly serving to dull the senses. This snapshot of a swan is representative of April—the turn from winter to spring. At this moment, the swan has dived into the dark and muffling water, but it will soon re-emerge to the vibrant surface."