Asheville artist hatches avian-inspired greeting cards
A few years ago, while sitting in a meeting, Asheville artist LeeAnn Donnelly started absentmindedly doodling on a sticky note. A tall, scruffy bird appeared. “That bird looks cold,” she thought, and added legwarmers. The sketch became the seed of “Birds Wearing Legwarmers,” a gleefully offbeat greeting-card series now on display at Dog & Pony Show in downtown Asheville.
Far from field-guide illustrations, Donnelly’s characters are full of drama and charm. One bird might sport a crown, another a beak ring. Their shapes are exaggerated, their postures a little awkward, and their personalities unmistakably human. Each watercolor illustration comes with a cheeky backstory printed on the back, turning every card into a small work of storytelling.
Her new holiday collection, “Season’s Chirpings,” features “Cableknit Carl,” a dapper bird who pairs his festive legwarmers with a chunky sweater and offers sage advice like, “Placecards keep the peace at family dinners.” Other avian oddballs include “Bradley,” a retired icecapades star, and the crème-de-menthe-loving “Peppermint Twins.”
“As elegant and fascinating as birds are, it’s their quick and quirky turns and head tilts that attract my attention,” Donnelly shares in a press statement. “They’re so expressive, and naturally comical. The legwarmers are just ridiculous, and they make me laugh. I think they surprise people, which I get such a kick out of.”
Meet Donnelly and her fashionable flock at Dog & Pony Show (68 North Market St., Asheville, dogandponyshow.com) during the Downtown Asheville Gallery Walk on Friday, December 5, 5-8pm. She’ll also appear at the LoLex District Holiday Art Market at 56 North Lexington Ave., Asheville, on Saturday, December 13, 10am-6pm. See more at leeannphotography.com.