This is the lastest of my series of works on Graded Exposure Therapy to address my long standing Ornithophobia.

I have feared birds since childhood.

I have given myself the task of looking at images of birds, seeking the beauty within the horror, and creating a drawing or painting.

I am undertaking this graded exposure ahead of the challenge of actually holding a chicken in a couple of weeks!

I started with the Peacock as I was able to let myself be distracted by the pattern rather than the frightful bird features.

Tomorrow I am going to take an incredible leap and focus on Budgerigars. I was given a Budgie by my mother when I was 6 years old, to help treat my problem. Worst Birthday Ever!

That Budgie lived a long and neglected life. My siblings did most of the caring for him. I was occasionally obliged to change the seed or clean the cage. Horrendous!

This is going to be a tough one. Remembering the guilt of not being able to look after my pet, and the terror when my brother let it out of the cage to laugh at me when I hit the deck.

---