Mark Prier

Artwork

What cheer! What cheer!, 2011-2019

Bird mnemonics are phrases used by bird-watchers to help identify birds by song or call. In order to accurately convey a birdsong's rhythm and overall sound, many bird mnemonics combine words in a nonsensical, whimsical, and amusing manner.

For What cheer! What cheer!, I selected mnemonics for birds found in Southern Ontario and engraved them on stones. The birds themselves are not named, making the mnemonics all the more puzzling and mysterious.

Materials: engraved stone.

Four grey, flat-faced stones sit upright on a wood floor in front of an unlit tiled fireplace. The faces of the stones are engraved. Across the four stones, the engraved text reads, Fire! Fire! Where? Where? Here! Here! See it? See it? A stone sits on a forest floor against a willow tree's trunk. The stone is engraved with the words, Who's awake? Me too! A stone sits in dappled light on a forest floor, surrounded by young green plants. The stone is engraved with the words, Dear me, see me. A wide view of a forest's edge beside a gravel trail. A stone sits near the path, surrounded by young green plants and shrubs. The stone is engraved with the words, Dear me, see me.
A stone sits on a forest floor, surrounded by young green plants and brown fallen leaves. Everything is wet. The stone is engraved with the words, Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all. A stone sits on a forest floor, surrounded by brown fallen leaves and some young tree saplings. The stone is spattered with raindrops. The stone is engraved with the words, Chickadee dee dee. A wide view of a forest floor covered in brown fallen leaves, interspersed by young tree saplings and some mature tree trunks. A gravel walking trail cuts horizontally across the view. In the foreground in the leaves is a gray stone, spattered with raindrops, engraved with the words, Chickadee dee dee. A wide view of a forest floor covered in brown fallen leaves, interspersed by young tree saplings and some mature tree trunks. A gravel walking trail cuts horizontally through the background. In the foreground, a person in a yellow raincoat and blue jeans is looking down to a gray stone spattered with raindrops. It is engraved with the words, Chickadee dee dee.

The Ontario Arts Council is an agency of the Government of Ontario.

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.

Nous remercions de son soutien le Conseil des Arts du Canada.