Guest Post by Shae Irving

If you asked a year ago whether I’d have a website for my artwork today, I would have said no. I would have said someday I might — when I have a meaningful subject, a body of work, and the energy it takes to make a website happen. Maybe in a few years. But then our Ajax died.

Ajax was a powerhouse pigeon who was born with the magic to make people do things. As a baby, she captured the heart of her rescuer, Debbie, who knew nothing about pigeons when she found Ajax hiding under a bush. A car had struck this tender young bird, and it wasn’t clear if she would live.

Young Ajax and her finder, Debbie, in 2015

Debbie fell in love with Ajax and developed such regard for pigeons that she spearheaded and primarily funded Palomacy’s life-saving foster aviary at Ploughshares Nursery in Alameda. Score one for Ajax.

Ajax was partnered with Theo, and both were eventually adopted from Ploughshares. (Two more points for Ajax!) The pair had a long stay in a happy home until  Theo passed away and Ajax’s special needs led to a decision to rehome her. She was an old girl when she came to me as a foster. The accumulated stresses of her early injuries weighed on her, and she could no longer handle the pressures of life in a busy aviary. I thought I’d have her for only a week or two, but something about her level gaze and stately ways made me fall in love with her, too.

Ajax inspired me to create a small aviary for hens who needed a VIP life in the slow lane. I put her into that aviary with two other girls, and wouldn’t you know it, they took one look at her and got stars in their eyes. Ajax had two doting wives for the last nine months of her life.

Little, bigger, biggest: Ajax with wives Wink and Gracie.

What does any of this have to do with artwork and my website? When Ajax died of a condition affecting her lungs, we were bereft. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye, so I started to paint her. It was my first pigeon painting, “The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes.” She’s wearing a magic red boot on her right foot– the one that had been badly mangled by the car.

The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes, 2022

I’ve done “better” paintings since, but my whole heart went into this one. It now hangs above my desk at home. After I finished it, I kept going, one pigeon at a time — painting and drawing, learning and loving each opportunity to connect with the bird and, often, with the bird’s person.

It’s what Ajax wanted me to do.

Three recent paintings: Lucito, Dandelion Puff, and Steve!

I created the website to make a home for this growing flock of artbirbs and raise funds for pigeon and dove rescue and adoption. A percentage (usually 50%) of all proceeds from the bird art on the website goes to Palomacy and, occasionally, other pigeon or wildlife rescues.

I also plan to regularly give away art prints and sometimes original work to friends of pigeons and doves. My current giveaway is this print of the series In Your Hands, honoring (L to R) feral rescues Glory, Baby Mo, Flicky, Crouton, Grown-up Mo, and Pijimoto. Each bird is drawn on a 3 x 3 inch distressed post-it note and reproduced here.

I hope you’ll visit shaeirving.com and enter the drawing by signing up for my not-very-frequent newsletter!

About Shae & Palomacy: A king pigeon named Luna rescued Shae in 1993. In the years before the birth of Palomacy (originally MickaCoo), two more lost king pigeons — no other animals, just white kings — found Shae. In those days, it was almost impossible to find information or assistance for domestic pigeons; it seemed like a miracle when she discovered, in 2011, that a new organization had formed to take care of pigeons and doves. She has been a Palomacy volunteer, adopter, fosterer, and donor since then. She’s worn many pigeon-related hats, would love to have an actual pigeon hat, and is now excited to bring more awareness to pigeons and support Palomacy with her artwork.

Today Shae with her 12-year-old King Yuzu

1990s Shae with OG King Luna