Julia Cossarin

“Rusty Blackbird” - Created with layered cardboard and clay, painted in acrylic, mounted on wood, and finished with wood-burned illustration.

This piece was inspired by the rusty blackbird, a species listed as at risk by the South Shore Joint Initiative. I had never heard of it before beginning this work, but was immediately struck by its rust-coloured feathers that seem to “tarnish” its otherwise sleek, dark body.

Rather than making the bird itself the focal point, I chose to depict a nest with eggs to emphasize the importance of protecting its breeding habitats—spaces that should be regarded as sacred, like a church. To echo this idea, I created a three-dimensional, church-window-inspired frame, layered with metallic copper and brass tones to reflect the bird’s characteristic colouring. I adapted traditional window motifs by incorporating the bird’s silhouette in both positive and negative space, evoking a sense of loss in the bird’s absence should its population continue to decline, while still suggesting hope for its future.

I am a fourth-year design student at York University with a special interest in visual communication.

IG: @julia_cossarin

SOLD

“Rusty Blackbird” - (layered cardboard and clay, painted in acrylic, mounted on wood, and finished with wood-burned illustration) - $150

 

“Black Terns” - The black tern, a species listed as at risk by the South Shore Joint Initiative, has a striking, understated beauty: a black head and belly that transition softly into grey and white wings. I felt compelled to capture this monochrome bird using a restrained pointillism technique, working exclusively with black ink dots to bring the form to life. As the dots cluster and disperse—darkening and lightening across the image—they evoke the way distant birds move in flight: grouping, mingling, communicating, then drifting apart, carried by the wind that lifts their small, feathered bodies. The limited black-and-white palette allows the drawing to exist in quiet simplicity, floating easily within a space without clashing, subtle yet alive with motion.

SOLD

Black Terns (framed, ink) - $150

 

Square Foot Art Show + Sale: January 23 – February 18, 2026

To Purchase Artwork

Gallery Hours

    • Open: Wednesday to Sunday, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
    • Closed: Monday and Tuesday
  • Special Opening: Family Day — Monday, February 16

For more information about the exhibit and South Shore Joint Initiative please contact Cheryl Anderson: [email protected]