1. Art techniques
2. Birds
3. Collage
4. Disability
5. Endangered species
6. Environment
7. Environmental protection
8. Flight
9. Migration

In ‘Circle’ Jeannie Baker tells the story of the long and arduous migratory life of the endangered shore birds, the bar-tailed godwits. Each year at the end of summer the godwits migrate non-stop from their northern summer breeding grounds in Alaska to their southern home in Australia and New Zealand. This is a journey of over 11,000 kilometres, a journey the godwits have made for thousands of years following ancient, invisible pathways high in the sky, each bird taking its turn in leading.

On their return journey however, the godwits need to stop and feed in the wetlands of Southeast Asia especially those around the Yellow Sea. These wetlands are rapidly disappearing due to land reclamation and development. The godwits and other migratory shorebirds are finding it harder and harder to find places to rest and feed.

Jeannie Baker describes her artwork as collage construction. All the collages begin as detailed drawings and then using a range of materials the pictures are gradually build up in layers. She incorporates all the elements of colour and texture which focus on getting a realistic and natural look by blending materials and using space to create dimension and a sense of depth perspective.

In ‘Circle’ Jeannie Baker collected and used a myriad of natural materials including seed pods, dried moss, feathers, bark, sand, eggshells. In layering and building the collages of water, sand, coastal vegetation, people, the sky, and birds she has created a visual language that reflects the light, the texture, the perspective, and tone. Together these capture the complexity, beauty, and fragility of the natural world.

While this is the godwits story the introduction of a boy lying on his bed dreaming of flying at the book’s opening introduces a human element into the story. The inclusion in the picture of a wheelchair as well as a computer and book with information on godwits adds a poignancy to the tale. At the end we see the boy at the beach trying to stop a dog from attacking the godwits, the inclusion of crutches to replace the wheelchair indicating a movement of time.

This is the story of a journey, of movement and of time, reflected in the fluidity of movement found in the intricate collage images found in the book.

1. Walker Books. Teacher Notes by Robyn Sheahan-Bright for ‘Circle’ by Jeannie Baker https://classroom.walkerbooks.com.au/circle/pdf/Circle_EducationBooklet_WEB.pdf
2. Educate.Empower. 16 August 2017. Teachers Notes by Vanessa Ryan-Rendall for ‘Circle’ by Jeannie Baker https://educateempower.blog/2016/08/16/circle-by-jeannie-baker/
3. Australian National Maritime Museum. June 22, 2016. Jeannie Baker on creating ‘Circle’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QwNIsMXGmE
4. Antithesis Journal. May 21, 2019. Post by Siana Einfeld. ‘Circle’ by Jeanie Baker - A story that inspires and educates.’ https://www.antithesisjournal.com.au/blog/2019/5/21/circle-by-jeannie-baker-a-story-that-inspires-and-educates
5. Caught in the Spell of Words. November 19, 2017. Blog post by Lyn Anderson and Ann Whiting. ‘Of cycles, circles and flight.’ https://caughtinthespellofwords.wordpress.com/2017/11/19/first-blog-post/
6. Birdlife Australia. ‘Bar-tailed Godwit.’ https://birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/bar-tailed-godwit
7. Australian Museum. December 9, 2020. ‘Bar-tailed Godwit’ https://australian.museum/learn/animals/birds/bar-tailed-godwit/