Richard Burke’s work is almost exclusively concerned with avian form. Working in a variety of materials such as stone, wood and bronze he depicts birds balanced, at rest and watchful. The posture and gesture of the subject is usually the concept. Often the perched bird is caught glaring over a shoulder with a look of distain, as if interrupted. His most current work strives to expose the characteristics of the materials utilized in the process. Many of these later subjects are owls which lend themselves to human-like expressions and poses.