The Flight of the Red Yarn
2026
Acrylic Paint on Canvas
Triptych: Each panel 300mm x 500mm (11.8’x19.7’)
Size: 900mm x 1500mm (35.4’ x 59’)

The Flight of the Red Yarn

In ‘The Flight of the Red Yarn’, the birds symbolise individuals within the Parkinson’s and disability communities, each navigating change, connection, and identity. Shown soaring, perching, or resting, they reflect diverse lived experiences and personal journeys.

Birds in flight express resilience, hope, and rising above challenge, while those at rest convey vulnerability, reflection, and the need for care. This contrast captures the dual reality of disability—strength alongside fragility.
Red ribbon-like threads link the birds, representing invisible yet enduring bonds formed through shared experience, advocacy, and support. These connections affirm collective strength, even in isolation.

A soft blue sky and blossoms suggest renewal and possibility, while a nest anchors the work in safety, belonging, and community.

This artwork visually interprets my poem: ‘The Eternal Linking Yarn’ viewable as a film. Visit:




Used by permission of the artist.

Danielle McCarthy

I am an educator, social worker, author, and advocate whose life was profoundly reshaped by a diagnosis of Young Onset ...more