Hearld's practice stems from a love of the British countryside, curiosity for objects and a magpie approach to collecting. For the Birds & Beasts exhibition, Hearld took inspiration from YSP’s 500-acre historic estate and its inhabitant wildlife to create new work.

The YSP Centre and Upper Space gallery were decorated with Hearld’s hand-painted wooden animals; three-dimensional, hand-decorated ceramic hares; collages in hand-painted frames, lino-cuts, and limited edition litho prints. A flock of hand-decorated wooden pigeons hung in the concourse and found objects chosen by the artist featured in a characteristically eccentric window display.

Hearld works closely with skilled craftsmen to realise his ideas, using Curwen Studio in Cambridge to make litho prints and Daniel Bugg at Penfold Press, Selby to produce lino cuts. For this project, Hearld established a new relationship with a Stoke-based mould maker to produce a range of limited edition ceramic hares, exclusive to YSP.

Hearld also designed and produced a limited-edition litho print entitled  Autumn Fox, alongside other exclusive merchandise including a silk twill scarf, cotton canvas bag and creamware mug to accompany the exhibition.