Birdsell is heavily invested in using art as a tool to examine and critique power. Their personal experiences as a queer, former substance-user from the American MidWest shape the iconography of their work, while their use of documentary and archival research push their body of work from the personal to the political.

Through their work, Birdsell aims to dismantle false dichotomies of experience by delving into the nuances of gender, sexuality, use, class, and love. They hope their body of work can serve to dismantle queer and recovery stigma, honor place and land, and speak truth to power.