IsabeauxStudio

After finishing my winged figure, I came across my next project through a friend.  She told me about "Birdhaus," a project  presented by the Orinda Arts Council.  This was a benefit auction to support arts education and Habitat for Humanity.  The Orinda Arts Council asked local artists to build a birdhouse in the media of choice for donation and eventual sale.  Check out the reference section, and click on the link for Birdhaus.  Click on "Artists" at the top menu bar and see all the entries for the auction.  They are all very clever.

This was a project for a worthy cause and one that I could sink my teeth into.

I love to "design into" projects.  Birdhaus provided me with a design problem.  The hardest part for me when starting a new series is choosing a concept or theme.  There are just too many ways to go.  I find it is like going to the gym.  It is really hard to get started, but once I do, watch out.

So with the task of building a birdhouse in hand, it was time to dig out my saws again.  I wanted my birdhouse to have the feeling of a bird "pagoda."  With that in mind I did the initial simple sketch, and started the patterns for the piece.  Once the pattern work was completed I started trolling through my bins of scrap wood.   I wanted to see if I could use up the pieces of wood that I had schlepped from New York.  I recycled old shelves to make it and was glad I didn't have to go buy wood for this project.

In 2006 I changed how I documented my work.  My digital camera was and still is a tool that I use most in my work for many different reasons.  No longer was I just taking a picture of the completed piece at the end, but was instead documenting the whole progression.  I kept these pictures in journal, and used them to show to my coach I was staying on track.  I also used them to visualize the birdhouse when I was away from it.  I would keep the pictures on my monitor at work so I could ponder and consider the next steps.  By the end of the day, I knew what needed to be done, and was able to get straight to work once I arrived home. 

This is the basic structure.  Since I used scrap wood, there was a lot of work to be done filling in the dents & dings with wood putty.  It was also at this stage that I realized I needed another cross piece at the bottom.  What you can't see in this photo is that the side pieces join together below the base.  Without the cross piece you could only hang the birdhouse in its present state.

In this picture, you can see where I added that cross piece on the bottom for stability.  Here I am also starting to add the wire "lacing" for the sides of the birdhouse.  I took the idea for the wire lacing from a dress that I made (see journal entry "Collaboration.")  I thought that the lacing would be a good way to let sun, air, and rain through but still give a protected feel.

This is the completed piece titled "Red Lace Lantern."  I added a perch, and finished it with red lacquer.  I was told that the chairperson of the Birdhaus project wanted it for her backyard garden, and ended up winning it at auction.   It is nice to know that this found a good home, as well as earned money for a good cause.