Junk Birds

Everywhere we look stores are full of large quantities of mass produced decorative items, which tend to be aesthetically challenged or just plain ugly. More often than not they are also sterile and soulless. But if you dare to join me we will deconstruct these objects and then with an open, playful spirit, we will recreate and reconstruct them into our own unique pieces of soulful art.

Starting with a commercially made artificial bird decorations we will engage in some deconstruction. Through the use of fabric, wire, string, and whatever else, we will create a complex textural base on our bird/s. Then using thin metal and found objects we will build new beaks, wings, and eyes. We will embellish and add richness to our creation, with beads, buttons, paint, ink, and rust.

This is a project-based class with tons of room for exploration and variation. I really encourage everyone to go where their muse is leading them. We will be learning lots of fun easy techniques that produce quick, dramatic results. You’ll find that these newly learned techniques can be applied to many different kinds of mixed media work. I look forward to playing with you.

Supply List:

• Several artificial bird decorations made of foam and feathers found in excess around the holidays at big craft stores like Michaels and Joanne’s usually in the floral section. Also try online at Lamplight Feather Company (has a wide variety) tonyhill.net/productCat43986.ctlg
• Fabric scraps to be torn up (think different textures i.e. lace, cheesecloth, tulle, silk, etc)
• Some choices of string, or yarn
• Misc feathers
• Basic wire tools (wire cutters, sturdy needle nose pliers)
• 24 ga annealed steel wire
• Buttons, snaps, or beads to use as eyes
• Large hole beads, buttons, or washers to embellish wire hanger
• Pieces of thin metal (copper, brass, decorative tin, rusty metal) for making beaks and wings
• Tin snips or old Scissors
• Fabric glue-- sm bottle ( I prefer Fabri-tac Permanent Fabric Adhesive )
  
  Optional:
• Other misc junk to embellish your bird (silk flowers, doll hats, old jewelry, etc)
• Collage papers-- just a few (I prefer old text, letters, or ledgers)
  
  Teacher will provide:
• Rebar wire for hanger
• Patina solutions
• Tools to share
• Walnut ink
• Beeswax
• Liquid Nails Adhesive
• Paint
  
  P.S. No stressing allowed! It is about the creative process, not the specific supplies.