Pied Flycatcher Sculpture

Pied flycatchers are cute little birds that sometimes you don't see at all and the next year they are breeding in 3 nest boxes. The are easy to recognize by their black and white pattern and always perched on high branches sitting straight up, flying off to catch an insect and returning to the same spot. Our garden is as bird an animal friendly as possible, they can nest everywhere and eat everything. I have been a birdwatcher and a bird lover ever since I was a kid. Having collected sea glass, fossils, shells and driftwood for most of my life, I never knew what to do with the driftwood. Till my neighbor decided to take down his old barn. I noticed all the beautiful old wood he was throwing away. I could take whatever I wanted and decided to make small birds out of it. Then the driftwood came in handy as a base for them to sit on. Inspired by old decoy ducks ad Inuit animal carvings I make my birds as basic as possible while showing their characteristics and special behavior. I like the fact that besides paint and the eyes, I can find and reuse all kinds of materials. From reclaimed wood, boat parts, old furniture and parts of chopped down trees, there is art in all of it. I make everything by hand after the first rough cutout and being outside sanding while listening to the birds is such a joy.