Bird imagery, with its rich abundance of visual metaphor, has always fascinated me.  It has taken shape in "Birdland", the title of my series of found object wall assemblages.

As if risen from the ashes like a phoenix, a multitude of  detritus--aged metals, wood, castoff furniture parts and hardware--have materialized into avian forms of fancy.  Shaped by my vision and the tools and processes of my studio, I re-interpret and honor the unique histories betrayed by each weathered component.

The free found discards in each assemblage are discovered on shores, streets and woods as I walk my dog;  some are passed along by dear friends.  My tools and procesess are lo tech:  files, chisels, saws 
and sanders used sparingly on disparate pieces attached by bolts, screws, rivets and occasional welded.

 

Bird imagery, with its rich abundance of visual metaphor, has always fascinated me. It has taken shape in “Birdland”, my series of wall assemblages.

As if risen from the ashes like a phoenix, a multitude of found objects—cast-off furniture parts, aged metals and hardware--have materialized into avian forms of fancy, shaped by my vision and the tools and processes of my studio, which together attempt to re-interpret and honor the unique histories betrayed by each weathered component.

Most of the materials in each assemblage were found in local wooded areas as I walked my dog; some were passed along to me by dear friends. My tools and processes are simple: files, chisels, band saws and sanders used sparingly on disparate pieces bolted, riveted, screwed, brazed, and occasionally welded.

In May 2015 I was an INSIDE ZONE resident artist in Borsec, Romania, a town at the base of the Carpathian mountainous. Throughout my life I had heard stories about my mysterious ancestral land of Transylvania.

During my urban exploration of the town’s crumbling villas, hospital and surrounding area, I took photographs. When I returned home I assembled frames from a few objects I collected there in addition to other materials from my studio. I created the odd sized structures first and then placed the archival pigment photographs inside the frames.