A break from design…I finally got around to posting some more samples of my Gourd Birds on my Flickr photostream.

For some background on these creations, check out the previous post, Gourd Birds, written back at the start of this year.

For several years now, I’ve enjoyed making simple sculptures of birds from dried gourds. I use local materials, including gourds purchased from local farms and driftwood from the beaches of Plum Island.

Here’s a slideshow of some samples (click on any thumbnail):

Most of these sculptures depict shorebirds, as I’ve always had a particular fondness for this group of birds, their long-distance migrations, and the special parts of the world in which they briefly settle. My sentiments are shared by many others who have studied these wonderful birds. “The restlessness of shorebirds, their kinship with distance and swift seasons, the wistful signal of their voices down the long coastlines of the worlds, make them, for me, the the most affecting of wild creatures,” writes naturalist and author Peter Matthiessen in The Wind Birds.

Although I create these Gourds Birds for my own enjoyment and creative expression, I also sell them locally. When available, they can be purchased at Little’s Block of Shoppes, 1 West Main Street, Georgetown, MA.

I recently stumbled upon the beautiful work of Joe Pogan online, an Oregon artist who creates metal sculptures of animals from “found objects”. I enjoyed reviewing his web gallery so much that I thought I’d share here, simply because a pleasure shared is a pleasure doubled. I love his work, both for its artistry and ingenuity, and for the symbols of peace I see in many of his sculptures.

As a bird lover, I’m particularly fond of his works depicting birds. Here are some examples:

Joe Pogan describes his work in the following way:

Artist’s Statement

I create animal sculptures using various “found metal” objects like old watches, sprockets, nuts and bolts. The stranger the piece of metal the better, since the end goal is an eye-catching, fascinating amalgamation of metal with odd nooks and crannies you can explore for hours.

I start by welding a frame to make the general shape. Then I weld or braze the metal objects one at a time, to form the outer shell of the sculpture. I use a “blending” technique that leaves no space between the objects, so the sculpture looks solid. This allows me to hide interesting objects all over each piece, which enhances the excitement of discovery. Some of the works are mounted on a hardwood base that I finish with natural oil.