Materials: Hemlock, pine, plywood, glue, pin nails, spray paint, acrylic paint, polyurethane.
I got inspired to make this after seeing hemlock scrap wood left over from a wine-rack. There were all these small pieces of wood of different shapes and thicknesses, and I imagined how they could become feathers and wings on a bird. I collected a couple bags of these scraps, sorted through them, and then began laying the design out on a big board.
This gave me a pretty good rough idea of what the bird would look like. Then I thought of adding the planet, wheat, DNA, and sun elements. To make these, and also to make the bird more symmetrical, I ended up cutting a lot of new blocks.
It’s on a square plywood board a little over four feet to each side. This is by far the biggest thing I’ve made. I think the size allows for an openness and freedom of expression that’s harder to do with something small.
The frame is built from hemlock that I finished with polyurethane and attached to the board with glue and pin nails. My father provided some very helpful woodworking knowledge and assistance at this stage. All other elements are attached with glue. This took a lot of time and care to do.
There are 382 individual pieces in this. I painted each with two coats of acrylic paint, except for the rays of the sun and the beak, which I spray painted gold.
I’m quite happy with how this turned out. I think it has an art-deco look to it, is a style I haven’t explored much on my own, but which I like.