Birdhouses on display at City Museum
Brooke Heitz
Issue date: 4/3/01 Section: Lifestyles
|
The City Museum is displaying dozens of birdhouses entered by artists from all over the country. “Out On A Limb” is a collection of different art media used to build and design different types of birdhouses.
Upon entering the exhibit, visitors are greeted by a giant bird’s nest created and crafted by Tim Curtis, an artist who has worked closely with the City Museum.
After weaving in and out of the nest filled with different objects such as chairs and tables, visitors enter a room filled with birdhouses.
Shannon McAvoy, assistant curator at the City Museum, said that many of the artists are people from the area.
“This exhibit is more for the local artists,” McAvoy said. “Aside from maybe the mosaics that were done by the same artist who happens to be creating our mosaic floor, there are no well-known artists in the exhibit.”
Some of the birdhouses made for this exhibit are quite unique. McAvoy pointed out that many of the artists used their creativity.
Birdhouses designed from stained glass and old computers filled the room in different shapes and sizes. One artist even went overboard and created a birdhouse to resemble the sinking Titanic.
Other works of art looked good enough to eat. A large slice of cake dangled from the ceiling with a fork stuck in it for a perch.
Still, other houses were made from old farm tools and recyclable material.
Artists from as far as California and Pennsylvania entered their works to the museum’s board which then selected the choice pieces to be on display, McAvoy said.
Maria Atchison, of visitor services at the City Museum, said this exhibit was originated in St. Louis and is somewhat exclusive.
“It is something that we have done a few times with similar concepts about different subjects,” she said. “When we first opened, we did one called ‘Shoe Show,’ where hundreds of artists sent us ‘shoe art.’
“We’ve had lots of local interest, but we also have some (birdhouses) from Florida and California. The mediums involved vary from mosaic to ceramics, and even found objects such as old computers,” she said.
Atchison said the exhibit is promoted throughout the museum by added activities related to birdhouses.
“Part of our mission at the City Museum is to inspire creativity, and we believe that everyone has creativity in them,” Atchison said. “We have clay building where kids can make whatever they want, but we try to encourage them to make something related to what they saw in the museum. We also have areas where they can paint and use recyclable materials to make birds or weave nests in the weaving area. It’s just a way to intertwine the theme throughout the museum.”
The “Out On A Limb” exhibit runs until May 27 at the City Museum. The museum is at 701 N. 15th St. in downtown St. Louis. Hours are from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $6, which includes special exhibits. Membership is also available for year-round visitors. For more information about the City Museum, call (314) 231-2489.
Be the first to comment on this story