Tjanpi Central Desert Weavers inspired fibre bird sculptures

Awhile back I saw a post on the blog, "Use Your Coloured Pencils", regarding an aboriginal inspired fibre sculpture that I found quite intriguing.  It was nice to see something other than "dot" paintings for a change by the contemporary aboriginal artist group, Tjanpi Central Desert Weavers. After doing some research on the work of this group,  I have been dying to try a project based on this post and figured Sculpture Week through North Vancouver Community Arts Council was the perfect time!

Blue Jay, 8 year old

Not perfect timing on my part however was introducing this project at the end of a three hour day in almost 100 degree heat...no air-conditioning!  Because living in Vancouver, you don't really need air-conditioning, except on the record breaking temperatures we were having on this particular day.

Exhausted 6,7, and 8 year old students, who were being asked to start a THIRD sculpture project at the end of a hot day, were unimpressed with my desire to cover newspaper forms in twine.  Thankfully the day ended quickly and I put this project to the side for a couple of days before they worked on it again.

Day three, rested children and blessed cooler temperatures more in keeping with Vancouver summers brought a whole new attitude to the project and not only were the kids far more impressed with my desire to continue on with the twine, they welcomed the variety of wool colored yarns, wires, and other found objects hidden in the recesses of the art cupboard that I pulled out to use.

How darling is the above bluejay?!

Snow Owl, 7 year old

I had gathered a bunch of sticks from around my cedar tree at home. I had the students wire their finished work on the branches but as you can see, some of them were not content to stop once the bird was on the branch. (which is where I thought the project would end) In amongst the junk, one child found a scour pad that became a nest, adding a bit of wool roving stashed in an old box and some pom pom's for eggs.  This then inspired another student to create her nest out of some pipe cleaner with pom pom eggs.  

I love when they are inspired by their peers' creations.

Flying Bird, 6 year old

As they started seeing the fun in working with found objects, the sticks I had brought in even became fair game and were quickly being turned into wings for flying birds!  

I offered to put a hanging wire into the above bird so the sculpture would be a mobile, but she was so in love with her work at the end she wanted to be able to play with it and "fly" it at home.  How cute is that?!  I love to see them truly enjoy their creations, especially this child who was the least impressed on the first day.  To see her overcome something she deemed "too hard" and after complaining numerous times about "not being able to do it", not only complete the project on her own, but LOVE doing it was the best!  Needless to say she was proud of herself and I was so proud of her too.

Fashionista Bird, 8 year old

Then the birds started taking on personalities!  Flying stick wings with an extra long neck in order to wear a lovely boa made from found roving.  Meet the "Fashionista Bird".  She did want her bird to hang like a mobile and it was equal parts funny and so, so darling.

7 year old

Then there was the bird with stars in their eyes.  This student was all in with every project and was the creator of the extra long tail that inspired a similar tail on the Fashionista bird.  She enjoyed this project from the beginning, even in the 100 degree heat.  She was such a good sport.

Although overall we got off to a slow start, once the kids got their second wind this was a very successful project.  As you can see, it took on a life of its own and I found it exciting to watch as their imagination took off and they were happy to go along for the ride and expand upon the original introduction I had given for the work.

I will be sad to see these sweet birds leave the studio, the heat yes, the birds, no.