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June Issue 2009
The North Carolina
Arboretum in Asheville, NC, Features Works by Walt Cottingham
The North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, NC, will present the exhibit, Rustic Birdhouses, featuring works by Southern Appalachian artist Walt Cottingham, bringing new meaning to the form of birdhouses, on view from June 18 through Aug. 2, 2009, at the Arboretum's Education Center.
"Though birdhouses
are generally not considered art as much as craft," Cottingham
says, "these pieces serve as wooden sculptures that will
actually function as designed for specific birds." He uses
natural materials, such as mountain laurel, hollow logs, and stumps,
as well as recycled material from old buildings and sawmills,
to create interesting pieces of rustic beauty and functionality.
"I build birdhouses of varying shapes and sizes, most of
which are functional, some of which have stands that are created
for their sculptural qualities," Cottingham says. "The
stands are made from twisted natural pieces of wood, which are
basically woven together and fastened with pegs to create flowing
vertical forms to support the birdhouses. Each one is uniquely
coordinated for the piece it supports."
In addition to functional birdhouses, Cottingham also makes ornamental
birdhouses on stands for interior display. The principles of construction
are the same as the functional houses, yet on a smaller scale.
He also makes birdhouse Christmas ornaments from several types
of wood with split shingle roofs and a variety of ornamentation,
including birds, bells, and lights.
Visitors to The NC Arboretum will also be able to explore the exhibit, H. Douglas Pratt and John C. Sill's BIRDS: The Science of Illustration. In conjunction with the Arboretum's celebration as an official part of the NC Birding Trail, this exhibit explores how art and science work together in Pratt and Sill's artistic illustrations of birds. Located at the Baker Exhibit Center, additional features include: a bird nest collection, containing nests and egg replicas of local songbirds; an interactive bird song display; a habitat match-up interactive mural designed to teach concepts of animal needs and the distinct habitats of local birds in habitats that occur in WNC; and an illustration table with sketch paper, pencils, erasers and colored pencils.
The mission of The North
Carolina Arboretum is to cultivate connections between people
and plants. The North Carolina Arboretum is located next to the
Blue Ridge Parkway entrance at Milepost 393. From I-26, take Exit
33 and follow Blue Ridge Parkway signs for two miles to the entrance
ramp.
For further information check our NC Institutional Gallery
listings, call the Center at 828/665-2492 or visit (www.ncarboretum.org).
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