Three colorful insect sculptures made of painted wood and wire, each with intricate patterns, mounted on wooden bases and positioned on a beige carpet.
Three decorative bird sculptures with long beaks, made of patterned pink and red fabrics, standing on circular and rectangular bases on a beige surface.
Two handcrafted, artistically painted metal and wood animal figurines resembling a whale and a rhinoceros, placed on a beige carpeted surface.

Making a Bird

Each bird shape is uniquely Meg’s.  After creating a mold for the torso (which can be re-used), the inner form of the bird is cured on the mold, then removed, and the fun begins in earnest.  At this point, the head shape is added and the varied clay fabrics are created using cane designs.  These fabrics are over-laid, textured, carved and back-filled.  The heads, tails and wings all come into being as each bird’s individual attitude begins to assert itself.

Once the legs and base are added, Meg sands and buffs with Renaissance Wax to bring out the depth of color and design.

From start to finish, there can be about ten different “cures” in the oven , each time about 40 minutes. 

Three handcrafted bird figurines made of fabric, wire, and other materials on a gray surface.
Three colorful bird figurines made of cloth, wire, and textured materials on a beige carpet.