STELLER'S JAY original mixed media wall sculpture

The Steller’s Jay is a bold fellow, long-crested and inquisitive. Native to western North America, they make their homes in the coniferous forests of the Rocky Mountains. Their nests are “a bulky cup of stems and leaves,” foraged from high in the trees and low on the ground, a pastime we share. Inspired by this kinship, this sculptural rendition of the mountain jay was built from leather and metal, fringed and painted. I consider his nest and gather my materials: discarded machinery, fencing and wire collected on a solo wander, metal scraps salvaged from abandoned buildings, decorative trays and treasures revived from forgotten attics, and leather echoing the purpose of its pastime. The sticks, mud, and pine are transposed into metal, wood, and wire, and with each woven layer the dwelling is reinforced.

This nest making process becomes a window into the experience of the bird. How rare it is to glimpse the inner workings of a creature, to imagine the primal blueprints and behaviors of shelter making and eventual repose. It occurs that the fortification and adornment of “home,” transcends species, even phylum. Shelter, in all its forms, is a point of connection for Animalia, and this plumed guide grants access to his version of home.