Product Description
Birds with 3-D Wings
Create your own flock with this set of five birds on the wing. They look great together on the wall, but that is just one of many display ideas. Hang them on a special package, use them with a colorful ribbon to trim the tree or wreath during the holidays, or use a few together with other sculptures or wall art to create movement and "tell a story." One set - lots of possibilities!
In the village of Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, the air rings with the sound of metal banging against metal. Workshops line the streets of the village and outside each are stacks of discarded 55-gallon drums awaiting transformation. To begin the process, the tops of the barrels are removed and the open barrel is stuffed with straw and dried banana leaves and then set ablaze. This burns out the residue and old paint and strengthens the metal. After the barrels have cooled, they are slit down the side, pried open, pounded flat and sanded down, giving the artist a smooth flat surface, much like a painter’s canvas. The artist chalks his design onto the metal and then, using a hammer and chisel, begins the work of cutting the sculpture and giving it form, detail and dimension. When he is satisfied with his results, he pounds his signature onto the sculpture and seals it with a protective, weather-proof finish.
Though it is protected with a weather-proof finish, this sculpture will rust over time, if exposed to outdoor weather. To prevent this from happening, grab a can of spray on enamel at the hardward store and go to it. Once a year should be plenty. It's a snap!
We are proud to support our artists with fair trade practices.
Each of these little birds comes with a hanger that has been riveted onto the back. If you are displaying them outside and you need a little more "insurance" against them flying away, there are two things you can do. First, take a hammer and bang down the hanger 'til it's almost closed and the nail head is a snug fit. Second, take another nail with a small head and bang it into the wall in the notch between the bird's body and lower wing. The nail will virtually "disappear" into the sculpture once it's hung. Nothing to it!
It's Cactus Metal Art Haiti
