4. Junco Sanctuary
Laser Cutter, Basswood, Illustration Board, Yellow Cellophane, Tracing Paper, Mirror 7”x7”x12” (2023)
As I continue to explore a sense of protection and my personal investigation in lights and shadows, I decided to create a structure not for a human client, but instead for the dark-eyed junco. Since the junco is a ground-nesting bird, the design was adjusted to be situated on the forest floor and useda mirror on the top as a way to dissuade the bird’s natural predators. I explored the concept of protective yet welcoming facades that allow light and air to circulate throughout the structure. Airy protection from the curvilinear strips casts shade for my avian inhabitants mimicking the layered, shrubbery shadows that would typically be found around the junco’s natural habitats.