Silver Nest

This is a piece I made for my first gallery exhibit. It's an annual event named "Out of the Box", so called because each artist receives a rough wooden box, about 15" square as the basis for their entry. Anything goes as long as the box can be hung up on the wall afterward.
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So I painted the box black and created a funky found-object nest inside the box and wire & bead "peacock" feathers on the top.
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I took apart an old metal tape measure and small metal baskets and used those strips of silver metal to form the nest. Then I added torn strands of turquoise silk and all manner of found objects including game pieces, silverware, costume jewelry, glass buttons, strands of seed beads and handmade embellishments like the funky black birdcage.
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On the top I used twisted wire, wiring in silver washers around blue glass beads and beaded leaves, to create the peacock "feathers".


I happened to bring it into work the day I needed to drop it off at the gallery and my boss liked it enough to buy it. So now it's hanging in our conference room. Yee-haw!