Two area artisans have found a way to recycle things from our past into items which are both artistic and functional.
Morley Maier and Shelley Westerberg have been creating unique birdhouses out of recycled lumber and adornments for several years.
The pair recently submitted their creations to the jury in wood-working conducted by the Saskatchewan Craft Council (SCC), and received 'Juried Marketing Member' status.
"Craft artists who are juried have samples of their work evaluated by experienced professional craft artists working in the same media," explained Chris Jones, member services coordinator for the SCC in a prepared release. "There are detailed and written criteria that the work is judged against - ranging from aesthetic appeal to the quality of the workmanship.
"It's a tough exam. Morley and Shelley passed with flying colours."
Westerberg said it was Maier who first suggested "we should jury these," adding with the jury's approval makes it possible to attend SCC sponsored events as new marketing avenues.
"Mostly it's a validation of what we do, that it's creative enough, artistic enough, interesting enough (to be selected)," said Maier.
Maier said he and Westerberg have been artisan partners for several years, starting with willow baskets and furniture, and evolving into the birdhouses, adding he isn't exactly sure why they started the houses.
"I don't think it was a single moment in time We saw lots of different birdhouses people were making. I suppose most good ideas are stolen," he said with a smile.
Maier said they had some old lumber and inspired by what they had seen others do "put together some birdhouses," adding they turned to creating the houses "in a serious way maybe five years ago."
The creations quickly became more than simply function, square wooden boxes, as the pair added an artistic flare to the pieces turning them into what might best be described as upscale, designer homes for birds.
"We both like the kind of things you see in antique shops and thrift stores," said Maier, adding they wanted to give the birdhouses a vintage look.
To achieve that look Maier said they have found a treasure trove of possibilities in what most might generally see as simply junk.
In many instances the material is salvaged, while in others certain items might be purchased at an antique store if it helps fulfill a creative vision for a birdhouse.
"People are sometimes kind enough to let us go into old houses and buildings," he said, adding on many cases they are buildings that are going to be burned or bulldozed, but they can still gather all manner of interesting things which can be incorporated into a decorative birdhouse.
In some cases the find is just boards, but Maier said they are also on the lookout for old knobs, hinges, items from horse harness, pieces of tin with advertising on them, and even vintage square nails.
"We collect the boards specifically for this," he said adding when you collect boards from old houses it's intriguing what you have to work with. "Old houses have layers of paint."
That is a good thing in Maier's mind. He said in creating the birdhouses, they "never paint. For us that would be breaking the rules."
However, when they do want a particular colour they can on occasion remove one layer of paint seeking another.
"We don't get to chose colours, but we can often go to the next layer," he said.
Much as is the decision to avoid the paint brush, Maier said when using recycled things often salvaged from long abandoned buildings things may have chips, scrapes and breaks.
"We don't try to hide the breaks," he said.
Westerberg said the creative aspect of what they do keeps her interest in the birdhouses.
"I like taking that junk and making something beautiful," she said, adding there is something special in salvaging something from another era which might well have been lost to a torch or bulldozer, and creating something aesthetically pleasing and yet still functional.
While aesthetically charming, to the point many are purchased as decorative features in people's homes, Westerberg has several as artistic features in her own home, the creations are still made with birds in mind.
"They're functional birdhouses," said Maier, as he demonstrated how they have a fasten-able, hinged panel which allows for old nests to be cleared away.
"I am quite certain a wren would just love to live in there," he added pointing at one of the houses.To allow them to be functional they are coated in urethane, said Maier.
Although they are built as homes for birds, the artistic nature of the creations makes them more expensive than the normal birdhouse.
"They're for somebody that really appreciates what they are buying," said Maier, explaining that because of the vintage wood and items used, the houses really reflect the heritage of the province."These boards come from somebody's homesteads," he said, adding the pieces of harness reflect back to a time when horses were used for transportation and farming.
Maier said now that he is retired they try to put more time into making the birdhouses, although Westerberg stills has a regular career. While taking it more seriously, he said, "it's still sort of just for fun sort of thing."
Westerberg and Maier focus most of their attention on the birdhouses, they have made feeders as well. They market most of their creations through the annual Sunflower Arts and Craft Sale in Yorkton each fall.
For information on the birdhouses, contact: Morley Maier at 782-7287 or Shelly Westerberg at 744-8116.
