Judith Roderick explores the artists of the bird world with 'Bowerbirds'
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Explore the artists of the bird world, made into their own works of art.
鈥淚 am showing quilts. The originals I painted on silk, very elaborate quilts with the theme of bowerbirds,鈥� Judith Roderick said.
The Australian and New Guinea species are the artists of the bird world according to Roderick. The birds create elaborate bowers.
鈥淭hey not only build it, they decorate it quite elaborately,鈥� she said.
Roderick鈥檚 pieces will be on display at the Wild Hearts Gallery in Placitas through Aug. 31. There will be an artist's reception from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16.
Quilting has been Roderick鈥檚 primary art form for about 20 years, she said, but the exhibit explores a different theme than her previous projects.
鈥淚鈥檝e done a lot of protest quilts in my life. And there鈥檚 a lot to protest right now. So I leaned that direction for a long time,鈥� Roderick said. 鈥淎nd then I thought this is in our face every day, every minute, every time 鈥� I just don鈥檛 want to put more of that out in the world.鈥�
When she was looking for a new theme to explore, she leaned into her love of birds, specifically bowerbirds.
鈥淚 thought, OK, I want to make something beautiful and interesting and uplifting. And I鈥檝e been making bowerbird quilts on and off for many years,鈥� Roderick said. 鈥淏ut I鈥檝e never made this many at the same time, because they鈥檙e quite elaborate to make. So we鈥檙e going to have a little flock of bowerbirds in New Mexico this month.鈥�
The 鈥渇lock of bowerbirds鈥� will be featured on pieces crafted with silk, showcasing different species of the bird.
鈥淚 paint on silk, so it鈥檚 like painting a watercolor. You鈥檙e painting on white silk stretched out horizontally,鈥� Roderick said. 鈥淎nd I鈥檓 using resist for the edges to draw the images, and then I鈥檓 painting and then with these quilts, there鈥檚 a lot of collaging.鈥�
Roderick鈥檚 pieces have everything from buttons and beads to clothespins and spoons sewn on them.
Bowerbirds, like the satin bowerbird, collect objects based on their color.
鈥淔or a long time last year, I told my friends, when you鈥檙e hiking, if you see any little trash that鈥檚 blue, bring it to me,鈥� Roderick said. 鈥淪o they did. I have all kinds of little weird blue things there.鈥�
There are many steps in the process to make the quilts, but Roderick said her favorite step is near the end when it comes to putting on all the bits and pieces.
鈥淚 sew on the buttons and sew on the beads and everything. Maybe that鈥檚 my favorite part because it鈥檚 very meditative for me, and I do it very slowly, and I have so many wonderful things to choose from,鈥� Roderick said.
Aside from her friends collecting items for her to sew on, Roderick said she has amassed quite a button collection.
鈥淢others see my quilts with buttons on, and they say, 鈥楧ear, would you like my button collection? Because I don鈥檛 know what to do with it,鈥欌�� Roderick said. 鈥淎nd I say yes. So I have a wonderful button collection from all kinds of people, and I鈥檓 still getting them.鈥�
She likens herself to the bowerbirds because of the collections she has amassed.
鈥淚 always think, if I was a bird, oh, I鈥檇 like to be like a whooping crane or an eagle, but really, I鈥檇 be a bowerbird,鈥� Roderick said. 鈥淏ecause I collect objects and I arrange objects and I decorate my quilts. I just do what they do, they do what I do.鈥�
Roderick wanted to use her art and collection to create pieces to spread positivity.
鈥淲hat I鈥檓 still trying to do is spread a little beauty in the world, and there鈥檚 plenty of sadness and ugliness and meanness and bullies and humans behaving badly to each other and to the Earth,鈥� Roderick said. 鈥淎nd I just want to spread a little joy and a little beauty and a little delight out there.鈥�
