North Carolina Backyard Birds

North Carolina Backyard Birds

In this project we celebrate the native and migratory birds that we see in North Carolina, and also create a multi- process sculpture!

Professional artists Anna Podris and Keith Norval will work with students on a collaborative project to create a colorful, site-specific outdoor installation either temporary or semi-permanent. Students will explore painting and sculpture as they create a specific species of bird using recycled materials, plaster, and acrylic paint. The project takes shape as students collaborate on different elements and actively participate in the making of individual birds that serve to teach the fundamentals of bird identification. The experience of this project is sure to raise students’ awareness of the ecosystems in their backyards and communities.

This project works best with students in 4th grade or older due to the manual dexterity that sculpting requires. We offer 3 options for the finished birds. First option is the students simply take their birds home upon completion. They have worked hard on this project and can have the birds to show off to friends and family! Our second option is to create a site specific temporary installation with the birds on your school’s campus- we will have all the birds perching in your school’s trees for a few weeks to a month- and then the students can take them home. This option allows the whole school to see and appreciate the birds, and allows the students ownership of their project. Option three is with the school’s help we will build a semi-permanent structure with branches for the birds to perch on. This allows the birds to live on as a legacy at the school for about 3 years.


Artist Background

Anna Podris and Keith Norval, both Savannah College of Art and Design graduates, are a husband and wife art team who are active in the local arts scene and in art education. They are founding members of the new City Market Artist Collective – a gallery run for and by artists. They have taught kids’ summer art classes to a variety of ages for many years at a variety of places including Artspace, Wild at Art and the NCMA. Both are professional painters and have taught mural painting, sculpture, sewing, printmaking, bookmaking and mixed media. They find that working with kids regularly helps keep them inspired in the studio. Their philosophy is to give kids the tools to create and creative freedom to explore. Every kid has their own unique imagination!


Search Criteria

‹ Back to Search Results