by Carol Salisbury
7 March 2010 | 13:13
The winter wren is a little brown bird with a very big song. It's a demitasse of a bird, weighing less than half an ounce. But it can bench press a tune like no other local songster, with a voice 10 times more powerful, ounce for ounce, than a crowing rooster.
by Carol Salisbury
21 January 2010 | 12:59
This wonderful rain falling on our Gallery skylight is preparing our garden/backyard bird sanctuary for the flowers and birds of Spring. Inside our Gallery we enjoy Songbird Sculptures by Jim and Tori Mullan all year long. Their collection includes large ravens that were carved in the 30's and 40's and originally used as hunting decoys. The smaller songbirds (bluebirds, orioles, titmouses, warblers, and goldfinches) were hand carved in the l950's. The Mullan's turn each one into an eclectic, one-of-a-kind piece of art. Each bird is hand painted and then embellished with vintage materials that Jim & Tori have collected over the years. The unusual relics such as croquet balls, binoculars and old toys give each inspiring bird their own personality. These sculptures give life to the once forgotten pieces of yesterday.
by Carol Salisbury
3 November 2009 | 09:16
Silver Seasons is the combination of Michael Michaud’s exceptional knowledge of jewelry making and his love of nature. Starting as an apprentice mold cutter in l973, Michael soon became a master precious metal caster and mold maker. In 1976, seeking even more knowledge, Michael moved on to the Rochester Institute of Technology’s prestigious School for American Craftsmen. While studying under esteemed designers Hans Christenson and Gary Griffin, he mastered many of the techniques he uses today to capture the beauty and exquisite detail of nature in metal. After graduation in l980, Michael returned to the jewelry manufacturing community and worked for some of America’s leading jewelry designers.
In 1991, lucky enough to be living in the Connecticut countryside and working near New York City’s slower district; Michael’s love of nature began to combine with his love for jewelry. He began experimenting with the techniques that eventually launched the Silver Seasons collection in 1992.
Below is an image of one of his new additions to his botanical series:
