Concrete Bird Feeder Part 1

[Hermes2020]

I have finished the design of my proposed concrete bird feeder and I am ready to start the physical work. Over the coming weeks (more likely months! ) I will be reporting on the work flow and progress. This first part is just an introduction to show the preliminary work I've done to prepare the way. Concrete is an unforgiving medium, so it requires meticulous planning and preparation to prevent any nasty surprises. Luckily, it is in my nature to look before I leap. Also, working out the engineering details down to 1mm tolerances (quite good enough for my concrete work) is also something I enjoy tremendously.

As mentioned before in Creative Spark, I have started with the tray that will hold the plates of bird food.

https://creativespark.art/threads/what-are-you-working-on.3/post-97899

I have also made a mobile work surface, size 1200 x 600 mm, from spare parts left over from other projects. Here is a photo of the work surface, with the tray on it. The tray is essentially ready; I just have to clean it up.

I am reasonably happy with the tray, but I may try to make a better one later after I’ve made to concrete parts. It will be removable, so it will be easy to upgrade later. In the next instalments of this narrative I will talk about the design steps and show what I want the sculpture to look like.

 

[Artyczar]

This is so exciting and I love seeing your progress!!!!

...also, is that a Knoll chair?

 

[Hermes2020]

This is so exciting and I love seeing your progress!!!!

...also, is that a Knoll chair?

Thank you! No, it is the Lobby Chair that Charles Eames designed for the Time Life Building in 1960. It was also made famous by Bobby Fisher during his match with Boris Spassky in Reykjavík. I have two of these and my ex has the desk chair version. Eames is one of my big heroes and I have many pieces of furniture designed by him and Ray Eames. I modern love furniture classics and have picked up quite a few pieces over the years. This one was made by Vitra in Germany. Here are more details if you are interested:

https://www.vitra.com/en-gb/product/lobby-chair

 

[Artyczar]

Wow! Beautiful! I wish I could afford a chair like that.

 

[Hermes2020]

You only live once, and you can't take it with you is my philosophy.

 

[Donna T]

I look forward to seeing your progress with this, Hermes, and thanks for taking the time to share the steps with us. A removable tray sounds like a good idea since birds aren't the neatest eaters. Your studio space is so beautiful - looks like you get great natural light.

 

[Hermes2020]

I look forward to seeing your progress with this, Hermes, and thanks for taking the time to share the steps with us. A removable tray sounds like a good idea since birds aren't the neatest eaters. Your studio space is so beautiful - looks like you get great natural light.

Thank you, Donna. Yes, I am fortunate to have a space that is big enough to accommodate my music system as well, and has 3.5m ceilings and big windows. At the other end is a small seating area that has a Saarinen dining table to serve snacks to the occasional visitor.

 

[CaliAnn]

So very cool! I have a thing for bird baths - Can't wait to see where you go with this. Thank you for sharing

 

[Hermes2020]

So very cool! I have a thing for bird baths - Can't wait to see where you go with this. Thank you for sharing

Thank you for your interest. I intend showing my design and how I arrived at it soon.

 

[Triduana]

This is interesting! I love bird baths too. Looking forward to seeing the next stage.

 

[OliveOyl]

Agree! I love seeing what you do, Hermes. Will be following along…

 

[Artyczar]

You only live once, and you can't take it with you is my philosophy.

I agree!!! That's my philosophy for all the things I can stretch just beyond what I can afford. The chair I'm sitting in, I purchased many years ago (it is an Eames look-alike), but not exactly what I really wanted. For a few hundred more, I could have purchased a Knoll Pollock, which is what I want now, but I gotta save for it at this point. But it's not out of the question.

 

[Hermes2020]

I agree!!! That's my philosophy for all the things I can stretch just beyond what I can afford. The chair I'm sitting in, I purchased many years ago (it is an Eames look-alike), but not exactly what I really wanted. For a few hundred more, I could have purchased a Knoll Pollock, which is what I want now, but I gotta save for it at this point. But it's not out of the question.

We seem to like the same furniture. I have a genuine Eames Lounge Chair and a few of his other pieces. I am sitting in an Aeron chair as I'm typing this.