My Birds – Insight From Artist David Jacobson at Maine Art Hill in Kennebunk

We asked artist David Jacobson to share a bit about his birds. It is always so interesting to hear the inside scoop on an artist’s work. Here, not only does he talk about his process, but also his inspiration is explained. Enjoy…

“I would love to talk about the birds I have been making for over a year now. Like most good things, they started by accident. I played with solid glass, pushing and pulling them out and glass around a solid rod. When I stopped, I realized the object looked like a bird. I decided to see if I could control the process a little more and developed it into what I am offering today. I am further along than where I was initially, but I am nowhere near where I want to be.

My goal is to capture the gesture of the bird. Its essence. I am not concerned with details of the eyes or feathers, for example – more, of the form of flight. My recent wall piece of assembled birds of various colors at Maine Art Hill is a good example of what I am after. Each bird is interesting, in and of its self, and together forms a more intricate sculpture. The birds are placed in a formation that is influenced by observed birds in flight. Angling up, lifting off, soaring. Actual colorings influence the birds’ patterns and colors, but the birds are representational of actual birds.

In fact, the names of the birds are completely made up. I take great joy in coming up with playful names, sometimes matching real species with randomly selected countries. If I smile, I know I have come up with a good combination. I find this process adds another level of interaction with the viewer.

Color and light reflection are major draws for me in working with glass. I use a combination of transparent and opaque-colored glasses in most of my birds. This adds depth when looking through the bird. I also sandblast some of the birds or partially sandblast. This, too, adds depth and interest to the bird’s surface, as the color and reflective qualities of the glass are affected by the mat or shiny surface.”

To see David Jacobson’s entire collection of available works, visit his artist page or come in and see them in person. They are on display at both the main gallery at 14 Western Ave and The Works at 5 Chase Hill, both in Kennebunk.