Free Birds Program Details

The Concept

The students will use needle and thread to create sculptural birds from single-use plastic. The single-use plastic materials will be evaluated and considered for their texture and color and best use. Students will learn basic hand stitching skills and use their imagination to create the most fantastical birds possible. The birds may then be used to create an installation at the school. 

The kids will note the irony in crafting birds from a material that is polluting our environment, and contributing to the deaths of thousands of birds as they become entangled in plastic bits or mistake it for food. The whimsical appearance of the birds belies the importance of the message, echoing the contradictions people encounter when weighing convenience with recycling and proper waste disposal.

This project is best for students in fifth grade and up as finger strength and dexterity is needed.

The Materials

Single-use plastic packaging (plastic shopping bags, plastic packaging from supermarket items such as paper towels, toilet paper, bread bags, plastic straws etc), scissors, needle and embroidery thread.

The How

It all starts with a presentation. The visiting artist meets with the group to explain the project and show examples of what they need to collect for materials. The presentation takes just under a half hour and multiple participating classes can be scheduled one after the other. The visiting artist leaves a large bin for material collection in the classroom. The kids usually need about a week to collect the materials, longer time may be scheduled to work within the school districts schedule. 

Once the materials are collected the artist returns to guide the children through making the artwork.

Fifth, sixth and seventh graders meet with the artist for an hour and a half, and up to two hours. A few parents volunteers are a welcome addition to the group as well. Students are provided with scissors, needle and thread. They are guided through a freestyle construction of their birds by the artist while using their imagination to decide on colors and sizes of wings, head and tails of their creatures. They are welcome to make the birds as natural or as fantastical looking as they want. 

Eighth and ninth graders meet with the artist for two or three hours. Students are provided with scissors, needle, thread and a paper pattern. They make their birds following an artist provided pattern. Sections of the pattern may be altered depending on their imagination and materials collected. They are welcome to make the birds as natural or as fantastical looking as they want. The kids learn basic hand stitching skills, and the basics of working with a pattern.

Tenth, eleventh and twelfth graders meet with the artist for three to five hours. Students are provided with scissors, needle, thread and pattern paper; they use their own rulers and pencils. The students learn to make their own bird pattern and construct the birds following this pattern. This may be a collaborative effort as they can make the pattern together with a few variations. The class will learn basic pattern making skills, hand stitching skills and use their imagination in new found ways.

At the conclusion of the projects, kids can take their work home with them. If desired and there is a good place for it, an exhibition can take place to show off the work for the whole school to see first.

This project may be stretched out over a week or two, meeting with the artist for an hour or two at a time.