Leon Robertson

During one of my many dog walks, I observed a bird pick up a piece of plastic, flip it in the air and appear to question what to do with it. That moment allowed me to really notice the amount of litter that was tucked away in the grasses and hugging the sidewalks in the five streets that define my urban neighborhood. Car accidents, construction sites, bulk pick ups and carelessness are all contributing factors. But I thought, if a bird can use its findings to build a home… Why not build a bird based on my findings? By doing this, I can also help the environment. That is how I was inspired to create The Junkyard Birds. Every bird created in this series is made from items found on the street. The name of the species or title of the piece is often a reference to the materials used. Almost all items that I use is in it’s original found state. The process is like a puzzle, in which the imperfect pieces seem to fit in perfect harmony. For me, the Junkyard Birds is an apocalyptic story on how life evolves after humans no longer exists on Earth. Somehow nature finds a way…