BECORNS!
By Anne Cissel; Photos by David M. BirdAn artist creates an imaginary world using building blocks from nature.
When David Bird worked as a designer at the Lego toy company, he loved to invent tiny worlds for others to enjoy. After he left that job, he missed the fun of building small figures and structures. Then he realized there was an endless supply of building materials in his backyard!
“At Lego, I learned to build characters and tell stories with bricks. Now I do the same, but with sticks,” he said.
David calls his creations “Becorns.” Each figure has a name and its own personality. He first sketches the character with paper and pencil. Then he builds it using acorns, twigs, pine cones, and other natural stuff. He places the Becorn outside, sometimes with birdseed to attract birds and other critters. Then he waits with his camera to see what happens.
While waiting and watching, David has learned a lot about the woodland creatures that visit his yard.
Sometimes things don’t go as planned, however. Once, a hungry squirrel stole one of his Becorns! But eventually, David gets the photo he wants. Then he shares the magical moment with the world.
What kind of creations can YOU make with things you find outside?
