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Hardly a day goes by when we don’t see or hear birds. These magnificent creatures can be found in the countryside as well as in urban areas. In spite of their loss of natural habitat, birds have adjusted to humans’ presence. As people become more aware of the array of bird life around them, they find ways to encourage birds to nest and feed by providing man-made structures. Out of the Nest: Functional and Fanciful Birdhouses looks at three distinct types of birdhouses: the purely functional birdhouse, the folk art birdhouse, and the fine art birdhouse.

Out of the Nest introduces several types of birdhouse designs, looking at the elements of shape and utility that attract different species of birds. A sample profile of a bird that would inhabit each house teaches visitors about attracting birds in their own areas. Constructing and painting birdhouses represent the maker’s preoccupation with “hobby”. Included in the exhibition are birdhouses made from ordinary objects such as tin cans and bottlecaps that are often not intended for occupancy by birds and some that belong in the niche of folk art, painted by self-taught artists with great imagination.

Also included are innovative examples of birdhouses created by trained artists and designers. These creations often fully abandon the notion of birdhouse as a domicile for birds. Designed for purely aesthetic purposes, sometimes using unorthodox materials, they demonstrate a preoccupation with escapism or fantasy and a vast range of creativity.