Creating Florida native birds from natural materials? A perfect way to celebrate Florida's biodiversity! Audubon sits down with Florida artist Beth Lane Williams to talk about her work with pine needles.
Q. You use unique materials in your artwork - how did you start this artistic practice?
The Seminole and Calusa Indians of Southwest Florida started their creative brainstorming using pine needles to make their baskets. Their basketry techniques are timeless. I use an old technique called the “coil” method and have also adapted some new procedures of my own to get the desired results. I picked up this pine needle infatuation after reading about their history and knowing that I have the very same slash pine trees in my yard.
I love all nature. I love texture and it is abundant everywhere around us. Working with pine needles as my medium of choice, cannot get one any closer to the earth. I feel very comfortable and at home there.
The Florida Scrub-Jay piece was indeed a challenge. The color placement and variations on the Jay are definitely unique to them. I chose to place him on the ground on a piece of driftwood; as he can be found there quite often. I have been lucky to have several land on me when hiking. Scrub-jays make me happy!