Algerian Bushtit Nest Sculpture Installation

In 2018, I created the Algerian Bushtit Nest for the public unveiling of the Silver Creek Labyrinth at the Alger Community Hall. The sculpture was inspired by the humble bushtit, a small brown songbird whose life embodies many of the qualities I seek to explore in my work.

Each spring, bushtits weave intricate, teardrop-shaped nests from spider silk, lichen, moss, and gathered plant fibers—fragile yet resilient structures created through patience, skill, and intimate relationship with the living world. As the seasons turn, these same birds gather into cooperative flocks, often joining with other species to forage, navigate risk, and survive the winter together.

Suspended from a tree overlooking the labyrinth and Silver Creek, the sculpture was created as an ode to both artful existence and the wisdom of seasonal cooperation. The bushtit reminds me that resilience is rarely an individual achievement; it emerges through relationships, adaptability, and participation in a larger community of life.

I gifted the sculpture to the Alger community as an invitation to reflection. As visitors walked the labyrinth, I hoped the nest offered a reminder that beauty and belonging are often woven from the smallest threads—through acts of care, cooperation, and attentive engagement with the world around us.