Birds of a feather flock together. This summer they may be gathering in La Grange, where colorful birdhouses placed atop peace poles will decorate the streets.
Artists have decorated 31 birdhouses placed atop peace poles that, together, each stand 6-feet-tall. The peace poles were chosen for the display in places throughout the business district because they are an international symbol of peace and harmony, organizers said.
This is the 11th year the La Grange Business Association has organized a summer art display. Previous years have featured such items as rocking chairs, rain barrels and elephants.
This year’s art display has been dubbed “Tweet Home La Grange.” The birdhouses, which recently were sealed for protection against the weather at Douglas Auto Body in Brookfield, will be in place to coincide with the La Grange Carnival, which will be held June 3, 4 and 5 on Harris Avenue, between La Grange Road and Ashland Avenue, and the La Grange Pet Parade, which is on June 4..
Nancy Cummings, director of the LGBA, said the exhibit is intended to draw attention to the local art scene and to entice visitors to explore the community.
The birdhouses are decorated with designs created by both professional and amateur artists. Each one is sponsored by a local business or nonprofit organization.
Pam Keller of West Chicago did the artwork for a house sponsored by the Pets & Pals a nonprofit that organizes the pet parade.
“I love doing three-dimensional art,” Keller said. “You have to make sure it looks good from all sides. The colors have to be bright and inviting so people will look at it.”
Keller chose a theme in keeping with the message of the Peace Pole. The four sides of her birdhouse are each decorated as one of each of the four seasons of the year and feature the words Love, Hope, Peace and Joy.
“I saw that peace poles have words or Scripture so I took that as a reference,” she said.
Another of the artists is Kim Leshinski of La Grange. She designed a bird house with a Moroccan theme.
“It has a lot of Moroccan patterns, a tin roof and a twig where a bird could sit on,” she said.
She chose her design because it has a warm and welcoming feel and yet is unique and speaks of the cultural mix of people and ethnicities in the western suburbs.
“I thought it would be a little different to have an exotic influence,” she said.
Like Keller, she enjoyed working in three dimensions.
“It was really fun to take my ideas to a 3-D space,” she said. “It was the biggest challenge and exciting.”
Leshinski operates Bliss Studio, a graphic design, marketing and branding business in La Grange. Her business also is the sponsor of her bird house.
She would like to see the project bring more business to herself and others in La Grange.
More Top Picks Best Cleaning Gloves
“The hope for me is exposure for my business and it’s an also an overall good thing for the community,” she said.
Admirers may bid on a birdhouse throughout the summer via an online auction at www.lgba.com. Ten pieces of art will be selected for live auction from the West End Art Festival on Saturday, Sept. 17. Proceeds will benefit local charities including Pets & Pals, the organizers of the La Grange Pet Parade.
While the birdhouses are on display the openings will be screened so birds can’t make them a permanent roost.
Twitter triblocalam