With the temperatures starting to slowly rise, and the day light lingering longer, I am anticipating an earlier than normal spring. I am already hearing the Robins in the near distant trees, and soon other birds will be filtering in and beginning to build their nests. But where will they build? Possible in the bushes or trees, maybe in the peak of a barn or open vent. Just maybe it will be one of the many Eldreth Pottery bird houses made over the last several years. Above is a picture of my parents Eldreth Pottery bird house. Our friends ran, and recently sold, a Lancaster area pottery factory called Eldreth Pottery. They used to make these handmade clay bird houses by the thousands, but sadly they decided to go in another direction and sold the business to one of the master potters. My parents, myself, and countless others bought some of these beautiful houses, to display in our yards. Birds, mostly small breeds, find them quite perfect for nesting. Above, are baby Wrens looking to leave the nest and make their way in the big, scary, new world.
They also have a three tiered house that they always hang out near the rear of the house, by the water, on a sturdy iron shepherds hook. The birds don't find this one as attractive as the single nest model, but it's beautiful just the same. They may get one out of the three occupied in the spring, but rarely all three. The houses are easy to clean out, since the top separates from the bottom part. A wooden dowel fits into the base, as a perch, in a pre-formed hole made for just that purpose. Just enough room for three small wrens, as seen above.
In the Lancaster area of Pennsylvania this weekend. I was out with the dogs several times over the course of the visit. Every time I went out back I took notice of her collection of Eldreth Pottery bird houses. She made a wooden display post that holds 9 of them. I SO wish I bought more bird houses when I could, because I would have loved to have this type of set up in my yard. Its so pretty to have them displayed all together, but separately. The sun hits them just right, glistening off their unique designs. Each one a little different from the next. They boast simple but eye catching designs that include flowers, butterflies, grapes, leaves or a repeated pattern.
This is my cousins bird house tree with a total of 9 beautiful pottery birdhouses. The lowest one sits about 3 feet off the ground while the one at the very top is about 8 feet up. They cemented the post into the ground for stability and anchored each house with a wood screw to keep them in place and from blowing off with a strong wind. You can see the morning sun, rising in the East, beginning to shine over them.
I tried to get a shot from all sides, so you could have a chance to see each one sitting quietly on their wooden perches, soaking up a few rays of sunshine.
I couldn't resist taking a silhouette shot in mornings first light. It almost has a bit of an Asian architectural feel to it.
I took a photo of each of the 8 birdhouses, along with the 1 bird feeder. Just in case you wanted a closer look at any of them. My two favorites are the Daffodil and grape designs. the Daffodils are very spring like while the other is interesting to me due to its bold blue pattern. The deep blue and how it contrasts with the stone grey color is pretty.
This one is a bird feeder, but just as cool..
I suppose I could hunt a few down on Ebay or Etsy, but the cost of them may push me back a few years until I would have enough of them to make a tree like this. For now I will have to be content enough to enjoy hers. Below are a few photos I borrowed off the old Eldreth Pottery Facebook page.
These are displays that you would have found in their Oxford PA store. This photo shows a variety of what they call 'Red Ware' houses.
This display shows a wide variety of styles in what they call 'Stone Ware'. This type of pottery is easily distinguishable from the red ware, due to its grey and blue color. The cobalt blue color highly contrasts against the grey salt glazed clay.
Here are a few of those Daffodil style houses, before they are fired in the kiln. Those colors really pop after the are fired and salt glazed inside the high temp kilns.
Here is one of the shots inside a kiln. They would fire them over night and then allow them to cool down before carefully removing them, inspecting them and then placing them for sale in the showroom.
If you look at the bottom, you can see a few birdhouses and feeders placed in this kiln, ready to be fired.
That I get mine up! I have a few of these.. Not 8.. but a few. After we moved, I packed them away and haven't gotten around to hanging them up. If I want the birds to find them, I better get a move on and do it. Spring is coming!!
My art work incorporates a wide variety of subject matter, including landscape, seascape, cityscape, and still life images. My works are the product of a continuing process of exploration through which I seek to portray personal and visionary interpretations of my surroundings. My paintings are impressions of places and events from everyday life, an interpretation of my imagination, and personal responses to what I see and feel on a daily basis. More recently I have invested generous amounts of time into my landscape painting. I am surrounded by natural and man made beauty, which inherently presents itself in the tri-state area, and almost demands that I paint it.
Not everything is art. Art is not everything, but it comes close. Art is everywhere and all the time. Art makes you experience the beauty of the world, the people in it, and the places we call home. Art itself is so influential that it can tell stories, show feelings, and express passion or fury. Art exists in addition to language; expression of sensations and thoughts, revealing a way of thinking too subtle and delicate for words.
For me art requires love, honesty and perseverance. In return, it reveals some personal, non-analyzable, and creative untamed passion. For the public, art with its magnificent beauty, improves mood and health and builds better human beings and communities. It engages the intellect, softens the heart, strengthens the soul and frees the spirit.
They can be found for sale in
OR
My Etsy Store
If you don't see the piece in either shop, It may still be drying. Let me know and I can upload it as soon as possible to be available. Or you can always make me an offer (in SBD or STEEM) in the comments section of this post. If we agree on a price, I will then ship the painting to you. (shipping costs will be determined by your location).
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