Artistic Bird Houses Exhibit

At New Zone Gallery, “Art in Birds” is a project of the McKenzie River Trust on Green Island, where the Willamette and the McKenzie Rivers meet. This collection of artistically painted bird nest boxes will be exhibited at the New Zone Gallery, 110 E 11th Ave., Eugene, OR, from January 30 to February 24.

The artist, Dennis Arendt, painted the birdhouses using many techniques and themes. The birdhouse designs reflect the artist’s creativity and some emulate famous artists, notably a Picasso birdhouse and a Jacob Lawrence birdhouse. The new collection of birdhouses includes “Freedom Fighters” and Toucans, as well as birdhouses painted in the style of Kandinsky, Warhol, and Mattisse.

These birdhouses will join 30 other painted birdhouses already installed on Green Island. The McKenzie River Trust protects Oregon’s natural lands. Green Island’s 1,100 acres contains some of the least-altered fish and wildlife habitats in the Willamette Valley. This special area provides essential habitat for numerous species including more than 150 species of birds that find refuge here throughout the year. The birds love these birdhouses, as do the humans who see them.