Toucan

Title & Inspiration
This piece carried a working title from the start: Toucan. Sometimes a mosaic simply is what it is. The bold, tropical bird needed no fancy name, and the frame itself helped inspire the entire piece.

Materials & Process

As with much of my work, Toucan incorporates unexpected and reclaimed materials. Its feathers are formed from bike inner tubes, chosen later in the process when I realized I needed something sleek, lightweight, and dark. The eye is a black poker chip, the berry in its beak is a red pulley, and the branch is crafted with dozens of rusty nails. The tropical carved frame, found by my brother Joe, was the spark that tied everything together, setting the tone for this whimsical piece.

Reworking & Evolution
The piece wasn’t without change—originally, the feathers were a challenge. The use of inner tubes came as a solution mid-process, inspired by my husband and daughter’s biking gear, which had already made its way into a previous project. This problem-solving moment made the work stronger, blending natural form with industrial texture.

Viewer Reactions
One of my favorite parts of exhibiting Toucan was hearing viewers’ reactions. From afar, people admired the likeness and vivid character of the bird. Up close, the surprise came when they recognized what the bird was made of. There’s delight in that moment of discovery—realizing ordinary objects can be transformed into something extraordinary.

Reflection & Future
Birds have always fascinated me, especially tropical species with their vibrant colors and personalities. My work is leaning more into whimsical, humorous proportions lately, and Toucan is a strong example of that shift. While I don’t know where creativity will take me next, I know birds will continue to play a role in my mosaics.