Birds of a Feather

Worcester-based wire artist Sarah Dukes puts together fantastic bird sculptures from recycled materials like flip flops, netting, packing strips and old bits of piping. They range from small, lifesize models to enormous 6 foot high creations for outside exhibitions.

Both Sarah and her husband are artists, leading to shared creativity and the beginning of a whole new direction for Sarah one afternoon during lockdown. We spoke to Sarah about her interest in ornithology (the study of birds) and how it inspires her art.

Why do you create?

I love to make things. I feel as if the need to create is deeply ingrained in all humans, and we're happier when we honour it. My half English, half Art degree gave me three years immersed in a studio, where mixing paint for hours was not only allowed but expected, and I loved making massive abstract paintings.




I didn't do anything substantially creative for a big chunk of time - sometimes life gets too frantic, and it feels as if you have no space. Then, during the covid lockdown, with days full of uncertainty and staring at screens (online teaching & learning), my family and I deliberately made our days-off very slow and outdoorsy. My very talented artist husband, Jonathan Dukes, began showing our children how to make armatures using an old coil of wire from the back of the shed; I joined in, made a blackbird, and loved it!

How and where do you work?

I'm a part time teacher, so when I'm not at school, I love to work in our new studio space in the garden, an extended hut with the front wall made of large glass doors. (I used to take over the kitchen table, or spread out on the floor - not great for bare feet…)




I start by deciding which bird to make (ideally, one I've recently spotted) and then create a rough shape of the body and head using chickenwire. I consider which type of wire best suits the bird - sometimes delicate, shiny craft wires, sometimes thick and chunky garden wires, old rusty mattress springs, or bright, electrical cable. I 'draw' the bird with wire - body, head, beak, wings - then begin layering up, using multiple wires to sketch and fill the bird.

My tools are a pair of wire snippers and some pliers, although I mainly use my hands: I have tough finger tips. My materials are predominantly second-hand, salvaged and reclaimed, diverted from landfill. My dad picks up great stuff for me - recently, a huge amount of chickenwire and some reels of rusty welding wire from an auction.




People have started to pass materials on - for example, the lovely illustrator artist Sarah Millin (who features in a CandyLion interview) gave me a fantastic assortment of multi-coloured telephone cabling, and my friend Lindsay salvaged some lengths of heavy armoured wire from one of the impressive gardens she works at, which peels away to reveal layers of chunky, colourful electric cable, thinner lengths of steel, and long strands of copper. It's brilliant!

Where do you get your inspiration?

Our garden backs onto Cromwell Park, and we're near Foxwell Street allotments, which means we get a lovely amount of birds ready to pose for me - cheeky robins, friendly blackbirds, melodious blackcaps, a song thrush, woodpeckers, greenfinch, goldfinch, blue and great and long-tail tits, a huge variety of opportunistic gulls, wood pigeons and collared doves, magpies, jackdaws, even gronking ravens. (The Merlin Bird ID app is very useful when identifying birds - I highly recommend it.)




I don't birdwatch as much as I should, but I love to visit Upton Warren's Christopher Cadbury Wetland Reserve. One of my favourite birds to make is a curlew, and last time we went, we could hear the haunting, whistled 'cur-lee' before we even reached the hide, then a proper birder let us take it in turns to watch the curlew through his telescope. It was magical.

I'm very often inspired by interesting bird poses in illustrations and photographs; invaluable reference books are the Reader's Digest 'Book of British Birds' and the RSPB's handbook.

What influences your work?

I am very keen to increase people's love for our natural world, and find birds an excellent subject matter: symbolic, diverse and distinct, they are wonderfully accessible to all, even those who live in the most urban of environments. Hopefully, celebrating birds and repurposing materials nudges people towards values change for survival.

The wire I have at hand often influences what I make - for example, I was recently stripping an old charging cable that no longer works, and the soft, pastel pinks, purples and greys were perfect for a pigeon.




I'm influenced by other wire bird artists, such as Celia Smith and Paul Green (wildwire), and would love to watch them at work to see how similar or different their process is.

The shape of the bird itself influences the sculpture. I love making birds with very distinct features, like the heron's gracefully curved neck, the bright red legs and beak of an oyster catcher, or the funky head feather of a lapwing. If someone asks for a specific bid, I'll have a go at making it.

Mainly, I love to make a bird that I've seen - we saw a whimbrel fly over the lock by The Camp Inn in Grimley recently, and I couldn't wait to get home to make one.

Where do you sell your art?

I started with an Etsy shop, which is great for smaller birds and downloadable instructions; craft fairs and arts stalls, such as Blue Magpie at Elmsley House in Malvern, and Worcester's Artists & Makers Fair, held regularly at The Artery Studios in Worcester, are a great way to showcase work plus meet fellow artists and crafters.

It's always a fantastic boost to be accepted into a show: recent exhibitions include shows at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (as part of their Summer exhibitions, their Friends exhibition, and at their drawing show, where I currently have a coot and a blackcap), Worcester 100 at The Artery, and Hellens Manor Garden Festival, as part of their sculpture trail.




Recently I put together a joint show with my husband in the Artery Studios called 'British Birds, British Landscapes', where I met the lovely Richard from CandyLion. Artist Karen Stone opened a pop-up gallery in an empty shop in Barbourne, Worcester (Gallery Number 7) which was a great opportunity to showcase some birds.

How do you promote yourself and your work?

For me, the most effective way to promote my birds is through Instagram - it's relatively speedy and straightforward to use, plus is a great way to reach people who might be interested. I've been invited to participate in local arts events, shows and fairs through Instagram, plus it's easy to search and find events and 'opens' to enter. I also have a webpage and an Etsy shop.

I probably need to spend more time promoting my work, but it can sometimes feel like a tricky balance! For me, having a part-time job means I have the time to create, but I don't have to rely on my art to pay the bills, which I find freeing. Pricing work is really very difficult.

What are your future ambitions?

I would love to exhibit some large pieces along the River Severn. I have had three big gulls selected for the Worcester Plinth and they’re going up soon.




My husband and I are determined to be part of the Worcestershire Open Studios next year, plus have another exhibition at The Artery Studios. Anna and Adam who run it are so positive, professional and passionate about art, and it's a real pleasure to be in such a funky space at the heart of Worcester. I would also love to do an MA.

Do you have any advice for other artists?

If you are just starting out, carve yourself space and time to make. Don't worry too much if there are stretches of time when other stuff gets in the way.

If you are keen to exhibit, enter competitions and opens. It's a real boost to see your art in a gallery, plus you make so many connections that lead to more opportunities and build a lovely network of artistic and supportive friends. See the MoMa website for a useful list that gets updated regularly. Don't be disheartened if you get rejected, just enter the next one.

The Artery Studios 'Worcester 100' is a great exhibition to start with, and Birmingham's RBSA is such a fantastic gallery that provides regular opportunities across a variety of media. I've found it's easier to stick to galleries and events close(ish). There is a lot going on to celebrate art, which is excellent.

Mainly, don't worry if things go wrong. Keep at it, have a play, and have fun.


Huge thanks to Sarah for answering our questions. If you'd like to see more of Sarah Dukes' amazing bird sculptures, you can follow her on Instagram or browse her website.