How Robin at BlockBirds Turned My Favorite Birds into Art
Howdy everyone,
I, much like the rest of the world, enjoy spending my time “doom-scrolling” through the never-ending content machine that is Instagram. It was one such day, while engaged in my daily scroll, that I came across a reel posted by Robin at BlockBirds. It immediately caught my attention.
The reel depicted various birds that Robin had crafted out of wood and painted with meticulous attention to detail. I had a thought to myself: “I wonder if he sells these?” Sure enough, he did.
I reached out to Robin, hoping to obtain two of my favorite birds: the Eastern Bluebird and the Eastern Meadowlark. Robin informed me that he did not have these birds already made but was more than happy to take on my commission.
I was excited. I had just spent most of the spring specifically focused on Bluebirds and Meadowlarks, capturing their antics as they claimed their respective territories for the season. With that, I also had quite a few images of these birds. Although they weren’t the kind of shots I’d post on social media or include in my portfolio, they worked well as reference images for Robin, who I learned was based in the Netherlands. Eastern Bluebirds and Meadowlarks are not found in Europe, so Robin was happy to accept my photos for reference.
From the beginning, Robin informed me he had a lot going on and that it might take some time before he could work on my commission. I assured him that waiting was no problem for me. Robin definitely wasn’t kidding—he was a busy guy! Over the next several months, Robin kept me updated on the progress, even welcoming another child into his life during that time. (Congratulations again, Robin!)
Towards the end of the summer, Robin messaged me to let me know that the birds were complete. He sent me photos of the finished birds, both perched on their respective wooden blocks and in a few “environmental” portraits of the birds in the wild. After a short trip across the ocean, I finally had the birds in my hands.
To say these were crafted with great care and attention to detail would be an understatement. Robin did a fantastic job. I was extremely impressed with the quality of the woodworking and painting—both looked phenomenal.
If you happen to be in the market for some wooden birds to adorn your desk or bookshelf, I highly recommend Robin at BlockBirds. You won’t be disappointed.
You can find Robin on Etsy and Instagram:
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Blockbirds
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blockbirds_/
Until the next post!
-Greg