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Bird's home is their art

About 30 artists, including celebrities, channel their creativity into the project, creating one-of-a-kind products.

By MARTY CLEAR
Published March 11, 2005

Thanks to Susan Sarandon, Carl Hiaasen and maybe Leonardo DiCaprio, there may be fewer homeless birds.

Sarandon and Hiaasen are among the celebrities who, along with a few dozen local artists, have created one-of-a-kind birdhouses to be auctioned in May to raise money for the Tampa Audubon Society. DiCaprio and actor Larry Hagman also have agreed to participate but haven't returned their houses yet.

"Leonardo actually said at the Oscars that in the next few months, he wanted to work on environmental projects," said John Costin, a Tampa Audubon Society board member and renowned wildlife artist. "I'm hoping he meant he's going to finish his birdhouse."

Costin and his wife, Janet, hatched the birdhouse idea last year. When Audubon board members started talking about fundraisers, they considered the usual ideas, like casino nights. Then Costin suggested something that might get more attention and be more in line with the Audubon Society's environmental mission.

The group decided to buy inexpensive wooden birdhouses and give them to about 30 people to turn into works of art.

"Basically, the birdhouse is their canvas," Costin said. "I didn't want to limit them as to what they could do. They could cut it up, add to it, anything they want. The sky's the limit."

Most of the finished products aren't usable birdhouses because they've been drastically altered. They're also too valuable and perishable to be left outdoors.

Audubon officials hope the houses prove a huge success. They'd like to make the auction an annual event.

"This is not only our biggest fundraiser of the year, it's by far the biggest fundraiser in our history," said Stanley Kroh, co-president of the Tampa Audubon Society. "In the past, we've typically had an auction with items donated by our members. Last year we had maybe 125 people show up. This year we're expecting at least 500."

Artists donating their work for charity fundraisers is nothing new. In fact, Costin said, many artists resent being constantly asked to give their work for free and typically don't donate their best work.

But the birdhouse project was a little different.

"I wanted this to be something they could have fun with, something they could do in an evening, or a couple of evenings," he said. "It's not something they had to spend months on. And when you see what they came up with, it's obvious that they really put a lot of thought, a lot of creativity, into these birdhouses. They really enjoyed doing them."

The artists used a variety of media - from sculpture and collage to photography and oil paints - to create vibrant birdhouses. Local participants included David Audet (who worked with other artists on one house), Lorraine Genovar, Judith Powers-Jones, Leslie Neumann, James Michaels and Denis Gaston.

To find celebrity participants, Costin and other Audubon officials used any avenues they had. Janet Costin contacted DiCaprio through the man who puts together his Web site. An Audubon board member was a good friend of Hagman's neighbor. Sarandon's brother, St. Petersburg Times outdoors writer Terry Tomalin, lives in the area.

Hiaasen's house has an outhouse theme. Sarandon's birdhouse has elements from nature.

Costin plans to display the birdhouses at several local venues, including Tampa International Airport and International Plaza. The auction, called Flock Around the Dock, is scheduled for May 20 at the Florida Aquarium.

Other items, including resort packages and Aquarium-related gifts, will also be auctioned at the event. Local band Lounge Cat will perform.

Eddie Rosicky, Lounge Cat's singer and harmonica player, created a music-themed birdhouse using items from around his home. He used a guitar neck to make a steeple and a harmonica for a front porch.

"At the Aquarium, he's actually going to play the birdhouse," Costin said.

Kroh predicts each birdhouse will sell for about $500 but will be disappointed if some don't go for several thousand dollars.

The money raised will fund three Audubon programs: the Audubon Resource Center at Lettuce Lake Park; the Hillsborough River Greenway Task Force, which works on issued related to the river watershed; and Audubon Adventures, which provides in-school environmental activities for third- through sixth-graders.

[Last modified March 10, 2005, 09:33:10]