{"id":4,"date":"2025-03-21T19:53:22","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T19:53:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/criticalmedia.uwaterloo.ca\/birds\/nestcraft\/?page_id=4"},"modified":"2025-05-14T21:52:17","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T21:52:17","slug":"homepage","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/criticalmedia.uwaterloo.ca\/birds\/nestcraft\/","title":{"rendered":"Homepage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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NESTCRAFT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Nestcraft combines Mara Silver\u2019s clay swallow nests with photography, video, and ornithological artefacts curated by Marcel O\u2019Gorman and Jennifer Clary-Lemon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NEW<\/strong>: Join us May 16 for an in-person talk with Mara Silver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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DETAILS<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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May 13 – June 12, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Waterloo, Ontario<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When humans dispersed across the landscape they unintentionally benefitted Barn Swallows and Cliff Swallows<\/strong> by creating structures such as barns, outbuildings, and bridges, which both species use as nesting sites. In spite of this, today both species are declining<\/strong> across significant portions of their ranges, due to habitat loss but also due to other anthropogenic factors, including climate change, pesticide use, and agricultural intensification.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/span>\"Mara
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Mara Silver, with a background in both ceramics and ornithology, has found that in spite of threats to the swallows, colonies can rebound when habitat is improved at the nesting-site level. One tool she uses for habitat restoration is clay nests formed to mimic natural nests<\/strong>. Each nest is handcrafted so no two are alike, and they are \u201cunfinished.\u201d The swallows can choose the one they prefer and finish it to their liking, adding pellets of mud beakful by beakful. By observing the swallows and their artful nests, Mara sought to \u201ccollaborate\u201d with the swallows, and thus return to the helpful role humans once played in their nesting.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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By observing the swallows and their artful nests, Mara sought to \u201ccollaborate\u201d with the swallows<\/strong> and thus return to the helpful role humans once played in their nesting.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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