Junk Mail Migration Paintings

Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) 93%

$295 | Lincoln Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) 84%

$395 | Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 87%

$549 | Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) 94%

$395 | Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 80%

$495 | Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) 85%

$395 | White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera) 85%

$1,295 | Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) 81%

$595 | Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) 97%

Sold, prints available | Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) 73%

Sold, prints available | Black-backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus) 93%

Sold, prints available | Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonica) 88%

Sold, prints available | Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula) 79%

Sold, prints available | Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus) 86%

Sold | Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

Sold | Northern Shrike

Sold | Bohemian Waxwing

Sold

Sold | Swamp Sparrow

The Junk Mail Migration painting series explores the direct impact of junk mail on the immediate environment – our backyards. Many of our favorite songbirds breed, live, and migrate to/from the Boreal Forest, only passing through Iowa seasonally. When their breeding habitat is destroyed, the population dwindles and the chance of viewing the likes of a Yellow bellied Flycatcher in our backyard diminishes.

Birds were selected that migrate through Iowa seasonally, are not year round residence of Iowa, and have over 70% of their breeding ground in the North American boreal forest ring -- 37 birds in all. I release new paintings annually and you can always find available originals and prints in my online shop.

All are represented in life size scale, drawn with graphite, charcoal, gesso, and ink on junk mail laminated to cardboard and supported with reclaimed or sustainably forested wood.

The Origin of the Series

Many years ago I became a little obsessed with junk mail. Where did it come from? Why was it in my mail box?

Most Importantly: How can I use it to make art so I don't have to spend so much money on new paper for art class?

Seriously. After an intense semester at Northern Illinois University I hit the breaks and looked at the wreck that was my apartment for the first time in over a month. During the recovery, I realized that in a semester of not sorting my mail I had a literal garbage bag full of junk mail. And at the same time I was struggling to afford the art supplies needed to complete assignments for school.

It felt maddening. I couldn't afford paper and yet... here was a rich untapped resource. So I started with what, where, why, how and became lovingly entranced with it's path from trees to my door.

Over the next semester I conducted junk mail experiments. It's a tricky substance to work with. I never did really puzzle it out while in school. But it set the foundations for works to come.

Then in 2010, I collected my junk mail for a year just to see how much I received. Which lead to more experiments and the final forms of the work - a series of paintings about migratory birds in Iowa whose habitat is being made into junk mail.

The first successful experiment — Northern Shrike (Lanius excubitor) 90%; junkmail, gesso, ink, charcoal on cardboard , 11 1/2 X 17 5/8", nfs

In addition to the studies of the physical birds, I also collect data on migration patterns, sightings, history, and even bird calls. I've always wanted to share that side of the work, and that seed of inspiration is what lead to create the Library of Backyard Ecology (more on that coming soon) and most recently the Junk Mail Migration Tapestry. You can explore the interactive tapestry project as well as see upcoming tour dates.

Until Next Time

Kristin M Roach