"Birducopia"
Charley Harper
Pomegranate
Stats:
Pieces: 1000
Size: 32" tall x 16" wide
Shape: rectangle
Location of printing: China
Location of manufacture: ?
Artist: Charley Harper
Purchase location: Amazon.com
Start Date: January 23, 2018
I waited to start a new puzzle after I finished the Ravensburger pencils because I wanted to do my initial sort at my friend DCatz's house. She and I like to get together periodically for quiet evenings of puzzling and knitting and complaining about Paul Hollywood's ways.
I chose this one carefully; it's a puzzle I purchased last summer, as part of my goal to only have puzzles depicting fine art. I realize this is a bit silly now considering that the first two puzzles I examined on this blog were assuredly not fine art (sorry, Adrian Chesterman), but that was my goal, and something I like to do. In examining each piece, I find that I am looking at the art itself in a different way, noticing the strokes of the paint brush, the composition of the piece, and creating a better appreciation in myself for the art and the artist.
The reason I had not done this puzzle previously is when I got it in the mail, I noticed the dimensions:
My old puzzle table was not big enough to make this puzzle. Before cracking open the box, I measured the puzzle table I have now.
As an avid naturalist, Charley Harper’s life’s work was painting the insects, plants, birds, and animals he loved. Early on, his ultrarealistic works gave way to familiar scenes based on bold geometric shapes, crisp lines, and jolts of unmodulated color. Harper’s posters for conservation organizations have become some of his most enjoyed works—skillful and playful menageries of local wildlife. Populated by ferns and fawns, salamanders and scarlet tanagers, Birducopia presents a multitude of creatures from Ohio’s Penitentiary Glen.
Pomegranate also publishes Charley Harper's wildlife art in a variety of products, including What's in the Woods? A Nature Discovery Book (2013), which highlights Birducopia'a creatures up close.
I waited to start a new puzzle after I finished the Ravensburger pencils because I wanted to do my initial sort at my friend DCatz's house. She and I like to get together periodically for quiet evenings of puzzling and knitting and complaining about Paul Hollywood's ways.
I chose this one carefully; it's a puzzle I purchased last summer, as part of my goal to only have puzzles depicting fine art. I realize this is a bit silly now considering that the first two puzzles I examined on this blog were assuredly not fine art (sorry, Adrian Chesterman), but that was my goal, and something I like to do. In examining each piece, I find that I am looking at the art itself in a different way, noticing the strokes of the paint brush, the composition of the piece, and creating a better appreciation in myself for the art and the artist.
The reason I had not done this puzzle previously is when I got it in the mail, I noticed the dimensions:
My old puzzle table was not big enough to make this puzzle. Before cracking open the box, I measured the puzzle table I have now.
Victory! With an inch to spare on each side!
The box says this about the artist, Charley Harper:
Pomegranate also publishes Charley Harper's wildlife art in a variety of products, including What's in the Woods? A Nature Discovery Book (2013), which highlights Birducopia'a creatures up close.
There is a multiple-part retrospective on Charley Harper here, should that interest you.
This is my first Pomegranate. They are very high quality pieces with minimal dust, and excellent cuts. I noticed on the box the puzzle was printed in China, but I was not sure where it was otherwise manufactured, so I emailed the company. I will update when I get a response. I did see on their website that they will replace missing puzzle pieces, so that is very cool!
Anyway, since I don't have a satisfactory travel method right now, but I do have my sweet sorting trays, and they are very easy to transport, with very minimal spillage. Huzzah!I did the sort for edge pieces, found the corners without incident, and then took out a handful or so of middle pieces to try to determine some clear color themes to do the first inside piece sort.
This puzzle is so colorful, and I haven't studied the image in detail (I plan to build it blind), so I wasn't sure at first how to sort. Based on the edge pieces, the orange bits with stripes, and the stripey green ones seemed like ones I would use early on.
There were some colors that were substantially bold, and I picked those out, too.
Due to the portability issue, I have started on the insides before the frame, which is not something I have done in my late-30s puzzling hobby. UNTIL NOW. Hahaha.
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