Why Birds?
The biology of birds is endlessly fascinating—their habits, adaptations and variations never cease to amaze me.
A Year-Round Activity
And birds are the one form of wildlife that everyone can experience—attracting them to window feeders, identifying them as they fly overhead, or listening to their morning wake up calls.
Installing Bluebird House
By simply providing a couple of feeders, a birdbath, and some cover, we have attracted over 70 different species of birds to our yard.
Goldfinches At Feeder
A Bunch of Bathing Bluebirds
Kim At The Scrollsaw
Kim Russell
Art Into Business
Fresh out of college, my husband, Rob, and I
began working with wood.
At first, we began out of necessity—making functional items for our own use, but as our interest grew, and finished products began piling up, a business was born.
I contributed my background in art and design, while Rob added his instinctive skill with woodworking. Together we were an effective team.
The Sculptures Begin
Horse Sculpture
Soon our directions diverged. Rob explored lathe turning and developed a line of kitchen utensils.
I expressed my artistic talents by creating animal and nature themed sculptures and ornaments.
My sculptures are in collections from Scotland to New Zealand, and my ornaments are sold through nature preserves nationwide.
Wilderness Experience
Viewing Grizzlies
While we developed our business, we also developed a deeper connection with the natural world—paddling canoes in backwoods creeks, tracking grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park, and hiking The Grand Tetons.
Yellowstone captured our attention. Each year we would stay at the Lamar Buffalo Ranch and volunteer to help reopen the Yellowstone Institute after the long winter.
We explored the backcountry, observed Grizzlie Bears, and learned as much as we could about the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Nature Study and Preservation
Kim Collecting Turtle Data
Eventually, we settled in our log home in the beautiful, wooded hills of southwestern Wisconsin.
Here, we spend countless hours volunteering at a neighboring Nature Conservancy preserve, leading field trips, monitoring for poachers, and clearing trails.
For the past 20 years, Rob and I have conducted a project researching the Ornate Box Turtle.
The Past Becomes the Future
Hawk Detail
In recent years, I turned my focus to creating stylized ink and acrylic drawings depicting the natural history of birds.
When I was young, I enjoyed embellishing my drawings with ink outlines and textures. As I began creating my new bird drawings, those same lines and textures resurfaced.
What a thrill to feel the same excitement of discovery and creation that I experienced so many years ago.
