'Wood' you believe this CBC-inspired art used to be a kitchen table?
Made of reclaimed timber, it’s a tribute to childhood memories and artist Lenny Gallant's time 'out west'
Every month, we feature a new take on the CBC Arts logo created by a Canadian artist. Check out our previous logos!
Birdmouse is the pseudonym of Jason "Lenny" Gallant, an East Coast artist who likes to describe himself as a reclamist.
"I know reclamist is not a real word," Gallant writes, "but I use it anyway." And as for what that means, think of his practice as a kind of upcycling. The artist typically works with salvaged wood, harvesting second-hand timber from whatever he can get his mitts on. "[I've] dissected 50 organs over the past nine years," he says. (Pump organs, that is.) And he reworks that material into everything from murals to coffee tables.
"Using reclaimed materials also means using the skills and expertise of the previous creator," Gallant writes. "I often describe this scenario as having an army of dead people working for me, as most of the items I reclaim already have 75-100 years of use before they come to me. I try to balance the notions of historical relevance, sentimental burdens and the freedom of working with something that has been discarded." And Gallant has a very personal connection to the piece he made for us — a little story he reveals in this questionnaire.
Name: Jason "Lenny" Gallant
Age: 45
Homebase: Bethel, P.E.I.
What's the story behind your name, Birdmouse?
We had a cat toy that was part bird and part mouse. The name does not have any more meaning than that. But it does allow me to try new ideas and mediums without having to adhere to a named outcome. And it's weird. And that's important to me.
How long have you been making art with wood?
I've been doing this work full-time since 2012.
What drew you to the practice?
Free time. Due to life circumstances I had many months where I was unable to work my job in logistics at a solar company. I wanted to make my career be what I naturally started doing in my free time. That turned into creating art from back-alley treasures. That was in Edmonton. Still loving it!
Let's talk about your design! What inspired the concept?
The scene is a nod to my time "out west" where this ride all started. It's where I lived in my 20s and early 30s, and where I met my wife. I went on numerous hiking trips in the mountains, something I definitely miss.
Is the wood in this piece salvaged? Any significance to where it came from?
The wood used is from the dining table my family ate around when I was a child. It brings up memories of boiled dinners, lobster feasts and homework! And of course the CBC was always on the radio or TV growing up.
What's the project you're most proud of?
My first solo art show was called Cost Of Living. Each artwork was inspired by and priced in correspondence to a monthly bill or expense. It allowed the audience to see what and how much work I needed to complete and sell every month in order to just get by — a peek into the life of a working rural artist. I compared Alberta and P.E.I. expenses, having works representing the same bills with different values and subject matters.
What's your favourite place to see art?
Confederation Center Art Gallery, or in the middle of nowhere ... by surprise.
Who's the last artist you discovered online?
What work of art do you wish you owned?
ANYTHING from Christian Rex van Minnen.
Where can we see more from you?
Birdmouse.ca. Insta is @birdmouse. TikTok is @birdmouse.
This conversation has been edited and condensed.
