Trust Me Downy

Ellen Van Dusen
Cedar, exterior paint
5 in. × 5 in. × 14 in.
Rose Garden

During the pandemic, Ellen Van Dusen bought a bird feeder for the first time. “Of all the birds that visit my backyard,” Van Dusen says, “the downy woodpecker is the most exciting and elusive. They are loud, destructive, personable, and cute.” Van Dusen’s birdhouse, painted black and white with a distinct red band, is modeled after the downy woodpecker itself. “Imagine a really big version of a downy woodpecker,” she says, “but make it a birdhouse.”