The birds are smooth and tactile, each one formed from a unique mix of materials. One is crafted from plaster, sawdust and plywood. Another from shards of bold colour samples, bound together in bio-resin and sanded to a velvety finish. There are shells too, and masonry waste, old CD cases and plastic buckets – all remnants from the projects and experiments of Spared’s practice.
“We became very attached to the birds,” says designer Callie Tedder-Hares. “To sand and finish them we had to have them nestled in the crook of our arms, so it was a very physical experience. We love all of them.”
© Spared
Callie and co-founder Emma Lally set up Spared in 2021. They have made display units for Fortnum & Mason using oyster shells from the store’s supply chain, and tabletops from spent coffee grounds for the Corner café at Tate Modern. There are projects for Kia and Aviva among others, all based on the same circular principles. It’s the carefully collected off cuts from all this work that make up the birds.
“There’s something perfectly imperfect about them” adds Callie. “Each one has its own character and story.”
Birds have a meaningful place in the lives of both women. As a teenager, Callie raised a tiny Starling chick by hand after it fell onto her desk during a school English literature class. She fed it dog food and let it travel with her on her shoulder until it fledged and set up home in a tree in her garden.
Emma too, has a garden robin that visits daily, asking for food through subtle head movements and well-timed flights.
“Callie and I both, separately, left London and moved down to Sussex,” adds Emma. “The landscape is beautiful of course, the ancient woodlands, the sea and the Downs, but the birds are an essential part of it. They’re special.”
Find out more about Spared, Second Song and the birds. And get in touch to find out more about corporate partnership opportunities with Sussex Wildlife Trust.
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