Artists paint birdhouses for Redmen Hall

Earlier this year, the Friends of Skamokawa sold hand painted birdhouses and raised enough money to install a donated bell in the tower of Redmen Hall. They are doing it again with a new series of birdhouses.

Jody Fox, the office manager at Redmen Hall, found inspiration when she noticed the birdhouses at a craft store in Longview and realized that they looked a lot like the old hall. She brought several of them home, eventually painting 20 of them to look like Redmen Hall. She placed a bell on each tower. They were sold for the minimum of a $10 donation, ultimately raising $375 for the project.

This year marks the 120th anniversary of Redmen Hall and Tusga Gallery has joined forces with FOS to raise more funds in order to paint the hall inside and out. Local artists have been hand painting one of a kind birdhouses and once again, they will be sold for a minimum donation of $10.

The first of the new birdhouses will be available at Tsuga Gallery's Open House this Friday, October 24 from 5-7 p.m. where local weaver Jenny Kizziar will be the featured artist and Randy Williams will be providing music.

Mitzi Christensen, Nell Coulson, Debbie Littlefield, Gail Wahlstrom and Keith Hoofnagle are just some of the local artists who are sharing their talents to create the new one of a kind birdhouses.

"We really appreciate the artists partnering with us," Pam Emery, FOS Board Vice President said. "It takes a lot of time and effort and it's neat that they want to do that. We're happy!"

The birdhouses will be available until they sell out.