CHARLES PRITCHARD
Staff Writer
Whereas screenwriter Kevin Smith has said that “it costs nothing to encourage an artist, and the potential benefits are staggering,” Brandon Perdomo, a student at the State University of New York at Fredonia, is doing much more than just providing encouragement.
“It’s just my house,” Perdomo said about his personal project, Birdhaus. “It’s a college kid’s living room.”
Yet, Perdomo is doing so much with just a simple living room — much more than most people do with the same amount of space. He is connecting people and giving them a place to share their love for art. Such a place didn’t really exist beforehand.
“Birdhaus is an art-space,” he continued. “My main intention is to bridge the gap between the student population and the community, because some people are afraid just to make that jump.”
In his own home, Perdomo puts on showcases to display all forms of art from both the university and the community.
Outside of Fredonia’s thriving College of Visual and Performing Arts, Birdhaus offers students a rare opportunity by exposing them to a new crowd outside the college’s grounds.
“During my time growing up in New York City, I worked a lot with different alternative art spaces and performance spaces, and I noticed when I came to college here [that] there wasn’t much of that going on here,” Perdomo said about Birdhaus’ origins. “So I just said, why not?”
While a common practice, art spaces aren’t popular in Western New York, according to Perdomo.
Located on Central Avenue in Dunkirk, people from all walks life travel to visit Perdomo’s Birdhaus, where stories are swapped, music is played and art of all kinds is displayed.
“I see students, I see community members and people coming from across [the] state to come hang out and share their work,” Perdomo said.
Having seen many people return, and new ones visiting each time, Birdhaus has enjoyed three years of events, “which is just as long as I’ve been teaching yoga,” Perdomo said with a chuckle.
Yet, Birdhaus is not done for profit. There won’t be someone at the door asking for an entrance fee or a ticket or wristband.
“I do it because I need to do it,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders. “It’s just a calling, and I get fidgety when I don’t. It’s just great.”
It is apparent that Perdomo does what he loves and loves what he does.
That’s why Birdhaus is open to the public, the community and anyone willing to reach out and get ahold of Perdomo.
“Anyone can show up,” Perdomo said. “Random students e-mail and call me all the time and ask if they can set up a show.”
Everything is put on display the first Saturday of every month, and it can be anything from live music — like last Mardi Gras, when people were seen singing and playing — to last August’s Free Photo Day.
No matter the format, whether you are a painter, sculptor, writer, singer, musician or just an appreciator of the fine arts, Birdhaus has something to offer you.
You can get in touch with Perdomo, if you are interested in attending, through his homepage at www.brandonperdomo.com or his Facebook page titled “Birdhaus.”
Just this week, “Conception/Perception” was the name of Birdhaus’ most recent event, which had 45 people in attendance.
As for Birdhaus’ next event? You’re just going to have to wait and see. Until then, in Perdomo’s own words, “see you when the wind picks up.”