Atlanta artist Jodie Davis shares her American Cuckoo clocks with a mobile gallery

On the “City Lights” series “Speaking of Art,” local artists share insights into their influences, processes and experiences in town. Today’s edition spotlights Jodie Davis, an Atlanta artist who makes cuckoo clocks. “My inspiration came from loving, absolutely loving, the clocks made in the ’60s and ’70s in Germany that were really kind of kitschy,” said Davis. 

In addition to her appreciation for the history of the clocks and their unusual cultural niche in Americana and European art tradition, Davis also emphasizes the engineering challenge of cuckoo clock design. “The limiting factor, of course, is that these have to operate. So if you want a cuckoo, it can’t just be anywhere because the wire has to go around. And for any animation, it’s got to be in specific places, and it can only do so many things, and there’s only so much power,” she said. 

Davis meticulously plans her designs digitally before crafting her pieces using laser cutting, 3D printing, various saws, and power tools, and several other stages to achieve all her imaginative components. Her original designs range from the semi-traditional to the abstract, to entire diorama scenes – one features a man playing golf against a golf course backdrop.