FEATHER SCULPTURES

Olympia, Washington artist Chris Maynard, after years of thought and experimentation, has come up with his own art form ~ delicate sculptures made by cutting the silhouettes of birds from actual plumage.  He collects molted feathers from zoos, private aviaries, and nonprofit rescue organizations, sketches possible designs, observes birds, and when he has a good feeling about it, transmutes it all into sculpture using fine surgical tools.

Smithsonian recently posted an article featuring six of his designs ~ the sculpture shown above (click to enlarge) is made from Great Argus pheasant wing feathers.  Smithsonian notes that "Maynard's exhibition 'Feather's Second Flight', including 25 of his works, is on display through January 20 at the Row House Cafe in Seattle.  From January 25 to February 15, his feather art will be shown at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in Olympia.  Maynard and Thor Hanson, a conservation biologist and author of the new book Feathers, will be giving a lecture at the center on February 2."

You can learn more about the artist and his creations at his website, Featherfolio.