feathers

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Art

Serpentine Coiled Sculptures of Found British Bird Feathers by Kate MccGwire

Kate MccGwire‘s roiling feather sculptures juxtapose the beautiful, delicate material with discomfiting shapes. Whereas her earlier work tended toward sprawling installations that oozed and slid toward the viewer, MccGwire’s more recent pieces are tightly wound and displayed within the confines of frames, cabinets, and bell jars.

Although at first glance the feathers’ incredible colors and patterns seem exotic, the British MccGwire sources all of her materials from dropped feathers provided by farmers, gamekeepers, and pigeon racers. She was originally inspired to begin working with feathers after discovering a local pigeon colony that dropped feathers near her rural art studio. Magpie and mallard feathers gleam an iridescent inky blue, and pheasant feathers sport detailed patterns.

In an interview with Artnews, MccGwire describes her work: “I’m thinking of it as being like an umbilical cord. I want to seduce by what I do—but revolt in equal measure. It’s really important to me that you’ve got that rejection of things you think you know for sure.”

MccGwire is represented by La Galerie Particuliere and Mark Sanders Art Consultancy and exhibits widely; she currently has works in three shows. The artist also shares updates on Facebook and Instagram.

Art Craft

Flora and Fauna Paper Constructions by Ann Wood and Dean Lucker

Artist duo Ann Wood and Dean Lucker (aka Woodlucker) forged a partnership in 1987 shortly after graduating from Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Together they pursue a variety of both collaborative and personal projects from Lucker’s kinetic sculptures to Wood’s illustrated papercraft. Wood refers to her process as “drawing with scissors,” and merges aspects of both paper cutting and traditional illustration with ink. After forming the moths, butterflies, feathers, and flowers, the pieces are then carefully arranged within collection boxes designed by Dean. You can follow more of their work on Instagram and on their portfolio site. (thnx, Diana!)

Art

Exquisite New Cut Feather Shadowbox Artworks by Chris Maynard

We’ve long been fans of Olympia, Washington-based artist Chris Maynard (previously) who assembles shadowboxes of cut feathers depicting the silhouettes of birds as they sing, perch, and swoop across the canvas. With a background in both biology and ecology the artist recalls working with feathers as early as the age of 12, utilizing heirloom forceps, eye surgery scissors, and magnifying glasses passed down through his family. Maynard acquires feathers for his artwork from zoos and private aviaries.

Collected here are a number of recent works, some of which will be on view at an upcoming solo show next year at the Bainbridge Museum of Art. You can see much more on Instagram and Facebook.

Amazing Photography Science

The Extraordinary Iridescent Details of Peacock Feathers Captured Under a Microscope

In this series of photographs featuring the delicate details of peacock feathers, photographer Waldo Nell relied on an Olympus BX 53 microscope to take hundreds of individual shots that were combined to create each image seen here. The process, called photo stacking, blends dozens or even hundreds of photos taken at different focal points and then stitches them together to extend the depth of field. At this level of detail the feathers look more like ornate jewelry, thick braids of iridescent necklaces or bracelets, rather than something that grows organically from the wings of a bird.

By day Nell is a software engineer in Port Moody, BC, Canada, but is fascinated by technology, science, and nature, all of which he merges in his photography practice. You can see more of his work on Flickr. (via Reddit)

Art

New Book by Chris Maynard Explores the Symbolism and Art of Sculpting with Feathers

Delicately wielding a scalpel, Chris Maynard (previously here and here) slices into feathers to create images of the very creatures that shed them, reproducing birds of flight within his tiny found canvases. Not only is Maynard concerned about the material aesthetically, but is also interested in how humans have treasured feathers and their meaning for thousands of years.

Often Maynard places the positive cut-out next to its negative shape, making it appear as if the tiny bird is flying from the feather, or escaping its original form. Each feather varies in size and color, from the tiny and muted to large and brightly colored. The feathers used in his works are acquired legally from zoos and private aviaries, all naturally shed by birds that range from crows to peacocks.

Recently the Pacific Northwest artist, author, and naturalist has compiled his works into a book that provides detail into his creative process, the lifespan of his subject, and the symbolism of feathers titled Feathers, Form and Function. Maynard also covers the biological in the book, outlining how how feathers have evolved and grow. You can see more of Maynard’s writing and works on his blog here.

Design

A Giant Pair of Pneumatic Articulating Feather Wings

For Halloween this year, Alexis Noriega of the Crooked Feather designed and built this wickedly amazing pair of pneumatic articulating wings that spring to action at the press of a button. What a great design, the sound of air pressure really adds to it. Noriega says she’ll soon have a tutorial online so you can build your own. (via Laughing Squid)

Photography

Beautiful Abstract Bird Plumage Photographs by Thomas Lohr

Photographer Thomas Lohr is known mostly for his high-profile fashion shoots for clients like Vogue, Le Monde d’Hermès, and i-D, but somewhere in his grueling shooting schedule he still finds time for personal projects, the most recent of which is a collection of bird plumage photos gathered into a limited edition book titled Birds. Lohr wanted to take a slightly different approach with the project and instead of capturing the animals in their entirety, he decided to focus on what intrigued him the most: the color, texture, and form of their feathers.

The abstract photos of wings, bellies, and other near unrecognizable parts of each bird are accompanied by each species scientific name like “Anodorhynchus Hyacinthinus” or “Geronticus Eremita,” creating yet another unfamiliar layer of abstraction. You can take a peek inside the book on Lohr’s website, and read an interview over on AnOther. (via AnOther, This Isn’t Happiness)