Chris Maynard
Chris Maynard combines his scientific knowledge, his artistic sense, and his love of feathers and life in a new art form. His message is one of beauty, appreciation of life—especially birds, and conservation. His inspiration originates mostly in his native northwestern United States though his themes appeal to people worldwide.
He applies various methods of art, design, and craft using surgery scissors, forceps, scalpels, and magnifiers to arrange feathers. Since feathers are three-dimensional, Mr. Maynard aims to respect their form. He does not paste them flat against a background but sets them apart so their curves and shapes are enhanced and doubly enhanced by placing them in shadowboxes so the feathers cast shadows and change according to the intensity, quality and direction of light. Unlike a painter's palette, the choice of colors in feathers is quite limited. Nevertheless, Maynard keeps the natural colors and patterns of each feather.
Feathers are often perceived as endearingly delicate, but they are actually quite tough, having to keep a bird clothed, sheltered, and in flight for a year or more. In the same vein, Mr. Maynard's feather shadowboxes are meant to appear delicate but maintain their integrity for many years, just like a more traditional paintings using good quality materials. His sources for feathers are through an extensive network of private aviaries and zoos. All are legal to have and sell. Most of the feathers he uses were naturally molted and many of the birds whose feathers he uses are still alive and well.
Since feathers can represent flight, transformance, healing, and a bridge between our present lives and our dreams, Mr. Maynard is grateful that his work with feathers has hit a soft-spot in the hearts of many people and cultures. His work is in private collections in the USA and Canada, Asia, Europe, and Australia and has been featured in hard copy magazines and online around the world. This November, Mr. Maynard's new book, Feathers Form and Function will be published. It is a tabletop feast of his art plus text describing the work and informing about what feathers are, what they do for the birds, and why we find them alluring. He is a member of Artists for Conservation and a signature member of the Society of Animal Artists.
"I show feathers in new ways, resurrecting feathers that have been shed, cutting and arrange them in their three dimensional forms. The qualities of the birds inspire my work.
Feathers are an ultimate achievement of nature, of creation. They beguile and allure us, young and old. They speak to us in themes of transformation, achievement, bridges between here and our desires. We dream of flying, of overcoming our obstacles, of healing.
When I conceive a piece, I ponder feathers: flight, warmth, growth, protection, pattern, beauty, and form, and I think about the cycle of life.
My favorite tools are the eye surgery scissors, forceps, and scalpels inherited from my father.
Feathers' complexities and uses far surpass the outer coverings of any creature including human clothing. And birds shed them every year like gifts to us which I resurrect and arrange and cut in honor of the qualities found in the birds."
Chris Maynard combines his scientific knowledge, his artistic sense, and his love of feathers and life in a new art form. His message is one of beauty, appreciation of life—especially birds, and conservation. His inspiration originates mostly in his native northwestern United States though his themes appeal to people worldwide.
He applies various methods of art, design, and craft using surgery scissors, forceps, scalpels, and magnifiers to arrange feathers. Since feathers are three-dimensional, Mr. Maynard aims to respect their form. He does not paste them flat against a background but sets them apart so their curves and shapes are enhanced and doubly enhanced by placing them in shadowboxes so the feathers cast shadows and change according to the intensity, quality and direction of light. Unlike a painter's palette, the choice of colors in feathers is quite limited. Nevertheless, Maynard keeps the natural colors and patterns of each feather.
Feathers are often perceived as endearingly delicate, but they are actually quite tough, having to keep a bird clothed, sheltered, and in flight for a year or more. In the same vein, Mr. Maynard's feather shadowboxes are meant to appear delicate but maintain their integrity for many years, just like a more traditional paintings using good quality materials. His sources for feathers are through an extensive network of private aviaries and zoos. All are legal to have and sell. Most of the feathers he uses were naturally molted and many of the birds whose feathers he uses are still alive and well.
Since feathers can represent flight, transformance, healing, and a bridge between our present lives and our dreams, Mr. Maynard is grateful that his work with feathers has hit a soft-spot in the hearts of many people and cultures. His work is in private collections in the USA and Canada, Asia, Europe, and Australia and has been featured in hard copy magazines and online around the world. This November, Mr. Maynard's new book, Feathers Form and Function will be published. It is a tabletop feast of his art plus text describing the work and informing about what feathers are, what they do for the birds, and why we find them alluring. He is a member of Artists for Conservation and a signature member of the Society of Animal Artists.
"I show feathers in new ways, resurrecting feathers that have been shed, cutting and arrange them in their three dimensional forms. The qualities of the birds inspire my work.
Feathers are an ultimate achievement of nature, of creation. They beguile and allure us, young and old. They speak to us in themes of transformation, achievement, bridges between here and our desires. We dream of flying, of overcoming our obstacles, of healing.
When I conceive a piece, I ponder feathers: flight, warmth, growth, protection, pattern, beauty, and form, and I think about the cycle of life.
My favorite tools are the eye surgery scissors, forceps, and scalpels inherited from my father.
Feathers' complexities and uses far surpass the outer coverings of any creature including human clothing. And birds shed them every year like gifts to us which I resurrect and arrange and cut in honor of the qualities found in the birds."
