Air paintings by Chris Maynard, made entirely of bird feathers
Air paintings by Chris Maynard, made entirely of bird feathers

Video: Air paintings by Chris Maynard, made entirely of bird feathers

Video: Air paintings by Chris Maynard, made entirely of bird feathers
Video: Fantastic Surreal Photo Manipulations by Erik Johansson.... - YouTube 2024, November
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"Featherfolio" by Chris Maynard
"Featherfolio" by Chris Maynard

American artist Chris Maynard, based in Washington DC, creates mesmerizing fantasy paintings from the life of birds, using bird feathers as creative material. His works are so miniature that a whole flock of birds can turn out from a single feather, each of which is unique and is a full participant in the composition.

The graceful compositions are based on the play of light and shadow
The graceful compositions are based on the play of light and shadow

Combining a variety of painting, design and decorative arts techniques, Maynard creates exquisite mini-installations that play with negative space and lighting nuances. The artist admits that he is "obsessed with feathers." Even his portfolio is called “Featherfolio”. He is literally fascinated by everything to do with birds and flight: “Feathers are amazing from a structural point of view. They serve many different functions and are conducive to contemplation on important eternal topics. Feathers are my means of expression. They are the crown of nature's creation and the greatest miracle.

Peacock. Fragment of work
Peacock. Fragment of work
Mainord pays special attention to texture and color
Mainord pays special attention to texture and color

The bird's plumage is updated every year. But even after the feather has fallen, having fulfilled its purpose, it retains its beauty and complex structure. I want to show feathers from a different perspective, when they are no longer part of the bird. I enjoy highlighting every detail of the pen shape, texture or color. Ideally, I hope to convey in my works some innermost essence of each bird that has grown a feather. Feathers are one of nature's finest wonders. This is what guides me, keeping the three-dimensional structure, colors and shapes of feathers in the same form as if they were still part of the bird's plumage. Of course, he acquires all the feathers that the artist uses peacefully - he gets them in zoos or private poultry houses.

The works perfectly convey the feeling of flight
The works perfectly convey the feeling of flight

Perhaps the most surprising thing about Maynord's work is the level of accuracy and thoroughness that such a delicate material as a bird's feather requires. To achieve the required precision, the artist uses scissors, tweezers, scalpels and magnifying glasses, which are used in eye surgery. He cuts out intricate silhouettes from the pen, which he places about three centimeters from the work surface, where, as a result of such manipulations, shadows appear, adding volume and layering to the product. Delicate and airy, Maynord's paintings invite the viewer to reflect on the universal and at the same time incomprehensible things - flight, development, transformation and beauty.

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