My garden attracts many birds and so it doesn't come as a big surprise that I often find feathers on the ground. Some of them I pick up with the intention to use them in a mixed media project. A short class by French artist Laly Mille inspired me to create these three small pieces.
The top photo shows my first laying out the papers and feathers on watercolor paper that I had cut to 3⅜" by 5⅜" pieces each. I did stick to this first layout, but added more to it in the process.
Here is how the individual pieces turned out.
Gluing down bird feathers is NOT fun and I wouldn't do it again. The mulberry paper under the feathers completely "disappeared" when I adhered it with gel medium which wasn't what I had in mind. In order to achieve a bit more texture I added coffee stained cheesecloth and rubbed some gesso on it.
Years ago for reasons I cannot remember I bought two 9 x 12" burlap canvas that since then had quietly collected dust on top of a shelf (they were wrapped in plastic, so no harm done). I finally found a use for one of them: I adhered the three collage pieces to it, using super strong tape. Voilà, I had a new mixed media art piece.
This is my contribution to Nicole's Sunday in the Art Room.
Gorgeous feather art!
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrific way to incorporate feathers into collage art! I particularly like your use of cheesecloth fibres. And all three look so gorgeous together on that burlap canvas!
ReplyDeleteYears ago I worked with feathers in a different way. Your idea is brilliant. I love how you added the details to bring out the colors in the feathers. Yes, gluing them down is difficult but you achieved it beautifully. I also like how you put them together on the burlap. Just beautiful. Thank you for sharing with SITAR and have a nice Sunday.
ReplyDelete...feathers are among Mother Nature's finest designs.
ReplyDeleteI have never used bird feathers as decoration or in art before. I like the harmony of colors, the simplicity of the subject, and the burlap material in your work.
ReplyDeleteWhen I once found bird feathers on the shore of a small lake, I thought that birds must have been flying there, but everything was so quiet that it was almost unimaginable...
Dear Carola, these are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteInteresting.
ReplyDeleteCarola I really like each of these, and even better how you used all 3 on the burlap. This piece has such amazing texture, and I like how this will remind you of the birds you see in your garden. Happy new week. hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteLovely! I really like the use of the burlap canvas as a mounting for your triptych.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the creative mind and nimble fingers of Carola Bartz. Feathers are akin to holy icons in my world, and reverence of any kind towards them is a sacrament. Thanks for letting us see your work. It is both beautiful and inspirational. Huge, plentiful hugs - David
ReplyDeleteI think these are really beautiful. They may have been a pain to do, but your end result certainly looks worth it. I love the feel of the feathers and the muted colors. The cheesecloth (no, not cheesecake, as I first wrote!) is really wonderful for contrast and texture! Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
ReplyDeleteGreat works of art, Carola! I've sometimes collected bird feathers myself, but I haven't come up with the idea of making art out of them. Have a nice week!
ReplyDeleteI can well imagine that trying to glue feathers was very challenging, Carola, but your persistence and ingenuity resulted in a lovely work of art. Did you ever learn from what birds once had these feathers?
ReplyDelete