Today is all about counterbalancing my reading recommendations (heavy, in every meaning of the word) with something visually enchanting (light, in every meaning of the word.)

The essays can be found in The Atlantic, here and here. They are asking us to imagine the unimaginable and allowing us glimpses into a world that seems surreal even though it surrounds us, the active work of many to destroy our democracy and passive bystanders paving the way, again. I completely understand if it is all too much to face (although that is some of the problem that the essays tackle,) and offer the sculptural art below as an anti-dote to heavy hearts.

Here is someone who champions feathers. Chris Maynard, with backgrounds in ecology and biology, uses his skills with magnifying glass, forceps and eye surgery tools to create carvings into feathers that evoke fragile, intricate scenes.

Here is a short clip where he explains his work.

Maynard is a member of Artists for Conservation (AFC,) a Canadian based international non-profit that represents approximately 500 artists from 30 countries,in the nature/wildlife art genre who are committed to conservation. One really cool thing about them: they list art on their website linked to categories of beneficiaries, so if you know someone who cares about whales, or owls, or a particular national park and are desperately looking for a meaningful present: voilà!

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Kate MccGwire also works with feathers, in her case in bulk, creating ingenious sculptures that remind more of water than air in the way they capture movement. The British artist’s websites says she collects, sorts and cleans her material – where do you find that many feathers??? Maybe collecting refers to finding sources that provide. Must be.

“Speaking on her use of feather as a metaphor for what she terms ‘the duplicity of nature’, Kate MccGwire has said, ‘My work is inspired by the water forming incredible patterns that are there one second and gone the next. Everything is fleeting on the water, it is beautiful but there is danger and treachery underneath the surface. I’m intrigued by that dichotomy.”

Just look at the flow.

Or the bulk!

And then, there are feathers au naturel. The way I find them on my walks.

May the feathers lift us up. If not, we should crawl underneath and hide. At least it’ll be dry and warm.

Music by Poppy Ackroyd today.