I’ve been thinking about how I might incorporate local found materials into the pieces I’m making for my Crafting Futures collaboration with Pilar.
So, for the past couple of months, I have been picking up the feathers I come across on my daily walks.
I’ve not done anything special when gathering these feathers – I’ve not gone out to look for them, and I’m not thinking of the possibility of finding one when I set out.
But I still like to come across them.
Some of the feathers have obvious stories.
Many seem to be casualties of mobbed buzzards, for example.
And as there are a lot of pheasants in this landscape, there are a lot of pheasant feathers too.
I love the deep, dark luminosity of crow and raven
While the provenance of others is more mysterious.
When I happened across another feather this morning, I felt that what I’d gathered might be beginning to amount to a collection.
So I asked Tom to photograph the feathers for me.
I like the found feathers individually, and together.
Hopefully the next time you see them will be as part of a finished piece!
This is the sixth post in my series about my Crafting Futures residency, my collaboration with Pilar Obeso, and our ongoing research and work on this project. You can read parts one, two, three, four and five by following the links.
KDD & Co 
Feathers truly are magnificent pieces of engineering aren’t they?!
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I live in Sydney and collect feathers as I wander around the inner west where I live. Some of the feathers I have collected include amazingly vibrant green and red parrot feathers and vivid white feathers from the cockatoos. I am always delighted to find native bird feathers in such a densely settled area. The birds returned here when native trees were planted by the council and local residents.
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Sorry, Kate, I mean no disrespect, but I have no need of a project—Tom’s photographs are more than gorgeous and more than enough!! Maybe an album or portfolio of those portraits might be a project for him???
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Beautiful photos. I came across many blue jay feathers at my cottage this past weekend. They are such pretty but noisy birds. I couldn’t help wonder if it had been a raptor’s meal or had died of disease.
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the feathers are soo beautiful… and yes, i agree that the book Where the Crawdads Sing is simply wonderful… very memorable… it sticks with me and it’s fun too!
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Every year until now, there has been a lady at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Craft Fair in St John’s churchyard who does beautiful delicate paintingss on feathers (and demonstrates on her stand). Can’t remember her name, though I think her first name is Rosemary. Maybe Claire will know.
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I would recommend reading ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ by Delia Owens – very tender yet raw, where the love story is initiated by the exchange of found feathers … just finished this beautiful book and the feather collection inspired me to look again at my own.
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Oh, your topic is today’s gift for sure!! I find feathers so magical – even pigeon feathers (that is often what we see on our city streets). Your collection is magnificent. Whenever I find a feather I think it to be not only a gift but also a message from the bird world – about taking flight or seeing something from a different perspective. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this subject and for Tom’s great photographs!! I can’t wait to see how they effect your work. And your Nut-Hap pattern, which I knitted, was a perfect representation of bird in flight!!!
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Hi. If you’re considering incorporating feathers in a piece of artwork you might consider lightly steaming the feathers beforehand. The feathers in their natural state have microscopic mites. These mites will slowly consume the feather. Steaming helps preserve them. I worked for a company that occasionally used feathers in their designs. It was an education to learn why some boxes were whole and others were full of feather debris and feathers that looked like bizarre little combs.
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thank you, Kim, for this great advice
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Thank you ‘other’ Susan :) re the feather Atlas, was unaware of that. Knew we couldn’t collect Eagle Feathers but was unaware re others. I usually find turkey feathers on our walks which the dogs EAT! crunch crunch And my mother also talked about feathers having ‘parasites’ on them, do NOT touch! My neighbors have beautiful chickens and their feathers are in a lovely jar.
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I came across some beautiful feathers this week – though they were still on the bird. Spotted a jay, in a tree just in front of me, while walking at Hermitage of Braid. I’m not sure that I’ve ever come across one, and it just looked so unexpectedly large and colourful.
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wow, Claire, a jay! I’ve only heard them here – they are wonderful, characterful birds
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In the US, it is illegal to possess many native migratory bird feathers. When I first read this a few days ago in a birding group, I thought, “Hogwash!” Yet, a simple Google search proved it to be true.
https://www.werdehat.co/blog/legal-and-illegal-feathers
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Here in the US we are not allowed to pick up and/or collect any remnants from birds and creatures although I don’t know about discarded snake skins. Definitely not feathers of what is left of an egg shell once a bird is hatched. Sort of sad really because we all used to collections of “things.” No more!
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Do you have any idea why this is? I know we are not allowed to own bald eagle feathers because Native Americans need them for their religious ceremonies, buy why can’t we collect pretty feathers we may find in the forest, and besides, who is going to enforce it?
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We had a collection of feathers in a bottle that we collected to show our grandchildren. They couldn’t take them back to New Zealand, had to just admire them when they were with us. The biggest was a kori bustard feather, it towered over the rest of the collection. I’ll be interested to see how you incorporate your collection in your work.
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My mum put the fright in me as a kid “Do not pick up feathers, they have germs”. I don’t know why it stuck with me. But even now, if I pick up a feather, I shudder, and as soon as possible I wash my hands. LOL I love your collection.
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Crista Davis makes beautiful feather crowns…
https://www.christadavis.com/accessories/feather-crown
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Funny, I do that too, my mantelpiece is full of feathers, mostly pheasant I suppose, sometimes I come across an almost complete collection where a fox has made a meal. I saw something the other day which was kitch but quite attractive, someone had poked loads of white duck feathers into a round chinese lantern and hung it from the ceiling in their bedroom! Don’t think that would work with pheasant feathers though…
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FYI, in the United States it is illegal to collect many kinds of feathers. https://www.fws.gov/lab/featheratlas/feathers-and-the-law.php
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that’s very interesting – thank you
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I always love Tom’s photos, they really move me. These are magical. Thank you both. Wish I could send you some of the African bird feathers like Lilac Breasted Rollers (just as described but with turquoise wings for good measure) but they are better left in memory.
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Feathers can be wonderful just to look at.
Some appear at rest. Others as if they are about to take flight. In motion!
Look forward to seeing how you incorporate them!
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Beautiful photographs! Well done
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I always pick up found feathers too. I often wonder about the story of the bird who lost it. Such strength and beauty in something so small and light. A reminder that when these qualities are banded together it produces new perspective and delight to soar and swoop in the wide open sky.
Thanks for being open to wonder when you find it and to share it with others.
Take good care,
Karen
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Oh synchronicity! I’ve been collecting shore feathers from the strand line at Brora. A friend who makes feather fans suggesting popping finds (wrapped!) in the freezer to kill off any feather mites.
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I cannot resist picking up feathers and have some of them on my mantle-piece. I wonder if feather mites are responsible for the holes that sometimes appear in them? I thought that it was some kind of moth that was doing the damage.
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