Why Feathers?

Why feathers? Here’s where I think it started…

Backup to August. Summer was great, I enjoyed taking time away from the studio and focusing on spending it enjoying our short North Dakota summer with the kids. But once the kids started school I was REALLY excited to get back in the studio. I had a million ideas floating through my mind all summer, and I couldn't wait to get to work!

However when I finally had the chance to create, suddenly I felt like I couldn’t. My creative spark was gone. I sat at my blank sketch pad with a motionless pencil. None of my ideas felt right, nothing was speaking to me. It is SUCH a frustrating feeling. I couldn’t find any inspiration…nothing was lighting my fire. 

After a few days of this, I decided to pick up a book about forming metal, which had been collecting dust on my shelf for a year or two. I flipped through the pages and decided to try fold-forming (a mostly-new-to-me metalsmithing technique.) I just went with it, forgoing my usual habit of overthinking everything. The result was a brass feather.

And suddenly I was back in the groove.

I’ve learned that I need new challenges to keep me inspired, and also that I LOVE forging metal. There’s nothing like taking a flat sheet of metal and using a hammer and saw and fire to create something that mimics reality. It’s so freaking satisfying. 

But why have I stuck with feathers and made a whole flock of them?? I think it’s because feathers feel like freedom and strength to me, like rising above the weight of the world.

And let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want to fly right now?