Thursday Salute to Originals: Feathers
There’s no arguing that Mother Nature is quite the artist. In looking at her works -landscapes, sunsets, plants, animals, and our specialty, stone- it’s easy to be awed and inspired by her aesthetic eye. But it is feathers that have caught our attention recently. After reading about a new archaeological discovery of feathers on a non-flying dinosaur (another awe-inspiring concept in and of itself), we couldn’t help but Google for more feathery info, and we were pleasantly reminded of the versatility, function, and beauty found in every quill.
Basically modified hair (feathers are made from keratin, after all), the colors, textures, and shapes Mother Nature paints in each plume are truly captivating. And while we could delve into a long discussion on the scientific qualities that make feathers so unique, for this blog, we’re electing to instead, admire feathers for their sheer beauty and diversity. Enjoy!
From bold hues to delicate and demure patterns and textures, feathers are little works of art that rival even the most acclaimed paintings. And for that, we give an original salute to these pretty plumes and their ingenious creator, Mother Nature. After all, how many materials can you think of that function as structure, insulation, waterproofing, communication, mechanics, acoustics, and artwork all at once? If you ask us, anything less in material performance is for the birds!
Image credits: National Geographic, Birds As Art, Hawke Backpacking, Field Guide to Hummingbirds, RSPB, Wikimedia