In January of 2026 I received an invitation to participate in Pajaro Valley Arts’ Over the Edge: Printmaking Without Limits exhibition, a show encouraging artists to push beyond traditional approaches to printmaking. How could I resist? My proposal was to create a series of oversized paper feathers representing bird species found throughout the Pajaro (“Bird”) Valley.
The project grew into a collection of thirty-one sculptural feathers inspired by local birds and informed by The Feather Atlas (Fish and Wildlife Service), borrowed specimens and close observation. Each feather begins as a sketch before evolving into a monoprint made with oil-based inks on Rives BFK paper using my Griffin IV etching press. Once the prints have dried, the transformation from flat image to sculptural object begins. A length of 30-pound wire is secured between the printed sheets with linen framing tape, forming the rachis—the central shaft of the feather—and giving the piece the flexibility to curve, twist, and hold its shape like the real thing. The layers are then carefully adhered together and compressed around the wire with a bone folder to create a seamless form. Graphite, paint, and colored pencil are added by hand to deepen texture, subtle coloration and patterns unique to each species. After sealing the surface with gel medium, the feather is cut with a sharp blade to create individual barbs and the small imperfections found in nature—frayed edges, splits, and gaps shaped by flight and weather. Each finished feather is labeled with the bird species, gender, and feather type, blending scientific study with handcrafted interpretation.
Of the 34 feathers created for this show over 23 have flown to new homes...