It doesn’t take much to tickle this Nancy’s fancy, as I am easily amused, but feathers are certainly high on my list of favorites. Whether feather earrings, boas, fans, or this necklace that I bought in Hawaii, I have always enjoyed objects that include gifts that I find from birds. At one point, I looked into buying a pair of Sally Rand fans. She was a burlesque dancer in the 1930s and her trademark became her huge ostrich fans that have been copied by exotic dancers and show girls for their performances. However, at $150 US each, that seemed like a lot of money for an amusement. (Although I think you can get them cheaper now on eBay and Etsy… maybe some day.)
The peacock feather necklace above I bought in a gallery in Kauai, Hawaii. Having seen and worn a number of flower leis while there, I was delighted to find out there was also a tradition of making feather leis and capes in that region which would last much longer. This necklace and earrings were one of those things that I had to buy, and I have enjoyed wearing them quite a bit. While the necklace is over twenty five years old now, the feather tips are still joined into the base with macrame knots as tightly done as when I bought it.
This blue and brown fan I bought at a Renaissance festival along with a matching feathered pouf that could be clipped into my hair. The fan has a 3 in. (7.5cm) mirror on the side that faces you should you care to admire yourself or fix your make-up. Again, this was one of those “must-have” purchases. When I was in high school in NC, I went to a “charm school” in the 60s, where I learned useful life skills such as how to carry a fan. (Having a bend in your wrist so that your hand is crooked upwards is the key element.) There’s something quite elegant about carrying around a fan, no matter what the outfit, but feathers help to make what you’re carrying special.
The next fan below is one that is used for “smudging” during various rituals. Burning sage brush bundles or sweet grass is a way many societies use to cleanse the energy before having a gathering. I have a large abalone shell to catch the ashes as the fumes waft through the air. The handle on this smudging fan is wrapped in doe skin and adds to the visual and textural appeal of holding the object.
I can’t think of a more beautiful way to “clear the air” than using one of these lovely fans. Too bad that more of these ancient rituals aren’t used to create a ceremony before a discussion is held. They can add a sense of importance to what will follow, and perhaps convey to the participants that what will transpire is significant.
I once had a shamanic friend that would run his fingers along the edge of a large hawk feather as he held it up to his ear. He got answers to his questions by listening to how the barbs fell back together as his finger passed along their edges. He spent a lot of time out in the wild, and had learned the different calls that the various birds made, so it seemed only natural for him to use such a device to gain knowledge about what he wanted to know. Since he wore the feather in his hair, he always had it at the ready, should he need to know something. For him, it was much more efficient than looking up something on the Internet, and connected him to his environment. While I don’t have those skills, I do have a great appreciation for the lightweight, yet powerful feathers that can lift a bird’s body into the air.
Do you have a favorite material that you like to use for your art work?
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