Many people have seen feathers as decorative items before. Today, ostrich, peacock and bird of paradise feathers can be seen in haute couture and in the costumes of indigenous peoples. They can be colorful and spectacular in their own right, but how much more stunning might they be when used as canvases for artists, eager to demonstrate their talent for the unusual? Alaskan-born and -bred artist Julie Thompson is an astounding exponent of this incredible art form.

Cosplay fans (R) take selfies as comic book and gaming fans attend the annual Ani-Com and Games Fair in Hong Kong on July 28, 2017. Tens of thousands were expected to attend the annual event on animation, comics and games, from July 28 to August 1. (Photo by Isaac Lawrence/AFP Photo)

A fan watches the pre-game before an NFL football game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, November 26, 2023, in Indianapolis. (Photo by Darron Cummings/AP Photo)

A fantasy figure promotes a video game at the Gamescom computer gaming fair in Cologne, Germany, Thursday, August 25, 2022. Around 1,100 exhibitors from 53 countries expect tens of thousands gaming enthusiast daily for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic at the world's largest gaming event. (Photo by Martin Meissner/AP Photo)

Kanphitcha Sungsuk, 21, (C), lines up with young men to speak to officers during an army draft held at a school in Klong Toey, the dockside slum area in Bangkok, Thailand, April 6, 2017. Thailand is widely seen as a paradise for gay and transgender people, but many complain of being treated as second-class citizens and the obligation to respond to the draft can be a nightmare when they turn 21. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

This Hawaiian cat sanctuary has created an “island paradise” for the state’s stray cats. Although most people would take a trip to one of the Hawaiian Islands’ many heavenly sights, Andrew Marttila, 32, and his partner, Hannah Shaw, 30, wanted to visit something more unusual. They decided to take a trip to the Lanai Cat Sanctuary, which is currently home to more than 500 felines. Here: Kitten Lady, 30, is surrounded by rescued cats at the the Lanai Cat Sanctuary in Hawaii. (Photo by Andrew Marttila/Caters News Agency)

A customer plays “Red Light, Green Light” game from the Netflix show “Squid Game” at Strawberry Cafe in Jakarta, Indonesia, October 15, 2021. (Photo by Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Reuters)