Chincoteague Ponies swim across Assateague Channel in a heavy downpour on Wednesday, July 24, 2013 during the 88th Annual Chincoteague Pony Swim. A portion of the herd will be auctioned on Thursday. (Photo by Jay Diem/Eastern Shore News)

A climber walks on the ridge beneath the eastern peak of the Gamsberg (2385 meters above sea level) near Grabs, Switzerland, Friday, October 3, 2014. (Photo by Gian Ehrenzeller/AP Photo/Keystone)

F/A-18 fighter jet takes off from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the eastern Mediterranean Sea June 13, 2016. (Photo by Baz Ratner/Reuters)

Free Syrian Army fighters stand near an ambulance on the eastern edge of the northern Syrian town of al-Bab, Syria, February 27, 2017. (Photo by Khalil Ashawi/Reuters)

Nottingham-based Vic Fearn & Co. has created unusual coffins in the shape of beer and whiskey bottles, the Angel of the North, guitars and in a geometric style. The handmade caskets cost as much as £5,000 ($6,200). Here: A coffin in the shape of a fish which has been handmade. (Photo by Caters News Agency)

These photos were snapped at just the right moment – leading to some truly unusual images. Some of the pups are sticking out their tongue, while others are just looking at the camera – and the results are hilarious. Cat Race, 33, a dog photographer from Preston, Lancashire, in the U.K., captured the funny moments in the northwest of England over the past two years. Here: Tillie. (Photo by CatsDog Photography/Caters News Agency)

“As a photographer, peregrinator and naturalist, I have been searching for the ultimate unworldly world. I've always been drawn to unusual travel destinations. For me, to lose myself in a different culture is a great way to find balance in my life...”. – Li Xinzhao. (Photo by Li Xinzhao)

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.