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.

I was born in Calella (Barcelona) in 1956, and nowadays I live in Vilassar de Mar (Barcelona). Since I was a child I have been fascinated by painting and I think I'm a self-taught painter because, despite I was taught drawing at Primary School, I have acquired my knowledge thanks to my environment. Painting is my own way to express myself. I can shape my inward in the canvas with the essential help of the palette knife and the colours. As a nature’s lover and great observant, my environment has always been my source of inspiration. At present I devote myself exclusively to painting, my true passion, and that is why I feel extremely fortunate.

Jacek Yerka is an amazing painter from Poland. His subject matter ranges from odd beasts to whimsical landscapes incorporating extraordinary architecture, and includes imagery gleaned from his childhood. I handpicked a few of his pieces so we can take a close look at his world of painting.

Realistic impressionist whose art, prints and posters express his love of nature and a man gifted with a rare talent. Having studied with some of the great Italian masters of fine art, he has developed a brilliant and commanding style. Born in Castelluccio, Italy, in 1954, Egidio Antonaccio graduated from the Institute of Fine Art in Castrovillari, Italy, in 1973. Then in 1978, he graduated with honors from the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, Italy.

Three pugs peer out from a car window in Los Angeles, California. A wacky photographer has come up with an unusual pet project – snapping ecstatic dogs as they hang their heads out of car windows. Lara Jo Regan, 48, embarked on the odd task for her new 2014 calendar “Dogs In Cars”. The unusual shoot, which took place in Los Angeles, California, aimed to explore the joy experienced by pugs and huskies when a breeze hits their faces. (Photo by Lara Jo Regan/Barcroft Media)

Sophie and Sarah, old English sheepdogs, watch the sea from their plastic chairs. Amateur photographer Cees Bol, from the Netherlands, documents the lives of his beloved pooches Sophie and Sarah by taking pictures of them every day. (Photo by Cees Bol/Caters News Agency/Mercury Press)

An Afghan Hound waits in the benching area during the Daytime Session in the Breed Judging across the Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding groups at the 143rd Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Pier 92/94 in New York City on February 11, 2019. (Photo by Timothy A. Clary/AFP Photo)