Correction: The photo credits were incorrect in an earlier version. All photos are by Mira Featherstone.


By Joella Clove 

Art by Mira Featherstone currently graces the walls of Zen Den Cafe through April 5. She is inspired by the natural world, particularly the sea  and all the stories and folklore that surround it.

 “Living in Homer enriches my creative process,” she said. “When I’m feeling  stuck I go beachcombing or hiking, and all the colors, textures, and vibrancy leave me feeling inspired all over again!” 




 

Featherstone arrived in Homer last summer with her husband and 7-seven-year-old daughter.


“I love living in Homer— the sea, the  mountains, and the vibrant community,” she said.  

Human connection and stories are a prominent source of inspiration for her work.


“I am particularly drawn to painting women of  all ages, and often see my own desires and emotions looking back at me when I paint,” she said. “I love the act of creating — of literally  bringing something into being. The process itself is also deeply grounding and deeply regulating for me.”  

Along with her art, Featherstone works as a therapist. 

“In addition to being an artist, I work as a therapist specializing in grief and loss. “The themes of aging, of human connection and  of loss often surface in my art — something of a crossover between my professional world and my creative world,” she said. 

Working primarily in watercolor, pen, and ink, Featherstone creates emotional landscapes. She discovered watercolor about 10  years ago and fell in love with the medium. 

“Watercolor has personality. It doesn’t stay where you place it — it flows and blends  and moves even after you put it down. There are so many variables to consider: the wetness of the paper, the wetness of the paint,  the temperature of the room, the unique qualities of each pigment you use,” she said. “It’s a dance. And that intrigued me.” 

More recently she has started stitching the paper as well, adding thread, embroidery floss and beads.

Visually, her process  reflects “The Golden Age of illustration” of the late 1800s and early 1900s. She cites the work of Edmund Dulac and Maxfield  Parrish, as well as artists of the pre-raphaelite movement John William Waterhouse and John Everett Millais, as inspirations for  her creative process. 

Featherstone works from home where she has a small studio space set up. 

“I typically have three or four watercolor pieces in  progress at any given time, as well as multiple sketchbooks with little doodles and notes. Some pieces take me only a couple  days, while others are the result of many months of work.” 

Inspiration often comes in waves, she said, though she tries to keep a regular creative practice.

“When I am feeling inspired, I  will often do many smaller ink sketches that I can revisit later in watercolor,” she said. “I am hoping to continue increasing the physical scale  of my art. Since I fell in love with watercolor, I have primarily worked on smaller pieces. I have one large piece on display at Zen  Den, and I love it.” 

While Featherstone has created art obsessively since childhood, she kept it a very private endeavor for a long time. Eventually,  she decided to enter a piece into a community art show, which was “nerve wracking,” but ultimately became the first step towards  standing in her public identity as an artist. 

“I was initially afraid to share something that felt so precious to me,” Featherstone said. “But through showing my pieces I have  come to recognize art as a means of communication, and as a catalyst for connection with other like-minded people. It’s been  deeply rewarding.”

One of her sketchbooks is on display at Hooligan Tattoo in Anchor Point through March 31st. She had a show at Hooligan in  December and two past shows in Salem, Oregon. Her work will be up at Zen Den Cafe until April 5.

 

“I don’t know yet where I  will show my art next, but I’ll be around!” she said. 

Follow Featherstone’s art process on instagram @mirafeatherstone where she can be contacted about her art.