Monthly Inspiration Material Innovation
This month, we celebrate artists who push the boundaries of traditional art media through innovative use of materials. From delicate feathers and eggshells to driftwood, shells, and squeegeed pigment, each featured artist reimagines what visual art can be made of—and how it can be made. Their practices blend experimentation, craftsmanship, and concept, resulting in works that feel fresh and expressive. Whether inspired by nature, history, or rhythm, these artists challenge our expectations and expand the possibilities of contemporary art-making.
“
The artist sees what others only catch a glimpse of.”
–
Leonardo Da Vinci
“You can’t use up creativity.The more you use the more you have.”
Erika Givens
Natural Materials
California artist Erika Givens creates one-of-a-kind sculptural works using natural materials like driftwood, oyster shells, and beehive paper. She often sources elements local to the environment where the piece will live, reshaping and arranging them into striking abstract compositions.
“My work is inspired by a fascination with natural earthen materials and the geometry, fluidity, and pattern in topography and cartography.”
Chris Maynard
Bird Feathers
Chris Maynard transforms real bird feathers into intricate, hand-carved shadow box scenes that celebrate flight, transformation, and the connection between the earthly and the ethereal. Working with naturally shed feathers from species like peacocks, parrots, and turkeys, his work reflects a deep reverence for birds and the natural world. A lifelong conservationist, Maynard’s art resonates universally, evoking both wonder and curiosity.
Elisa Sheehan
Painted Eggshells
Inspired by the Japanese art of Kintsugi, New York-based artist Elisa Sheehan gives the technique a nature-based twist—hand-painting and gold-leafing delicate eggshells to fuse history, heritage, and the natural world.
“I’ve always loved the Japanese art of Kintsugi. It calls us to celebrate age, history, and the scars that life and time make upon everything and everyone.”
Erik Barthels
Squeegee Painting & Collage
Erik Barthels is an artist known for his vibrant abstractions created using an unconventional squeegee technique. Working in fluid washes of watercolor and acrylic, he spreads pigment across paper in sweeping gestures, building rhythmic compositions that echo the flow of music. His works often incorporate cut and collaged elements, introducing moments of sharp contrast and improvisation. Infused with playful color and layered movement, his practice nods to pop art, midcentury design, and expressionism—merging graphic precision with softness, spontaneity, and a distinctly handmade quality.
Q&A
You work with squeegees as your primary painting tool, and some of your compositions involve collage elements. What drew you to these physical processes?
I started working with squeegees initially to break away from standard painting tools, brushes and painting knives. I was drawn to the immediacy and speed squeegees offered. It unlocked a speedy way to operate, and it also allowed a great method to try out experiments.
Collage has become more important in the last few years. I create large bodies of work and then later edit. This is usually a slower process. I enjoy the studied approach that working in collage provides. Often, I’m surprised by juxtapositions I wouldn’t otherwise make if I were painting in a more traditional manner.
Q&A
Your works have a certain sense of rhythm, and some of them include musical notes. How does music influence your artistic style?
Music has been incredibly influential in my life. I’ve always been particularly interested in how musicians nudge and shift the evolution of their craft. I’ve been thinking about sampling in music, especially in the late 80s/early 90s. I think those albums I loved (Beastie Boys, Deee-Lite, De La Soul) were essentially puzzles, built from layers of repurposed samples. Now I see how these songs definitely influenced my thinking and how I approach my studio practice.
Which artists inspire you most, and why?
Andy Warhol, Peter Halley, Barry McGee. Lately, I’ve been obsessed with Keltie Ferris’s work, Grace Weaver, Amy Feldman. Each of them is unique and their work is so specific, you would never mistake their work for someone else’s.
“
Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”
– Edgar Degas
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