Artist Bio: Patricia Marin Miranda has developed a unique technique of assembling large wild bird feathers into a paintable medium. She uses acrylics to paint directly on the feathers. Each 100% natural feather is carefully selected and then assembled together to make a “canvas” that is studied for its texture, feather vane lines and contours that are then used as a natural part of the painted image flowing and mixing with the paint from Patricia’s brush. The final fine art image is then put onto a mat board or painted canvas panel and sealed under glass in an airtight box inside museum quality framing.

Patricia grew up in Costa Rica, immigrated to the U.S. in 2005 with her five children and moved to Santa Fe in 2019 where she has a studio gallery in the historic art district of Canyon Road.

As a young girl, she remembers artists painting on single feathers. She fell in love with this art form.

Patricia has always seen birds as a symbol of flight and freedom, not just physically, but also spiritually. Living in New Mexico she found the blend of Spanish and Native American cultures a wonderful source of Southwestern images to create unique and interesting collectibles. Every piece is one-of-a-kind.

Most recently, PBS Television travel series Travels With Darley featured Patricia and her unique artwork in the Santa Fe Episode which began airing February 4, 2023. The segment can be seen here: https://youtu.be/FKkIIkbqaVQ

The Santa Fe New Mexican did a feature story on her artistic journey here in New Mexico in the January 15, 2023 Sunday Edition. Patricia and her work have appeared in many articles and magazines including Albuquerque Journal, Western Art Collector and Prime Time Monthly. She also did a large solo exhibition in 2022 at CACE Gallery in Colorado.

Artist Statement: I was introduced to feather art in my native country of Costa Rica. My interest in Native American and Southwestern themes stems from my own indigenous roots. This art form, known as “arteplumaria”, is one of the highest, most elegant and sumptuous arts of pre-Hispanic and colonial periods. This art form was mostly lost due to the dying out of the indigenous masters of the Aztec Empire. I am inspired by their love of birds and spiritual connection with the freedom and symbolism they provide.

“Feathers are like women. They are delicate, beautiful, and fragile, but at the same time they are as strong as rocks.”

I created a unique technique that is a rediscovery of the use of feathers as a “canvas” for beautiful memorable scenes. Like the Aztecs, no birds are killed for their feathers in making my art. I’ve applied this technique of assembling multiple large feathers into a single large “canvas” to painting acrylics of Southwestern scenes as well as birds of my country and New Mexico.

I continue to experiment with natural feathers as a medium. My latest work is painting on small feathers and encasing them in hand-crafted glass-like resin pendants creating a one-of-a-kind necklace accented with natural stones from the Southwest. I also design unique fedoras with hand-painted feather hat bands.

My work has been collected by art enthusiasts around the world. I’ve received numerous commissions including one from PBS Television that was a gift to George RR Martin.

Having raised five children on my own and now proud grandmother of six wonderful grandchildren, I feel blessed to be realizing my dream of painting professionally and sharing my love and passion through my art.