Hi, I'm Simon!

​

I started The Feather Craftsman after taking a short fly tying course. My partner Jodi encouraged me to make jewellery with the feathers as they were so beautiful and it seemed such a shame to drown them in the river fishing. This creative outlet really gained momentum during the pandemic when I rapidly moved into devising my own patterns and designs for earrings and hat pins. Whilst I enjoyed tying flies for fishing, I could see a small niche for luxurious, hand crafted jewellery if made in the right way with ethical attention paid to the source of the materials.  Also, my eyesight was going downhill as it does as you age and making things on a bigger scale was a welcome relief! 

​

I have always enjoyed creative thinking, solving problems and making use of the resources around me. I am a lifelong angler and hunter/gatherer.

​

I take pride that I use many recycled and reclaimed items within my feather accessories to ensure environmental and ethical accountability where I can. These include:

​

• Feathers sourced from pest control operations in the New Zealand

• Feathers sourced from former fly tyers

• Feathers sourced from road kill/by-catch in pest control operations in NZ

• Feathers sourced from aviarists in NZ whose birds naturally molt

• Feathers from my own unsuccessful creations

• Piano wire that was going to the dump

• Stainless steel ear hooks that were not suitable but that I reform to suit my purpose

• Bullet casings from my own and friends pest control operations and a shooting range

• Coins I collect from my metal detecting hobby

• Leather and suede offcuts from other creators

• Recycled sterling silver wire 

 

I'm sure this list will only get longer as time goes on.

​

Each design is crafted taking into account the feathers condition, natural colours, shapes and patterns after which they are meticulously hand tied by me into wearable art. I aim to craft desirable, real feather accessories which make an impression and make the wearer feel special no matter the occasion.

​

Everything is created in my small studio in Lake Hawea, New Zealand and with a lot of experimentation I have most recently been creating different techniques to expand my designs beyond earrings to quality lapel pins, brooches and hat pins.

​

With my partner Jodi's help, we now regularly sell at local markets and events, have had a pop up shop, have a website and social media pages and sell internationally with many happy customers in at least New Zealand, Australia, UK, Netherlands, Japan, USA, China, Hong Kong, Canada, New Caledonia, Taiwan, Germany, South America and more.

 

​

Thank you for supporting our small business - we are really overwhelmed with the support!

 

Simon and Jodi.