"Dancing with Ray" Kite by Michael Thompson

Chicago-based artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites crafted from split bamboo frames covered with stretched muslin and a collage of vintage Asian ephemera—including fragments of fabric, scrolls, drawings, and books collected during his travels.

In "Dancing with Ray," Thompson layers scraps of woven fabric to create an abstract composition of curvilinear forms and geometric patterns. Meandering lines trace biomorphic shapes and draw sinuous waves down the center of the kite. The layered fabric elements result in a highly textured surface and a soft pastel color palette of pink, blue, and grey.

Thompson has earned an international reputation for his kite works, an engrossing project initiated by the artist more than a decade ago.

Split bamboo, muslin, silk, fabric, paper, pigments.