Art in the Park Vendor: Christopher Siess
As a professional fly fishing guide, Christopher Siess has been tying flies for over 30 years. But when he was asked to make a pair of feather earrings for a friend, he found that his skills extended beyond fishing and into jewelry making. In 2018 he created Pretty Fly Designs – now he makes earrings, hats, lapel pins and hair clips. Chris sat down with Steamboat Magazine ahead of this year’s Art in the Park.
Steamboat Magazine: Let’s focus on your earrings. Walk us through your process, how do you decide what materials and color schemes to use?
Chris Siess: Typically when making a pair of earrings, I begin with one feather, I call it the ‘base feather,’ and then I build with what would contrast well and look “cool.” I make the earrings in the same manner as a tie, but in order to make the pair more fashionable, I choose materials like bright stones that go well with the unique feathers. A lot of times when I’m out and about and I see a design or color combination I love, I try to recreate it with my pieces. Mostly I look at the base feather and go based off of the color wheel, finding what looks cohesive and also interesting.
SM: What is the technique? How similar is the jewelry to an actual fly tie?
CS: Very similar; I start with my fly tying vice and thread. Once I decide on a design, I sort through my traditional hackle, find my base feather and strip it of any unnecessary pieces. Using the normal fly tying thread, I tie the elements together as if they were a regular tie. Once I put most of the materials together, I find an overlay feather. This feather can change the entire look of the piece. I can use this feather to make another color pop or to add a new color palette completely. I tie it off and cut the fishing hook off with pliers, then I put the set on a handmade cardboard card. The cards are how the final pieces are displayed and sold.
SM: What about your business? What is important to you when you’re designing and creating?
CS: I wanted to make each piece unique which wasn’t hard because no two feathers are the same; the flocking and patterns are very distinct, which makes the piece equally distinct. When making earrings and accessories, I knew I wanted to be considerate of the planet. The feathers I use are naturally and locally sourced from Delta, Colorado. I don’t use any plastic during the process; I only use gold and stainless steel metals, and the display cards are recycled cardboard. I understand how important nature is to where we live and I want to honor that by making environmentally friendly products.
Find Pretty Fly Designs online at www.PrettyFly-Designs.com.