The name Don Featherstone might not ring any bells for you, and until last week I didn’t realize he was the creator of one of the most iconic symbols of our time: the pink flamingo.
Featherstone died last week at the age of 78, and as a sculptor, his biggest claim to fame was a patent on the first pink flamingo ornament. He was immensely proud of the accomplishment in 1957 because the advent of plastic meant his beautiful bird was made available on a mass scale. He based his flamingo on a National Geographic photo and he didn’t even care that it eventually became a symbol for tackiness. The original flamingos almost disappeared in 2006 when the production company folded, although the stock and patent were bought by another firm. Knock-offs are everywhere, made of smooth, molded plastic. Featherstone’s originals have sculpted feathers and a pale yellow beak with a black tip.
Featherstone went on to invent hundreds of products but he remained synonymous with the pink bird. Apparently he was quite a character. Friends say he and his wife always dressed in matching shirts and were always happy. You’d expect a happy person to come up with something so silly!
The pink flamingo reminds me of my late Aunt Marg, who was terribly ill when her coworkers showed their love by covering her lawn with dozens of them. They remind me of Derek and I sneaking over to his sister’s house in the wee hours to push 40 of them into her lawn to mark her milestone birthday. I was mocked for having a small one hanging from a mirror on my first motorcycle, Bernice. They’re ridiculous but they make me smile. Thanks Mr. Featherstone.