All of Shannon\u2019s kites are full of unique personality. In the\ncollection are animal-shaped kites including a bat, cicada, flying squirrel,\nfish and shark as well as kites with geometric designs inspired by Caribbean,\nAsian or Native American cultures. Others are inspired by vintage fighter\nplanes and look like warriors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am best known for my whimsical fighter kites,\u201d Shannon said. \u201cI\ndon\u2019t have a favorite; that is why they are all so unique. I never developed a\nsingle style of kite, but I built just about every style at some point.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indeed, Shannon\u2019s versatility can be seen in the exhibit. Many\nkites have long, trailing tails, while others have none. A large rainbow box\nkite sits on the third floor and the largest kite\u2014a two-person play\nsail\u2014features hundreds of colorful shapes and is 13 feet wide and 23 feet long.\nIt drapes from the third-floor open area as if in flight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What all the kites have in common is the skill and care required\nin assembly. Most of the kites are made from nylon skin with fiberglass, wood,\nbamboo or carbon fiber spars (the sticks or bones). Dacron, nylon, grosgrain\nribbon or Kevlar is used for edging and reinforcements. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The craftsman\u2019s expertise comes from decades of experience. After\na chance meeting with a kite-making couple while on a bicycle tour in 1989,\nShannon began helping the couple launch and film their kites in flight. His\nhead has been in the clouds ever since. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOver the years I have literally made hundreds of kites. I made\none arch train kite that had 114 kites on one line,\u201d Shannon said. \u201cI made my\nfirst kite out of wooden dowels and tissue paper and followed a plan out of a\nkite book that I checked out of the library, but it didn\u2019t fly it all. My\nmother had taught me to sew on a sewing machine when I was in kindergarten, so\nI started making my kites out of spinnaker nylon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The \u201cCelebrate the Sky\u201d exhibit is a display of Shannon\u2019s dedication and artistry. It can be seen on the second floor of the Riles Gallery (Bldg. 15) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. A reception will be held from 4-6 p.m. Aug. 29. Shannon said his kite-making hobby keeps him positive and \u201clooking up toward possibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/in.nau.edu\/news\/wordpresst\/uploads\/sites\/153\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/unnamed.jpg\")
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