DAVIS COUNTY — It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a work of art!

This year, kites will be taking their turn in the sky at the Davis County Balloon (and now Kite) Stampede, running Sept. 4-6 at Antelope Island. Kite artist Ron Gibian will be one of those in attendance helping residents explore the art of the kite, showing off fanciful creations that all come equipped with their own wings.

“I make a good flying kite as a platform, then run rampant with art on it,” said Gibian, the head of Gibian Kites and Design. “No matter how weird and non-kite-like I make something, all the aerodynamic elements like drag-to-lift ratio are still there.”

Gibian, the son of a well-known Chilean graphic artist and fashion designer, had been an artist for years before being drawn into the world of kites. After showing his sketches to Corey Jensen, a major figure in the kite community, he was urged to start building his own.

Gibian’s sketches continue to be the basis of his kites, filling book after book with ideas he draws from a wide variety of sources.

“My inspiration comes from objects or ideas that I cross paths with,” he said. “It could be the expression on someone’s face, architecture, or even the colors on a TV commercial – you never know what’s going to trigger.”

Or, sometimes, when that trigger will take root.

“The timing has to be right,” he said. Sometimes, Gibian will hold sketches for years until the moment feels right. “I wait until I can make it mean something.”

With each idea, he also takes into account the importance of getting the kite to its final destination – the sky.

“Some of my kites used to be more daring, but they would only fly marginally,” said Gibian. “Kites aren’t wall hangings. They have to go into the sky and fly well.”

After more than 30 years of creating these flying works of art, Gibian still feels the same pull he did when he was first drawn to the medium.

“Kites are fascinating because they’re lighter than air,” he said. “Besides, who doesn’t like looking up?”

Even better, kites can help carry you up with them.

“When you’re not feeling so good, the feel of the kite line tugging pulls all the nasty right off you,” said Gibian. “I don’t know why it works, but it does.”

For a complete schedule of the Davis County Balloon and Kite Stampede, go to www.antelopeballoons.com.