28/08/2021
To celebrate the beautiful series of children’s illustrated books ‘The Flower Fairies’ by Cicely Mary Barker; the publishers, Frederick Warne, Penguin Random House, commissioned 5 of the fairy costumes to be recreated in quarter scale. So to continue where I left off, here is my own favourite - the Silver Birch Fairy.
I’m surrounded by silver birch trees where I live on the Ashdown Forest; they grow like weeds here, and butterflies constantly flutter about in the garden, so who knows, there may be silver birch fairies at the bottom of my own garden!
The catkin inspired top is made from fine glove leather, stamped into individual scales; her skirt is made from the lightest weight Habotai and silk chiffon ombree dyed in a milk pan on the kitchen hob and her wings were beautifully hand painted by Martha Fein before being digitally printed by Hatley Print. Following are some finished, as well as some work in progress images.
The fairy costume collection was first exhibited at Mottisfont National Trust in 2018/9, with future exhibits in the pipeline…
Special thanks to Thomas Merrington who comissioned the collection, with Sarah Hulands. And also to my wonderful team of artists who contributed to the collection: Ray Scott, Karen Purvis, Martha Fein, Albert Seleznyov, Hatley Print, Debbie Phipps and Claire Pain. Fabrics from Pongees Silks, Whaleys (Bradford) and vintage finds.
