What sort of magic do robins possess, that makes them so beloved in our gardens and parks!
Maybe it is the way they follow us and are attentive to our every move, watching for that moment when we might uncover a worm or offer them some food. Perhaps it is the folklore that they appear when someone we love has left us, returning that feeling of our loved ones being near. For me, it is their song and confidence, so you can get up close and really observe them – making them one of the easiest birds to see, sketch and photograph, all the better to sculpt them.
I love needle felting European robins and this one was a special bird, close to my heart. One of a pair that started visiting our neighbouring back gardens this spring, I saw them often in my bird bath on the ground. This robin would stand calmly watching me as their partner was splashing in the water. They were smooth and preened at all times, whereas the other robin was a bit more messy, with feathers in all directions and darker grey on their chest than most robins I have seen. So I started making them both in January this year, an old married couple who accept each other just as they are.
I will miss this robin sitting on the wooden box where I keep my bird’s eyes as I work at my desk. She is great company and will suit anyone who needs a friend, is happy to keep her in indirect sunlight hopefully near a window, and who appreciates the details in her hand-made individual flight feathers, hand-painted eyes and her delicate detailed feet. She is a real treasure – and I am sure would love to stay with her other half if you don’t mind a slightly scruffier, slightly damp robin chap!
Dimensions: approximately 14cms long, 10.5cms tall, 5.5cms wide
Materials: wool and plant fibres, wire, thread and resin
A fibre bird art piece which is for adult collectors to treasure for a life-time.
