(Image © Abigail Brown)
I’d rather learn from one bird how to sing than to teach ten thousand stars how not to dance. (E.E. Cummings)
I seem to have developed a previously unrecognised fascination for birds… Truly. Last month I featured a post on the paper bird magic of Diana Beltran Herrera. Today I bring you the fabulously fanciful world of Abigail Brown, a textile artist who creates amazing birds by hand out of new and reused materials.
Abigail studied a BA in Surface Decoration and Printed Textiles, graduating in 2003. During and since that time she has worked as a designer and illustrator of children’s books, children’s wear, stationery, and greeting cards, and produced work for the advertising industry – all whilst continually exploring ideas in fabrics for herself.
She has enjoyed coverage in magazines such as Vogue, Elle, Elle Decoration and Selvedge, and has sold her work through many beautiful stores (including my favourite, Liberty).
Abigail’s studio is in London and she has the most comprehensive menagerie of fabric bird-life…
(Image © Abigail Brown)
(Image © Abigail Brown)
(Image © Abigail Brown)
(Image © Abigail Brown)
The sparrow that is twittering on the edge of my balcony is calling up to me this moment a world of memories that reach over half my lifetime, and a world of hope that stretches farther than any flight of sparrows. (Donald G. Mitchell)
I’m a fan of sparrows. They’re everywhere in New Zealand and are such unassuming wee birds. When you come to Australia, one of the first things you notice is the incredibly noisy bird life – the cockatoos and the galahs wake you up in the morning with their chattering. For some reason, there don’t seem to be any sparrows, though. I miss them.
My bird of choice from Abigail’s collection
(Image © Abigail Brown)
All Abigail Browns birds are made to order and can take anything from 1 – 6 weeks to complete. Each piece is unique and may vary slightly from the image she provides on her site.
If you’d like to learn more, you can access Abigail’s site here. There are many more wonderful birds to see.
I love sparrows, too! I took a peek at her store, and I may have to purchase a swan for Dimples some time. Her synchronized swimming team, the Cygnets, is named after baby swans.
What a cool name for a wee Synch’ swim team! Inspired, WIM2S!
I wish I could say I thought of it!
So cute – I just love that Kingfisher Syders. I miss the cockatoos and galahs – SO much. I hear the subway rattle instead. Too funny: “unassuming wee birds.” We got plenty of sparrows here.
Isn’t it funny what things impress upon you the most, Yogi M? The cockies and galahs are so much a part of the Sydney bird-life, yet I so miss the wee sparrows from home.
Absence Syders – it’s the absence that makes the heart grows fonder. I am sure if we swapped – you seeing sparrows, me hearing galahs and cockatoos – we’d wish for what we didn’t have. It’s human nature and I’m glad to miss things as I appreciate them so much more 🙂
Couldn’t agree more! Human beans are curious things…
Hi,
These are not my thing, but I do admire the word and talent that have gone in to making them. 🙂
One can’t please everyone all of the time, Mags! 🙂
Wow… Pink flamingo is a royal figure here
Maybe you need one of your very own, then?
These are beautiful! I love Mr Kingfisher, he looks so proud.
Doesn’t he, JALJ. I think they are quite lovely.
So much work must go into these! Amazing!
I am constantly amazed at the patience displayed by some of these artists, Jo. Quite beautiful, aren’t they?
These are great – I really love that little robin. (Now, a confession: after re-reading it a few times, I still don’t understand that Cummings quote at the beginning of the post and it sort of hurts my head. Though I am putting it down to my tired brain, rather than my lack of culcha.) 🙂
Sparks – my-sister-in-a-parrallel-universe – I try not to over-complicate these things. It means my head doesn’t hurt too often.
After more years than I care to admit to of being a fan of E.E. Cummings, I choose to interpret that quote simply as: try to appreciate the beauty around you in the every-day rather than judging things over which you have little or no influence… But, others may choose to see it differently! LM reckons with Cummings, sometimes it’s better to just let the words wash over you. 🙂
Love that Kingfisher J – so much fun! And what’s not totally fascinating about birds? Especially the ones you find!