Fiesta Bird

During a doodling session, I was reminded of a bird design I once drew at art college. I was studying a degree in ceramics and the design was meant to go on large round dish that I intended to make, but never did. Decades later I again found myself drawing a similar design! This bird clearly needed an outlet and eventually this colourful character emerged looking like they were full of confidence, all dressed up, making their way to a flamboyant party or fiesta. This piece is important as it was the start of a new design style, full of colour and joy.

The idea of fitting a bird inside a circle had been established a long time ago. Therefore, on this paper cut design, the corner pieces developed to create a square format giving the illusion that a circle was present. This layout soon became one of my signature border designs. 

Fiesta Bird is a painstakingly made layered paper cut, in bas-relief, made from multiple pieces of cut coloured paper. This design is loosely based on a bird’s plumage and offered an opportunity for multiple patterns and colours to be used. Some of the papers are slightly textured which highlights their shapes, and subtle shadows are created by the layering of the papers.

Limited editions of 5

Handmade bas-relief paper cut art mounted onto acid-free 500gsm mounts

8" x 8" x 1" (20 x 20 x 3 cm) gallery quality white wooden frame from sustainably sourced UK forests 

UV-protective glass with hard-board backs, professional hanging system and authenticity labelling

Professionally packaged in sturdy recycled cardboard boxes 10" x 10" x 2" (26 x 26 x 5 cm)

UK Shipping 5 - 7 days / International Shipping 10 - 14 days