When I created this piece, I kept thinking about people who feel more at home in quiet places than crowded ones. I wanted her to feel gentle and withdrawn, but not lonely in a sad way. More like someone who has built her own little world where she feels safe.
The birdhouse became the perfect symbol for that. Instead of showing her face, I wanted her hidden inside this tiny home, almost as if she's become part bird herself. The birds gather around her naturally, without fear, and that felt important to me because animals always seem to sense softness in people before humans do.
There are also personal details woven into this piece. The red shiny shoes she's wearing were inspired by a real pair I had as a child. My grandad Jack had custom tap shoes made especially for me, and I wore them everywhere. I think they became part of my identity back then — bright, loud, playful little shoes that made me feel special. Including them in this artwork felt like placing a small piece of childhood memory into the scene.
I wanted the colours and details to feel soft and dreamlike, almost like a memory or a fairytale. The floating feathers, the red ribbon, the little basket, the birds circling around her — they all help create this feeling that she belongs more to nature than anywhere else.
For me, this artwork is really about quiet connection. The kind that doesn't need words. Sometimes people don't know how to fit into the world around them, so they create a gentler one of their own. I think she's done exactly that.
Even though the piece feels surreal, I wanted the emotion behind it to feel human and familiar. Most of us have had moments where we've hidden parts of ourselves while still hoping something kind would find us.
Collect Her
Birdie is available as an art print, ACEO card, postcard set, and greeting card — each one a little piece of that quieter world to take home with you.