pine tree girl in a peony bowl (robin)

Artist's notes on style, materials and inspiration:

A white pine girl standing in an porcelain style peony bowl, with a little robin friend paying a visit. Turned pieces form the doll and the bonsai pot, with the addition of laser cut pieces forming the clipped pine branches and added wooden feet to the base of the pot. She was partly inspired by the Japanese white pine in our garden that is planted outside the shed, which I love to watch from season to season. (Note: to prevent breakage, the little bird comes on a small metal pin that locates in a small hole on the branch pictured, to be attached when unpacked).

Japanese bonsai are skilfully miniaturised trees grown in shallow containers, representing a full grown tree in nature; offering the viewer and opportunity for contemplation. They are always grown outdoors, even the ones seen indoors when being exhibited have been cultivated outdoors for their entire life. Dwarf potted trees in Japan are documented from 1195, and they were charmingly referred to as "the bowl's tree" in the 14th century. The name bonsai was used to describe them from the 19th century. They are most often displayed in plain ceramic pots, of varying shapes and sizes.

As my own attempts at real bonsai aren't very good, I made some wood girl versions that will happily live indoors and don't need (or want!) sunshine or regular watering.

Wood girls are inspired by the places and things I love, a favourite motif, object or theme, or are inspired by a microseason. Turned from American Tulipwood, the pieces are turned by a production wood turner in the UK to my designs, then added to and painted by me, a British artist. They are finished in a clear matt acrylic protective top coat.

This girl is approximately 26cm in height.

My pieces are painted in a naïve and simple style, with visible brush strokes and differing paint consistencies. It is important to note that these dolls are made from real wood which will have naturally occurring markings and grain, and sometimes there will be small amount of bleeding along the grain, or knots, which is to be expected when using untreated wood - please make sure you consult the pictures carefully before purchasing.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS NOT A TOY and should be kept out of the reach of children. Wood girls should be kept away from water which can damage the wood and painted surface, and also away from direct heat/ sunlight which also can affect the surface colour and the timber itself.