Watch the birdie!

I took the kids to see a great exhibition the other day. It was at the New Brewary Arts which if you are ever passing is always worth a look in. I don't try often to take all 3 kids on my own to an exhibition as I have enough grey hairs as it is but I knew this one would be worth it.

They are not big exhibitions, it will take 30 mins at the most but 30 minutes in a gallery with expensive works of art and 3 kids can be truly a mammoth event.

However I must not make it sound awful as the kids were beautifully behaved and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing them enjoy it.

You see the exhibition was by a toymaker called Robert Race. Now not just any toymaker but one that scours beaches for driftwood and makes automata with it. Funny little characters that bob up and down, old paint brushes that wave it at you. Each large piece had a little sign on to encourage you to put a weight or wind a handle to make it work. There were amazing driftwood windmills that twirled 2 big wagon wheels that turned together allowing wooden characters to meet, shake handle before being wound on their way. I love art work like this that uses found materials and has a great sense of humour.

so the birdie? well as ever once I have seen and fallen in love with an artists work I become overtaken with desire for a piece, just a little piece but instead of having to resort to postcards I could have a small piece this time. Yipppeee. I bought this tiny little bird who sits upon a clothes peg, it definatly sits upon not just on. As you squeeze the peg he bends over and sips from his acorn cup. How cool is that!

Ok so quite hard to take photos of so imagination required.It now adds to my collection of small artist made automata birds, so I now have 2. This other one I bought from an exhibition in Bath along time ago.

As you push it, its head bobs up and down and its beak opens.

Quite simple really

hmmm that statement says a lot!