Birthday
HydrangeasLight, silvery fairies that seem to fly over a flower bed or blow on a dandelion clock are the signature of British sculptor Robin Wight. His wire works look almost weightless and sit beautifully in a garden. Here is a look at the artist and at how to make a garden sculpture part of the landscape.
Living flowers for home and garden: potted plants and flower baskets.
Who is Robin Wight
Robin Wight is a sculptor from Staffordshire in England who works under the name Fantasywire. He builds figures from stainless steel wire, bending and fixing every strand by hand, so the figure stays see-through. That means the sculpture does not hide the plants around it and changes with the light.
His best-known works are fairies and nature spirits in motion: a girl blowing a dandelion, a fairy perched on a branch, dancing figures. Many can be seen in the gardens of the Trentham Estate in Staffordshire, home to a fairy trail.
A sculpture in your own garden
- Backdrop. Pale metal stands out best against dark foliage such as yew, thuja or a dense hedge.
- Story. A sculpture looks alive when it interacts with plants: sitting on a branch, peeping out of grass, reaching for a flower.
- Light. Wire figures are most striking backlit at sunrise and sunset.
- Scale. One medium-sized figure is enough for a small garden; several large ones will overcrowd it.
Caring for metal sculptures
Stainless steel copes with rain and frost but benefits from an occasional wash with a soft brush. Fix figures to a solid base or ground anchors so the wind cannot tip over the light structure.
For more ideas, see garden decor ideas, living plant sculptures in garden topiary, and gardens where art and nature meet in famous gardens of the world.
FAQ
What are Robin Wight’s fairies made of?
Stainless steel wire of different gauges, bent and joined by hand.
Can I make a similar figure myself?
Simple shapes such as a bird, a butterfly or a heart can be bent from soft galvanised wire using a template, but complex figures take experience.
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Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
