Wee Birdy

March 18, 2012

Birdy pick of the week: Matt Sewell’s birds for the V&A

I’m actually a bit embarrassed that I’ve never mentioned Matt Sewell before on Wee Birdy. It’s a disgrace, really, considering that this British artist, like me, has been posting a “Bird of the Week” on his blog for the past few years. The only difference is that Matt’s birds are his very own watercolours. His passion for bird-watching is apparent throughout his quirky art, and his birds are infused with delightful details and character quirks.

So I was beyond delighted to discover this gorgeous new range of wooden birds he’s made exclusively for the sublime V&A shop. (Bravo to the V&A Shop, too, for snapping up this talented artist for their spring/summer 2012 collection.) Each bird is handmade and painted by Matt, and was inspired by the V&A’s archives. Little Owl, for instance, was based on an etching from the earliest hand-coloured book of English birds, The Natural History of Birds by Eleazar Albin (1731-8).

Matt’s sweet stylised versions are made using reclaimed wood and FSC accredited pine, and come packaged in a hand-printed nesting box. Swoooon.

I want them all, but if I had to choose one, I couldn’t go past the lovely little Strawberry Thief, who comes with his very own strawberry. Which one would you choose?

Top, ‘Strawberry Thief’ Wooden Bird by Matt Sewell, £85, from the V&A Shop.
Bottom left, ‘Little Owl’ Wooden Bird by Matt Sewell, £85, from the V&A Shop.
Bottom right, ‘Nuthatch’ Wooden Bird by Matt Sewell, £85, from the V&A Shop.

Click here to read my full review about the V&A Shop.

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