Niamh

Niamh emerging from the tree represents the first day of an immortal life, eternal youth and beauty coupled with the strength and wisdom of the oak tree she shares her life with.

The current stereotypical image of a fairy is a result of JM Barrie’s “Tinkerbell” in “Peter Pan” 1911. It a very cute image, but renders the common opinion, that fairies are mere childish fantasies.

Throughout history and across all cultures, countless stories of supernatural beings have been passed down to create a multitude of myths and legends of what I will collectively term the Fae.

The most popular sculptures that I’ve created do tend to be the cute Disney, Tinkerbell type characters. However. if you have followed my work, you may have noticed that I’m trying to create a more contemporary interpretation of the Fae, which is a little less childlike.

The design story behind Niamh (pronounced Neve in English) came about because I had this old  piece of oak tree was all weathered and had become a sculpture in its own right. Recognising its beauty and potential, I cleaned it up and levered it up so it could possibly become a plinth for a future fairy sculpture. It has stood in the workshop for months drying out and I sort of fell in love with it. It was too beautiful to simply become a stand for a fairy. I decided to make the tree an integral part of the sculpture and its story.

In greek mythology there is a fae type called a Hamadryad (the origins of which happen to be oak trees). Hamadryads and female sprits who’s lives are shared in partnership with the tree. They are secretive creatures and only found in the hidden glades of the gods.

I wanted the emerging figure to represent the first day of an immortal life and to represent eternal youth and beauty.

In searching for a suitable name by researching eternal youth and beauty, I happened upon an Celtic myth of the otherworld called “Tír na nÓg”, which happens to be “ supernatural realm of everlasting youth, beauty, health, abundance and joy”.  In this myth, Niamh is the daughter of the king and not a Hamadryad. But to have found a myth to match my design concept so well, with a beautiful female character at the heart of it, “Niamh” simply had to be her name.