"All this he saw, for one moment breathless and intense, vivid on the morning sky; and still, as he looked, he lived; and still, as he lived, he wondered."

On the Fourth Day of Christmas, my True Love Gave to Me…

On the fourth day of Christmas
my true love sent to me:
Four Calling Birds
Three French Hens
Two Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree

What is this fixation with birds? And why are they calling? On this topic, I encourage you to watch this performance, if you haven’t already. Anyway, here we are.

1. Hester Durkan

We’ve already seen her doves and hens, but her birds are definitely calling

2. M Tuzon

Here he is. My favorite surreal artist of this season. He did the first 5 days and here’s his calling birds. At least they seem to be calling each other, instead of bothering you, which is a nice twist, but the first one seems very angry about something…

3. Iain Hamilton

You thought I wasn’t going to feature Ian Hamilton of Bewilderbeest? You were wrong. After his Very French Hens, here’s his Very Calling Birds. It’s not like all of them are calling: it’s more like a joint effort.

4. Muriel Clarke

White matt ceramics Christmas Tree decoration. She too did all 12 days, so we’ll see her again. Here’s her calling birds.

5. Jami Moss Wise

Do you remember her surrealist partridge with lurking cat? Here’s Moss Rose’s Art take on the Four Calling Birds theme. I think they’re stealing from the public line: someone should do something.

6. Carolina Buzio

Carolina from Germany also did cards for all 12 days and here’s her very festive Calling Birds.

I’ve decided to continue showing you beautiful stuff (or at least stuff I think it’s beautiful) even after Christmas, but instead of having monographic articles featuring single illustrators I’ll be grouping them with themes. As a theme I’m picking the Twelve Days of Christmas, a British carol I adore. If you never heard it (you’re clearly not Britsh) I suggest you take a look at this incredible performance.

Advent Calendar

Elizabeth Gaskell — The Heart of John Middleton

I was born at Sawley, where the shadow of Pendle Hill falls at sunrise. I suppose Sawley sprang up into a village in the time of the monks, who had an abbey there. Many of the cottages are strange old places; others, again, are built

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Advent Calendar

E.T.A. Hoffman — Automata

A considerable time ago I was invited to a little evening gathering, where our friend Vincent was, along with some other people. I was detained by business, and did not arrive till very late. I was all the more surprised not to hear the slightest

Read More »
Advent Calendar

Mary E. Wilkins Freeman — A Stolen Christmas

“I don’t s’pose you air goin’ to do much Christmas over to your house.” Mrs. Luther Ely stood looking over her gate. There was a sweet, hypocritical smile on her little thin red mouth. Her old china-blue eyes stared as innocently as a baby’s, although

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E.T.A. Hoffman — Automata

A considerable time ago I was invited to a little evening gathering, where our friend Vincent was, along with some other people. I was detained by business, and did not arrive till very late. I was all the more surprised not to hear the slightest

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Mary E. Wilkins Freeman — A Stolen Christmas

“I don’t s’pose you air goin’ to do much Christmas over to your house.” Mrs. Luther Ely stood looking over her gate. There was a sweet, hypocritical smile on her little thin red mouth. Her old china-blue eyes stared as innocently as a baby’s, although

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