Just Passing Through: The Story Behind My New Fantail Painting

If you've ever had a fantail flutter around your head, you'll know exactly what I mean when I say they have absolutely no sense of personal space.

I love it.

Almost every afternoon, I'll wander out into the garden, usually with Buddy not too far behind me, and before long there's a little blur of feathers darting through the trees. They swoop around my head, land on a nearby branch for a second, then they're off again before I've even had a chance to really look at them.

Buddy just stands there watching, his head tilting from side to side as if he's trying to work out what on earth these tiny birds are doing. I don't think he's ever going to catch one, but he certainly hasn't given up trying to understand them.

They're one of the reasons I fell in love with New Zealand.

Growing up in Belfast, I'd never experienced birds quite like this. The robins at home are beautiful, but they tend to keep their distance. Fantails are different. They're curious. They seem genuinely interested in what you're doing, as if they've popped over to see what all the fuss is about.

Of course, trying to photograph them is another story altogether.

My camera is full of blurry fantails.

I'd love to tell you I capture perfect reference photos every time one visits the garden, but the reality is usually a collection of empty branches and little brown smudges disappearing out of the frame. They're so quick that by the time I've focused, they're already somewhere else.

Every now and then though, everything comes together.

The light is just right, the bird pauses for a heartbeat, and you get a glimpse of the moment before it disappears again.

That's the feeling I wanted to capture in Just Passing Through.

Not a perfectly posed bird, but that fleeting little encounter that makes you stop whatever you're doing and smile.

I added soft blossoms and warm afternoon light because that's how I remember these moments. Peaceful. Gentle. The sort of afternoon where you lose track of time because you're watching a tiny bird dancing through the garden.

That's what I hope people feel when they see this painting.

A reminder to slow down for a minute, look up from the endless list of things that need doing, and notice the little moments that are just passing through.

Because sometimes they're the ones that stay with us the longest.

 

Shop the Painting

The original pastel painting and fine art prints are both available in the shop now.