Best part of being involved with Project Fairy Village:

"figuring out how to make the crystal garden glow from below and seeing everyone else's amazing ideas!"

What do you want people to know about your piece:

" Aalton Earwyn, whose name translates as “waves” and “friend of the sea,” has only recently returned to his childhood home of Flutterby Thicket. His mother always like to say the stream nymphs whispered his name to her in her sleep when she was pregnant. Aalton was raised in the same tree he resides in now. This loving wizard family grew magical crystals, plants and snails for making potions for their fellow fairies. Aalton was raised to respect the power of magic and to only use it for good. Sadly, at the age of 18 his parents were tragically killed in an accidental caldron explosion. After burying them atop a high stump of the family tree he decided to leave his thicket to see the world. His trusty pet ladybug, Spot, came along for the adventure.

For many years Aalton sailed the seven seas visiting other wizards to learn magical skills. He met and fell in love with a salty lady sea captain on one such of his journeys and they married spending many happy years following the trade winds and tides across the globe. Just as Aalton was turning two hundred years old and the couple had decided to move back to the fairy village they encountered a terrible storm going around the Horn of Africa. A tsunami smashed their boat and his partner was lost to the ocean despite all of Aalton’s magical efforts. He and Spot survived clinging to driftwood until they could be rescued. 

Aalton decided his adventuring days were over and came back to Flutterby Thicket to live out his days continuing in the magic tradition his parents had started. He was known to his fellow fairies as a lovable but grumpy old fisherman who spent his days tilling his crystals and often sitting in his lookout tree stand with spyglass in hand watching and conversing with the tiny birds who made their home in his tree. He can be found paddling his boat up and down the stream fishing at night and casting spells to keep the stream healthy. Fellow fairies come to him to buy fish or ask for magical advice. At the end of most days you can see Aalton sitting in his rocking chair watching the sunset across his beloved village."

Challenge to viewers - Scavenger Hunt:

Can you find these items?

• Fish painted with one side upside-down
• Birdhouse missing a perching stick
• Waves
• Fire pit

Where can we see other examples of your work:

www.ayonkephotography.com