The Protector

About the work

Mixed media on board. Ink, Acrylic, gold leaf

Framed in black wood —16x 31 x 2 cm. (6.2 ” x 12.2″ x 0.7″ )

The Protector draws on the belief that a magpie perched high — on a rooftop or overlooking a home — brings good fortune and acts as a quiet guardian. Often misunderstood or cast as an omen, the magpie here is reimagined as a steady, watchful presence.

Positioned above layered colour and texture, the bird holds a sense of calm authority. Gold elements suggest value, reverence, and the unseen bonds between protection and care. The marks beneath feel lived-in, echoing the pulse of a place held and watched over.

This work reflects on protection as something subtle rather than forceful — a form of guardianship rooted in attention, presence, and trust. A reminder that safety and luck often arrive in unexpected forms.