A pair of goldfinches rest amongst ivy and vintage medicine bottles. This is an original art piece inspired by UK bird folklore. In Victorian times there was a superstitious belief that goldfinches could influence the fate of an ailing person. Painted in gold around the base are the words ‘I hope to live I will not die, will the goldfinch look me in the eye?’. The sculpture is handmade from recycled materials, including paper, wire, vintage bird magazines and medicine bottles. The bottles are labelled ’tonic’and ‘panacea’ on the front and ‘toxic’ and ‘poison’ on the back to further illustrate the myth. On the bottom of the sculpture there is decoupaged lily of the valley, symbolic of love, innocence and death. Hand painted in Windsor and Newton acrylic paint the sculpture has also been varnished in gloss acrylic. It is approximately 30 cm tall and approximately 27 cm wide. This original and unique piece is unsuitable for children. Although sturdy in parts, I would recommend gentle cleaning with a soft cloth to avoid damage.