“Alpine Village” by our judge, Laura-Lynn.

We were thrilled with all of the amazing submissions by adults and children alike. We’ve taken pictures of everything we believe was submitted, but a few things just shows up on the trail and we have no idea who made them! If you are responsible for any of the pieces and do not see your name, please let us know!

See our winners and submissions below!

Children’s Faerie Trail Submissions

Click on each image to see the description (if it was provided) and the judge’s comments!

Brontë, Age 10

Brontë used oven-bake clay to make three fairy mushroom houses.

Judge's comments: "Creative, well-executed and sparks the onlookers imagination. Do three best friends live there side by side in the adorable mushroom houses? I thought I saw them standing in the garden with cups of tea discussing what new flowers are blooming along the trail. BFF’s."

Chloe, Age 5

Judge's comments: "The bright and cheery glass surrounding the carefully selected shells and stones makes a great way to display “found” treasures from a summer vacation or hike. Can’t you just see the faeries dancing in the glimmering light that bounces off the colorful glass?"

Isabella, Age 9

There is a welcome center in the front and next to it is the fire pit. And in the welcome center on the mushroom roof there is a sign that says, "Fairy Village". In the center of the pallet there is wild flowers, a unicorn, and a fairy driving with a mouse. In the back there is a tree house vacation spot with lots of glitter and a beach including seashells. I constructed the village with a pallet from my Dads work.

Judge's comments "Very clever design and layout. I’m pretty sure I heard a wee voice say “come on through to the Welcome Center and let me show you around!”. There is something for everyone! Hang at the fire pit and tell ghost stories. Stroll along the beach. Come one, Come all!"

Madalyn, Age 7

"This is a fairy house. With two glitter roofs, a pond, and a camper to go on vacations. There is a butterfly on the roof that I glued on top of a seashell. I want to put my art piece in a tree so I added a ladder to go down to my sisters village that she made."

Judge's comments: " That ladder is amazing! From the bird’s eye view of the adorable Faerie house, these lucky Faeries can see all the shenanigans in the forest! And when they are ready to take it on the road, they can hop in their camper for a great adventure. "

June, Age 10

"The Faerie Motel" - The rooftop flower garden is made from origami flowers

Judge's Comments: "Need a place to get away from it all and smell the flowers? This is the place for you. The pink, yellow and green color scheme are sure to give you a hefty dose of cheer and after a soothing night’s sleep, you can stroll around the fantastic rooftop origami flower garden. A five-star stay in this luxury accommodation is sure to recharge any faerie. "

Creator Unknown!

Please email thebarn@manor-mill.com if this is yours!

Judge's comments: " Can this be any cuter?! Don’t think so. These two froggies look like they are the best of friends and are planning to take a hike down by the stream to watch dragonflies. What would you name them? What do you think they are croaking about?"

Amelia, Age 9

Help from adults was limited to helping source materials to choose from and problem solving small issues (e.g. the clay horse in Sophia's). They did all the design & execution. They both wanted "farm" themes, one focused more on gardening aspect, one more on horse/fence.

Judge's comments: "So many wonderful details to look at! The tiny twig door and the row of lettuce heads are sure to bring a smile to your face. I wanted to move in right away! A gardener’s delight! Wonderful layout. "

Sophia, Age 6

Help from adults was limited to helping source materials to choose from and problem solving small issues (e.g. the clay horse in Sophia's). They did all the design & execution. They both wanted "farm" themes, one focused more on gardening aspect, one more on horse/fence.

Judge's comments: "The welcome mat and twig fence are just two of the many special details. You’ll need to pause to take them all in. What faerie wouldn’t love to ride a purple horse with a flowing moss mane and tail?! Love it!"

Robert, Age 7

"The Faerie Mansion". As Robert explains: "The fairies enter in the hole in the brown cardboard box and then there’s an intricate tunnel system the fairies can travel through. The long clear tube gives the fairies a great view of their surroundings and the empty Gatorade bottle is for them to collect dreams, and then use the good dreams they collect."

Judge's comments: "An amazing and imaginative mansion indeed! Highlights are the clear vertical tunnel which allows the faeries a 360 view of the forest where they can fly up and down safely protected from bad weather. And since their dream storage is in a clear bottle, the faeries can happily view them floating around. Wonderful!"

Faerie Trail: Adult Submissions

Judge’s note

We didn’t give any strict guidelines for the adult submissions, leaving the artists the freedom to be limited only by their imagination. I soon discovered, however; that this meant I would be trying to judge apples to oranges in some cases. Some pieces were obviously time consuming and intricate, but others were no less extraordinary in comparison.

This contemplation reminded me of a class I had in college in which we discussed: what is art? And for me, it has always been about the emotional experience. Whether that experience be challenging, soothing or awe. So, my disclaimer is this: every single entry we received was amazing and a wonder to encounter along the Faerie Trail, especially since they were immersed in nature. Those I chose as “winners” were extremely subject to my personal delight.

As I walked the trail and viewed each entry, I watched for how the art made me “feel.” And thus, the first, second and third prizes were chosen with this in mind.

First Place: Bonnie Lindner, “Luna Moth Gourd Faerie House”

Wonderful detail, integration of natural materials and talented painting skills.

Emotional experience: cozy, safe haven, woodland refuge. I wanted to be a tiny faerie and curl up with a good book and a cup of tea to escape the chaos of life. A simple existence nestled in the woods. A place to unwind and breathe deeply. And, I am a huge fan of luna moths!

@daydreamsfactory

Second Place: Helena Trifillis, “Upcycled Hanging Jellyfish”

Excellent use of recycled materials, the long hanging tentacles made a huge impact in juxtaposition to the woodlands.

Emotional experience: awe, joy, glee

I felt like a kid looking up in wonder at this huge, glittering object in the sun. The jellyfish was pure fun and imagination. I may have even let out a giggle and said: oooo, shiny!

Third Place: Michael Hamilton, “Stone Faerie Engraving”

Extraordinary detail, beautiful composition, amazing skill

Emotional experience: magical, anticipation, hopeful

This piece was placed at the entrance to the Faerie Trail and really sets the tone for what is to come. I immediately hoped I might cross paths with this beautiful creature flying along the trail and I swear there seemed to be fairy dust glistening around it.