It is highly uncommon for dormice to be seen during the day, as they are nocturnal. Though on rare occasions, they have been seen during the day, as Andrea Zampatti (wildlife photographer) captured on one of his magnificent photos. Where a dormouse was caught by surprise when the pollen from Yarrow flowers makes it sneeze, giving it a vivid expression of laughter. Inspired by this I created this piece, as it brings joy and a smile to my face every time I see it.

A number of techniques were used to create the piece including fabric painting, embroidery and quilting. These techniques create the different textures from the short soft fur of the dormouse with its transparent whiskers that catch the light, to pure white of the yarrow flower. Unfortunately, the three-dimensional relief doesn't show particularly well in the photos, so please take a look at the depth of the piece to get an idea of the overall effect.

Measures:                In Frame:
Height: 22.5cm        Height: 34.5cm
Width: 38cm            Width: 49cm
Depth: 2.5cm           Depth: 4cm

Nicole Lupton

Textile Wildlife Artist

Specialist in relief thread painting