What do you get a friend who has everything this holiday season?
A home for fairies, obviously.
Humans should stop worrying about people problems (“do I look fat in these jeans?”) and start focusing on solving pixie problems.
Fairy graffiti. Fairy pickpocketing. Fairy violence in the streets.
Don’t make me go all Sarah McLachlan “Angel” on you.
Wait, forget that. I’m going to do it anyway:
T0 learn more, I got serious with artist Courtney Noonan about her quest to save the world, one gossamer-winged family at a time.
Let’s talk fairy-homelessness. I know that this is a hot-button topic with a lot of opinions, and I’d like to hear what you have to say. Let’s start out with a softball question: how did you first hear about the wave of fairies without a place to rest their wings?
Well it wasn’t so much hearing about it as seeing it personally. When I would let my dog out at night, I noticed them hanging around my recycling bin. I guessed that they were trying to make lean-tos from old bottles, and I knew that I had to do something. You would think that fairy magic would save many of these ethereal beings from such a sad fate, but it seems that their magic mostly applies to children and animals, not so much their own finances.
Bills have been proposed to help move them into tiny apartment complexes, but it has been said that such unattractive, cramped quarters would dampen fairy spirits. What are the advantages of the fairy homes as opposed to larger, more institutional settings for fairies?
It’s an interesting question. As with humans, some fairies prefer communal living situations, but they are by far in the minority. Fairy houses give a sense of autonomy, privacy, and of course, add beauty to the surrounding landscape. The apartment complexes that have been attempted, as I understand, were made of poor quality watermelons and often collapsed – but that is all very hush hush. As with anything, if it is worth doing, it is worth doing right. The craftsmanship that goes into a fairy house of high quality Jack-Be-Little pumpkin, Red Delicious apple, or even our roomier foliage houses simply can’t be underestimated. Tell me, would you rather live in an apartment where your feet slip on seeds and even puncture the very floors, or in a modest, organic pear hollowed out right here in the United States?
My word. What a scandal! For our readers out there who perhaps do not have fairies in the area, what are the advantages of keeping resident fairies? And, if one does acquire a fairy house of one’s home, how does one attract a fairy and entice one to stay?
Well, fairies can be tricky. You may have a good fairy or a bad fairy take up residence in your house, much like rolling the dice with neighbors on your block. Good resident fairies will help tend your garden, make beautiful flowers bloom throughout the season, help you find lost items, and of course buy your childrens’ teeth from them. A bad fairy will play practical jokes, cause minor injuries like a twisted ankle, or cause you to get lost following their enchanting lights (see: hinkypunks). Fairies of all kinds will be attracted by the simple placement of an empty home, much like hermit crabs. You can also put out small saucers of honey, but that could attract bears as well. Having a slightly wild yard will entice the fairies to stay since they enjoy multiple hiding places and detest the use of chemicals.
Are fairies good with other types of creatures — for example, pets or other magical entities?
Yes, as long as they are good fairies – they will do their best to get along, make things run smoothly, not cheat at boardgames. The bad fairies, however, will set dogs to barking at “nothing” and have a particularly odd effect on cats. They will cause them to spring straight up into the air, growl in that strange cat way, or sprint out of a room. As far as other magical entities, fairies can at times come off a little conceited – but who wouldn’t when faced with the drab looks of a hobgoblin? They are also known for teaching tricks to unicorns.
Wow, Courtney! You are a giant tub of Leprechaun gold’s worth of information. Do you have any final remarks on your plans to personally help the fairies? What housing or artistic projects are in the works for you?
I try. In the future, I plan to continue constructing fairy houses that will fit fairy needs and green architectural standards. I see flowers making their way into the blueprints soon. I’ve also been delving back into photography to capture the natural beauty of the world as is – and hopefully some suspicious glowing orbs.
Make sure you check Courtney’s work out on Etsy and her portfolio! Support the arts!
