• Original Art: Birds of Happiness batik-style painting by Nadezhda Sokolova
• Era: contemporary
• Region: Russia

Legend has it that hanging a wooden Bird of Happiness over one’s hearth will bring good health and fortune to those who live under its warm embrace.

Artist Nadezhda Sokolova, also known as Nadya Sokolova, has taken inspiration from this classic tale of Russian folklore and brought new life to the birds of legend. Using her unique style of batik painting on silk, Sokolova captures the warm and sunny legend of lore.

Also known as a “wood chip bird,” the story goes that one day a hunter in the far North Arkhangelsk province returned home to his sick son, who had been suffering alone in the cold with no one around to help. The boy begged to see the sun, but the father had nothing to offer except a small fire. As the fire died down, the father was inspired to carve a bird for his son from the glowing embers. When he hung the carving above his son’s bed it miraculously came to life, with the boy exclaiming, “Here is the sun!”

Today a similar legend, known as the Firebird, lives on in Slavic folklore. In both traditions, the bird represents a symbol of the sun, bringing well-being to those who hang one in their home. They are often hung over the hearth, above the dining table and over a child’s cradle. The movement of warm air in a home brings the wooden birds to life, spinning them in a circle where they hang.

In this bright and lively Skybird image, the story of the Phoenix, rising from its own ashes, also comes to mind. In the confluence of these legends comes a sense of singularity, with all watched over by the warmth of the sun. May this vibrant blue bird bring such good luck to your own life and brighten up a dark spot in your home.