Falling Stars store Kingfisher bird Lino Print Wall Art

‘Falling Stars' - a hand printed lino print inspired by a kingfisher that finds a gap in the sky where the stars fall through onto the lake below.

The Pleiades, or from Greek legend, the seven sisters, are an open star cluster — a group of stars that were all born around the same time from a gigantic cloud of gas and dust.
Alcyone or Halcyone - ‘queen who wards off evil storms' - was one of the seven sisters, and married Ceyx, son of the the morning star. They angered the gods after jokingly calling themselves ‘Hera and Zeus' and Zeus drowned Ceyx with a thunderbolt thrown at his ship at sea. When Alcyone heard the news she threw herself into the sea, and was transformed into a halcyon (kingfisher). It was believed that the kingfisher lay her eggs in a nest that was set out to sea, and Alcyone's father Aeolus (god of the winds) kept the storms at bay to keep the nest intact. And so for seven days each on either side of the Winter solstice there is an unseasonal balmy period in the Mediterranean, when the wind doesn't blow and waves are calm.
This story is where we get our idea of ‘halcyon days' from, the fondly remembered times in our past. It also perhaps refers to any peaceful time or even a bright interval set in the midst of adversity, with the kingfisher being a symbol of peace and love.

But in some ways this isn't really what the print is about - its more about a kingfisher store catching the falling stars, showing the rare times in life when happy chances not only fall your way but those times when you're also able to capture and treasure them glowing and sparkling before they fade away lost into the ground. And so for anyone reading this too, I hope that the stars will one day fall above you for brighter, halcyon days ahead.


Print size: 27.2 cm x 17.5 cm

Paper size: 31 cm x 22.5 cm

Printed on fine quality Japanese Hosho paper

Edition of 20

Signed by the artist

Frame not included

Print is handmade so there may be minor variations to the version in the photograph, but this makes each print unique.

Larger prints like this one (over A4) are sent in strong cardboard tubes for extra protection.