Cheshire Cat Weathervane – Resting on Branch

Cheshire Cat Weathervane

Cheshire Cat Weathervane right

Cheshire Cat Weathervane right nh

Cheshire Cat weathervane Cus

Here is our version of the famous fictional Cheshire Cat in Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.  In the book, the Cheshire Cat is fond of sitting in a tree, so we placed our Cheshire Cat on a tree bough. At one point in the story, the cat disappears gradually until nothing is left but its grin, prompting Alice to remark that she has often seen a cat without a grin but never a grin without a cat.

In the case of our Cheshire Cat Weather Vane, we always gild his famous smile ensuring that as the sculpture piece moves through its patina process his smile remains the shining focal point. We frequently make the Cheshire Cat with translucent glass jewels for eyes. When the sun angle is right, you can see the light shine through his eyes from quite a distance. Both the style of eye (opaque or translucent) and the eye color are chosen when the order is placed.

Another interesting thing about this particular design is its construction employing the ‘mirror-image’ technique. We used this approach to intentionally give the cat two front sides. This way, when the wind shifts direction, you never see his backside; he always faces you with his enigmatic grin. We most often use this ‘mirror image’ technique when the subject is directly facing you rather than seen in profile.

This Cheshire Cat Weathervane is often made with alternating copper and optional gold leafed stripes, but we can make his coat of solid copper if that is your preference.

We usually make the tree branch in brass (as depicted here) so it contrasts subtly with his copper fur coat. We like adding brass accents to a design because the directionals shown below the sculpture piece are also made of brass. This helps tie the entire assembly together. Many customers like to display their Cheshire Cat weathervanes on a deck railing or in a garden setting, rather than on the roof. This way fine details, such as the fur texture, gleaming eyes, and mischievous smile can be easily seen and further enjoyed up close.

Being cat fans ourselves, we have a small Cheshire Cat weathervane set up in our living room right in front of our big bay window so we can see the sunshine dancing in his eyes as he watches the birds at the feeder.