WEDDINGS
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TEMPlATED
GETTING STARTED
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We’re so excited to finally share the story behind our dolphin for the Dolphin Discovery Trail 2025 — a magical little sea creature called Fairytail.
Fairytail is part of this year’s sculpture trail raising money for Autism Guernsey and the GSPCA — and if you’ve taken part in the Puffin Parade or the Golden Guernsey Goat Trail,you’ll already know just how special these community art events are.
This year, 62 dolphins are being scattered across the island, each one totally unique. We had the absolute pleasure of creating Fairytail with support from The International Stock Exchange (TISE), who asked for something interactive, fun, and magical. So, naturally…we turned to Guernsey folklore.
It took over 70 hours to bring Fairytail to life. And honestly? Every minute was worth it. The idea was to create something that didn’t just sit beautifully in a space, but invited people in— especially kids.
We wanted Fairytail to feel like a story you could walk around. Something curious and mysterious. So we painted 20folklore characters from Guernsey’s traditional stories and wrapped them in a wave pattern inspired by The Great Wave off Kanagawa (a huge influence on our style — Japanese art and culture are a big part of what inspires us creatively). The wave motif also felt especially fitting, as many of the tales take place on or near the shore, where land, sea, and legend collide.
To help people join in the fun, we added a little banner that reads:
“Seek 20 spirits of Guernsey lore, our legends dwell upon the shore…”
It’s part treasure hunt, part poetry, and hopefully something that makes kids (and grown-ups) feel like they’ve stepped into a legend.
Here’s the full list of the 20 characters we painted — each one has roots in Guernsey’s wonderfully weird and charming storytelling tradition.
A playful pouque from depicted here in the tale The Fairy Bakers — Pouques are tiny — the size of toddlers — with orange hair and green clothes. Known for their mischievous nature, Le Petit Colin appears in several tales where magic and mischief unfold just beneath the surface of everyday life.
Another pouque which are known to have unusual strength. In the story The Fairies’ Bat, he’s shown slamming La Longue Rocque into the earth after Le Petit Colin threw the boulder they were using as a ball too far. A proper fairy tantrum moment.
From the story Madame Mahy and the Cat— where a washerwoman catches a witch spying on her… in cat form.
Fairies appear throughout Guernsey folklore,often weaving in and out of different tales with their magic and mystery. It’s even been rumoured for generations that Guernsey people are descended from fairies — a nod to the island’s deep-rooted enchantment. On Fairytail,this figure represents that rich, shared heritage.
A ghostly white goat said to appear in Saint Martin’s. Beautiful, mysterious, and full of folklore energy.
A sorcerer who was visited by a mysterious black cat — which he took as a bad omen. In fear, he tried to throw his spell books into the sea. But when he returned home, the cat was sitting atop the buried books, waiting. You can imagine the look on his face.
Appearing in the wizard’s tale, this feline seems to represent fate, magic, and eerie persistence.
Said to dwell near Petit Bot, these haunting sea creatures were believed to sing before a storm. Whether their voices were a warning or a lure… depends on who’s telling the story.
A favourite disguise of Guernsey witches and wizards — clever, swift, and hard to catch.
From The Miller and the Duck, this tale tells of a duck who transforms into a beautiful woman.
Said to have brought water to Guernsey.
The first to bring fire to the island. A feathered folk hero.
A boy the size of a thumb who hid in a cabbage from a charging bull.
A glowing spirit in the form of a fireball —thought to protect treasure, or maybe tempt you toward it. Either way, it lights up the imagination.
Tchico is said to roam Tower Hill in St Peter Port during the winter months. A large black dog with chains tied around its legs, and if you’re unlucky enough to hear the chains rattle… it’s considered a sign that something bad is coming.
A ghostly sow seen roaming with her piglets.She’s considered lucky to spot, and many old tales treat her as a gentle guardian of fields and paths.
Unlike the broomstick-riders of elsewhere, Guernsey witches are said to have invisible wings. You won’t see them coming — but you’ll feel their presence.
A form the devil is said to take in many island stories, often tied to temptation or mischief.
A powerful spirit believed to protect Guernsey’s ancient sites — dolmens, burial jars, and standing stones. Folklore says that when treasure was unearthed from these places, a giant spectral conger eel would appear in the hole, coiling around the treasure to protect it. The treasure, once touched, would then transform into empty limpet shells — a harsh lesson for any would-be thief.
A famous Guernsey witch described as looking like half gypsy, half beggar. She’s one of the most iconic figures in local lore, and we loved bringing her to life on Fairytail.
There’s something timeless about Guernsey’s legends. They live in the stones, the waves, the hedgerows. They’re a little eerie, often funny, and always deeply tied to this place we call home.
Bringing these characters together on one sculpture felt like weaving a living spell — something people could see, touch,and explore. We hope it sparks a sense of wonder. Maybe even inspires someone to dig into these old stories themselves.
To TISE — thank you for giving us the freedom to get weird and wonderful with this idea. To the Dolphin Discovery Trail team,thank you for making public art matter. And to everyone who takes the time to visit Fairytail, we hope you fall in love with these characters just like we did.
If you spot Fairytail on your adventure this summer, tag us in your photos — we’d love to see which characters you find first.
