Following the aesthetics of popular collectible figurines like Monchhichi, which sports a hard material face with a plush body, British needle felter Lizzie Pearce creates felted figurines of children who are seemingly wearing realistic costumes of plants, fungi and animals. However, due to the body structures of the figurines, which often resemble the animal more than the human child, it is hard for viewers to distinguish exactly where the child or the animal, plant or fungi begins and ends. Hence, these whimsical figurines highlight the connection between humanity and the flora and fauna of the world.
Through them, Pearce reminds her audiences that they are a single part of a larger planetary ecosystem. One that is far more complex yet fragile than they could imagine. One that they rely on for their existence and therefore must respect as if respecting themselves and other fellow human beings. In her own words, “I definitely feel that where I live. I’m surrounded by nature. My house is just plunked in the middle of all this beautiful stuff. There are spiders all over the house and I feel like I'm in their home rather than the other way around.” This is why the needle-felted figurines by Pearce are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Life on Land.
Pearce also sources materials for her figurines sustainably. To create their human faces, she would go to car boot sales, a sort of flea market where people would sell second-hand items out of their cars. “I’ve also got friends who look out for figurines for me all the time, so they'll send me funny photos from a charity shop or a thrift store and say, “Do you want these?” And generally I do,” shares Pearce in an interview with Bait/Switch.
Lizzie Pearce’s whimsical woodland children's figurines offer a charming yet profound reminder of humanity’s inseparable connection to nature. By blending human and animal forms, Pearce’s creations blur the boundaries between child and creature, defining people’s role within a fragile ecosystem. Her work, created with sustainably sourced materials, also celebrates the beauty of repurposing, adding a layer of ecological responsibility. Through these figurines, Pearce invites viewers to see themselves as one with the natural world, encouraging respect and stewardship of the planet everyone shares together.
Find out more about woodland children figurines and their other pieces by Lizzie Pearce on her Instagram @lizzieneedles.