The Mourning Fawn
The Mourning Fawn carries all the sorrow you are unable to bear. In 2024, researchers Yuta Kanaya and Nobuyuki Kawai of Nagoya University published a study inScientific Reports titled “Anger is eliminated with the disposal of a paper written because of provocation.” Their findings were simple and striking: when participants wrote down their angry thoughts about a provoking event and then physically discarded the paper, by crumpling or shredding it, their anger significantly decreased. When they kept the paper, it did not. The act of transferring emotion onto paper and then disposing of it gave the brain a clear signal: this has been processed. It can go.
The Mourning Fawn Guardian Monster extends that ritual. Write your worry, grief, resentment, or fear on a small scrap of paper. Fold it tight. Place it inside his mouth. He becomes the vessel of disposal.His hollow body becomes the site of transformation.What you cannot metabolize alone, he symbolically digests. You are not denying the feeling.You are externalizing it.You are choosing where it lives. Where tenderness grows teeth, even your anger becomes food.
Earthenware, glazes, ready to hang on your wall
Size: 8.25" x 5" x 5"
Original design created in 2022
Customization Options
You may order the original Guardian Monster as shown in the first thumbnail
Alternate color variations are available for an approximate 30% upcharge
(Samples shown are AI mockups intended to support visualization of color direction)
Fully collaborative surface design is available for a 100% upcharge
(Clients may provide input using line drawings to guide color placement)
Additional lustre finishes are available at an added cost
Once your order is placed, Whistlepig Tales Studio will be in touch to confirm details and finalize direction.
Please allow 4–6 weeks for all custom orders.
Limited Editions
Each Guardian Monster design is limited to 5 builds per color variation.
Every piece is made by hand and will vary slightly. After five iterations in a given form/color combination, that variation will be discontinued.
If a Guardian Monster is a true one-of-a-kind and will not be reproduced, this will be clearly stated in the description.
Commissions (Custom Guardian Monsters)
Fully custom Guardian Monsters are available, beginning at $300 for an approximately 8x8” piece. Larger works are priced proportionally.
A consultation is required prior to beginning any commissioned work
A $150 non-refundable deposit is required to initiate the build
The remaining balance is due upon completion
Process:
Up to three revisions are allowed during the build phase (prior to kiln firing)
Once the piece is fired, no further changes can be made
Glaze and finish decisions are final at the time of firing
Payment Terms for Custom Surface Work
For highly customized surface design (100% upcharge tier):
A 50% non-refundable payment is required prior to beginning work
This secures design time and production
Shipping & Returns
All sales are final. Whistlepig Tales Studio does not accept returns on handmade or custom work.
Each piece is carefully packaged for shipment. In the event that an item is damaged during shipping:
The client agrees to provide required documentation (photos, packaging, etc.)
Whistlepig Tales Studio will work with the shipping carrier (e.g., UPS) to file a claim
Upon successful claim processing, a replacement piece will be created
Because each Guardian Monster is handmade, replacement pieces will be similar but not identical to the original.
A Note on Process
Each Guardian Monster is created through a hands-on, iterative process involving shaping, drying, firing, and finishing. Once a piece enters the kiln, it becomes permanent in its form.
This process is part of what makes each piece unique, and it requires clear boundaries around revisions, returns, and finality.
