Barnaby — Cartoon Maine Coon, Burlington, Vermont

Barnaby was a Maine Coon of unreasonable size who regarded the garden as his. His owners in Vermont asked for him back at full scale, in the border where he used to sit.

What they asked for

A cartoon Maine Coon, roughly 1.7 m, with the big fluffy head, tufted ears and plumed tail that make the breed recognisable. The tone they wanted was affectionate rather than solemn.

Building it at full size

Built over a steel frame at 1.7 m. The head was exaggerated well beyond breed proportion — oversized and rounded — because that is what makes the piece read as a cartoon rather than a garden ornament. The body stayed simplified and chunky.

The finish

Gloss-painted fibreglass with the tabby bands hand-painted rather than airbrushed, so the pattern keeps a drawn quality at close range. UV clear coat over the top for the Vermont winters.

Installation

Bolted to a stone pad in the border. Vermont freeze-thaw is hard on anything sitting in soil, so the base is above grade with drainage underneath.

What it cost

1.5–2.0 m fibreglass surveys at $1,500–$4,900. This piece came in at $3,600 delivered, nine weeks from 3D approval.