Tilly — Cartoon Cat for a Café Courtyard, Melbourne

Tilly had spent nine years asleep under the same pergola at the back of a Melbourne café. When she died, the owner wanted her back in that spot — at a size the regulars would notice.

What they asked for

A cartoon version, roughly one and a half metres, sitting or curled. The brief was specific about tone: friendly and funny, not a memorial. They wanted people to smile at it.

Building it at full size

At 1.6 m the piece carries an internal steel frame, which is what lets it stand in a courtyard without footings. The head was exaggerated well beyond cat proportion and the body kept chunky, which is what stops a sculpture this size reading as a garden ornament.

The finish

Gloss-painted fibreglass: multi-layer automotive paint with the tabby bands hand-painted rather than airbrushed, so the pattern keeps a drawn quality up close. Sealed under a UV clear coat for 15–20 years outdoors.

Installation

Bolted to a paving slab under the pergola, on the exact spot the original used. Light enough that two people can move her if the courtyard is ever rearranged.

What it cost

Surveyed fibreglass ranges for 1.5–2.0 m run $1,500–$4,900. This commission came in at $3,200 delivered, eight weeks from 3D approval.