Little Bandits - original upcycled vintage painting

Details of the altered painting to come

There was a lot of drama behind this painting. I first encountered this family of nifflers while out at a local cafe. The whole litter was scampering around under the tables picking up anything shiny… I even saw one deftly slip a sparkly anklet off an oblivious patron, and then tuck it into their pouch before scurrying away!  So when my friend Brittney (The Fantastic Fox) had her necklace stolen right before her eyes, I had my suspicions as to who had pilfered it. As we tracked down the culprits, they eluded us whenever we got close… even to the point of unintentionally using a time turner to slip back into the past to escape us! Fortunately I spotted them in this old painting in my hallway! The poor mama niffler didn’t look too happy in the hands of the young witch... not to mention the bowtruckle trapped in a cage being prodded by a cheeky wizard! The good news was Brittney’s necklace was there too with the little bandit who snatched it! After mixing a riffler potion, and leaving some sparkly trinkets as a trade offering, the niffler thankfully returned her necklace!

The artwork was specially collected locally in Ontario for this project. It is a painting "after" another artist... which means the artist who painted it, was copying a master's work to learn how to paint. It was very well done, just showing som chipping and signs of wear. So I cleaned and fixed it up first before altering it. Then gave it fresh wire, and a pretty backing to finish it off. The altered portions of the painting were varnished to help blend them in with the sheen of the original paint. 

Correspondence between two muggle friends : 

October 7, 2025

Dear Brittney, 

I FOUND IT! I found your necklace! 

I was chatting with a friend from the wizarding world, telling her about the unusual pocket watch the niffler was holding before it vanished. She told me it sounded like something called a time-turner, a magical object used to slip back and forth in time!

Well without  knowing where in the past or future they could have ended up, I had about given up on finding your neck.ace… but then I was walking down the stairs and something in one of the old paintings caught my eye. The entire litter of nifflers were IN THE PAINTING… and so was your necklace! 

I have no idea how to get it back to you now that the nifflers are somewhere in our past… but what I’ll do is send the painting to you, and perhaps your magical potion will lure them back to you? 

Take care, 

Heather 

 ...............

October 6, 2025 : 

Dear Brittney, 

I have some good news… and I have some bad news. 

The good news is, I found your necklace… the bad news is, I lost it again! 

While observing and painting more studies of the little bandits, I spotted the smallest one of them with your necklace! I chased after it, but it and the rest of the litter ran to their mother, who was tucking a curious gold pocket watch into her pouch. I could hardly believe it, but the whole lot of them vanished right before my eyes! Again… it was like magic! 

I’m very sorry I couldn’t get ahold of your necklace when I had the chance… but perhaps they will reappear again? Hopefully these painted studies will help us identify the thieves!

Take care, 

Heather 

...............

October 4, 2025

Dear Brittney,

I was only able to draw some quick sketches (didn’t have a muggle phone on me to take a photo)… but they are small and fluffy, shaped a little like a platypus, but with a short tail and feet more like an echidna. They are unlike any creature I’ve seen before… and are very attracted to shiny objects, I’m sure I saw one slip a coin into its pouch! When I’m back in my studio I will try to illustrate more detailed studies of the bandits.

Chat soon, 

Heather

...............

October 1st, 2025

Dear Brittney, 

Hope you are enjoying the change of seasons! 

I know you mentioned your necklace went missing recently. I have a theory as to who may have taken it...

I have in my travels come across the strangest little creatures... the first time I saw one, I mistook it for a platypus! But on further observation, it's fleshy face, short tail and agility on land quickly proved me wrong.

Recently I saw a pack of the little creatures scampering around the floor of a local cafe.  I quickly drew some sketches to better identify them. What made me think of your missing necklace was, I am sure I caught sight of one of them deftly slipping a sparkly anklet off an oblivious patron, and then tucking it into their pouch before scurrying away!  

I pursued the pack, but the whole lot of fluffy, pudgy creatures impossibly squeezed themselves under the closed door... was like magic! 

Anyway, I know this sounds fantastical... but it is what I saw. I hope to spot them again... in the mean time, I will continue to keep an eye out for your missing necklace! 

Take care,

Heather

P.S. My adopted occamy, Lazureth, has settled in nicely in our home and has a voracious appetite!