Point Richmond fairy house artist sprinkles some magic around his neighborhood

In the live stage version of “Peter Pan,” the main character implores the audience to save Tinker Bell by clapping their hands if they believe in fairies.

The moment is known as the “Tinker Bell effect,” in which something becomes real because people believe it.

That kind of magic can be seen on both sides of Washington Avenue in Point Richmond. Along a four-block stretch of the road that climbs from the community’s historic downtown, more than 50 tiny fairy homes can be spotted in front of the houses that line the street.

These whimsical homes, the creation of artist Jimmie Robinson, attract visitors from all over. Schools bring classrooms here on field trips. Senior citizen centers have bused in their residents for a gander. Parents have brought their children from San Francisco for a tour.

Each fairy house is different, a reflection of the human family that lives there. The details of each artistic abode are remarkable to the inquisitive eye. Books have titles on their binders. Tools lay on a work bench. Utensils sit on a cafe countertop.

A teensy sign on one of the fairy houses probably sums it up best. It reads:

“Those who do not believe in magic will never find it.”

“The houses are really charming, especially for the children,” said Jim Davis, a volunteer at the Point Richmond History Association who was raised in the neighborhood and then returned after he retired. “It’s an imaginary world for the kids but one that has stories and values embedded in them.”

Point Richmond fairy houses started with an empty planter box

Robinson, an Oakland native who moved to Point Richmond 11 years ago, has been a comic book artist, writer and creator for 30 years. Among other things, he has written a Wolverine story for Marvel Comics and illustrated his own comic book series, including one starring a character known as Junk Rabbit.

It was about eight years ago that Robinson began creating his imaginary world for children in Richmond.

It all started when the plants in a wooden box outside his home died. So, Robinson constructed a little fairy shop to fill the vacant box.

“It was an impromptu kind of thing” Robinson told Richmondside during a recent informal fairy house tour.

Robinson now has seven fairy houses in front of his home.

The first house he built for someone else was when his neighbor, Kathleen MacDougall, left town on a vacation. He built a small fairy home near her front steps.

“I thought I’d surprise her when she came back,” Robinson said.

MacDougall said she was indeed surprised as well as delighted upon her return.

“I thought it was really charming,” she told Richmondside.

Robinson next moved on to a neighbor who was a retired librarian. With her permission, he built a fairy library in front of her home.

Since then, he has coordinated with dozens of neighbors to craft tiny houses on their properties. The theme for each is inspired by the occupants.

“I know all my neighbors. I know what they’re interested in,” Robinson said.

There’s the Little Point Gym fairy house in front of the home of a personal trainer. A fairy hardware store was built for the neighbor who likes fixer-upper projects. The Black Cat Magic Shop is a nod to the feline lover up the street.

There’s also a post office, a restaurant, an art gallery, a tea shop and a fire station. Robinson recently added a fighter jet to one fairy house after the homeowner’s daughter joined the Air Force.

Each is crafted in a small workshop at the back of Robinson’s house. The shop itself is a bit of magic, with dozens of wrenches, screwdrivers and hammers hanging from the walls.

Many of the houses are made from materials that have been discarded or found by friends and neighbors on hikes. Robinson sometimes uses items anonymously left on his front porch.

His wife, Gail Follansbee, has been known to bring home driftwood and other materials from walks along the Richmond shoreline.

Most of the fairy homes have doors that open to reveal the interior intricacies.

However, the one thing Robinson doesn’t include in his tiny creations are any fairies.

“I want people to imagine who lives there,” he said.

One thing all the houses have are ladders. That idea came from MacDougall, who said everyone should assume that the fairies on Washington Avenue don’t fly even though they might have wings.

“Ladders have become an attribute of all the homes,” she said.

The fairy homes are also constantly changing. Robinson will make adjustments as ideas crop up or materials arrive on his front porch.

The children in the neighborhood also like to add items or move items from one house to another.

“The kids are redecorating them all the time,” Robinson said.

Both Robinson and MacDougall said they love to hear the chatter of the neighborhood children as they play with the houses or the shouts of “I found one” from children who are visiting.

“Everyone is charmed with them,” MacDougall said.

She adds that the community has really bonded around the tiny homes.

“I have never heard a lament,” MacDougall said. “They have provided us with a community identity. I think we are all a little more humane with each other and not so isolated.”

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