Showing posts with label Myth and Magic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Myth and Magic. Show all posts

Saturday, May 31, 2014

oh little bloggy blog, what shall we do with you!

Ahhh I'm not very good with keeping my little blog up to date am I? Oh dear! I admit, I've been updating my facebook art page so much more as usually it's more a quick sharing of images rather than long winded or detailed blog posts.....but detailed, magical, thought provoking posts are something I love to read myself on other peoples pages....I just cant seem to find the words myself! Ah well, I just need to do what I can do, let things flow and not put too much pressure on myself...words and ideas will come...one day...hehe :)

For now, some inspiring quotes and poetry and new (ish) works that I have not shared on here as yet....



"Luna" a private commission (2014)
 " I write for the child in everybody, that part of us that is aware and open and courageous. It's also that part of us that isn't afraid to explore the mythical depths, that vast part of ourselves we know little about and which we often fear because we can't manipulate or control it. That's where art is born."
- Madeline L'Engle (found via Myth and Moor)


"Lyra and koti" (2013)

"Green Children"
 Dazed they were, and scared, 
lying on the cold stones,
their arms and legs green.
Not the dark green of ivy,
not the yellow green of apples
ripe on the summer bough,
nor the deep green of the ocean
where it leans against its bed.
They were the green of leeks,
of the new-furled feather fern,
of the early leaf breaking soil.
When they opened their eyes,
their eyes were green, too,
and the little hairs on their arms
were inchworm green.
They spoke a green language
which the trees and flowers knew
but which we did not.
The boy died of a wasting,
the girl lived on,
eating broad beans,
forgetting her green tongue
growing whiter each day,
till she was christened
and married and all all white.
Not the white of milk
after the cream is skimmed off,
nor the white of October snow,
nor the white of a spring lily,
waxen and still,
nor the white of sea pearls
formed within the shell.
She was the white of the old moon
that shines over the hall. "

(by Jane Yolen - much loved and the idea of 'green children' has inspired many of the pieces below....)


"Wildling" (2014)

"Strange Journey" (2014)

"She spoke a green language" (2014)

"In the greenwood when the world was young" (2014)

"Fae" (2014)

"The Green Child" (2013)


"....when a bird cries out,
Or the wind sweeps through a tree,
Or a dog howls in a far off farm,
I hold still and listen for a long time.
My world turns and goes back to the place
Where, a thousand forgotten years ago,
The bird and the blowing wind
Were like me, and were my brothers.
My soul turns into a tree,
And an animal, and a cloud bank.
Then changed and odd it comes home
And asks me questions. What should I reply?"
-Hermann Hesse



work in progress......








Wednesday, October 24, 2012

"Shapeshifter"

An exhibition of work inspired by mythology and story... I'm very excited to be part of this exhibition, it's going to be beautiful!
Showcasing the amazing talents of illustrators - Cameron Brideoake, Creature creature, Luka Va, Luke Whitten and Me!


here's some sneak peeks..... :)

One of my pieces...

Creature creature

Cameron Brideoake
Luka Va
Luke Whitten

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Sacred Familar interview

The beautiful Julia from Sacred Familiar has kindly included my work and an interview in her latest Summer solstice newsletter. Thanks Julia! She discusses the healing power of mythology & story, and looks into the symbolism and magic of the Valkyrie of Norse Mythology.

You can read the rest of the fascinating newsletter and the rest of the interview here on Julia's Sacred Familiar site.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Remedios Varo



"Papilla Estelar"
, 1958, oil on board 36 x 24 in.

I do love to see studies for paintings. Quite fascinating...... found here

Leonora Carrington







I hugely admire Leonora Carrington's work. But I had no idea that Leonora Carrington was still alive. She was born in 1917, and still going strong apparently, how amazing is that?! She's one of the last of the surrealists who are stil alive. What a fascinating lady she must be....
One day I will absolutely have to get myself to Mexico and see her work in the flesh (and of course Remedios Varo's as well) Some of Carrington's Sculptures are currently on public display in Mexico City - some more info here - Oh how i would love to see them!
A gorgeous Youtube video of her work here :)

Sunday, December 27, 2009

on the subject of stories


"Standing on the rock, looking out, I understood what the story was.
Here's the story: life is a dream.
It's all a story we're telling ourselves.
Things are dreams, just dreams, when they're not in front of our eyes.
What is in front of your eyes now, what you can reach out and touch now, will will become a dream.
The only thing that keeps us from floating off with the wind is our stories.
They give us a name and put us in a place, allow us to keep on touching.

-Tom Spanbauer "The man who fell in love with the moon"

Sunday, November 1, 2009

From the darkness

"Truth, Leading the Sciences, Giving Light to Man"- Albert Besnard

"The eagle nebula"

"The Witchhead Nebula"

"Sadko in the underwater kingdom"- Illya Repin

"The catspaw nebula"

"Pickering's Triangular Wisp"

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Beautiful, beautiful



How I love images like these! Love, love, love!
They just invite you to dream about other worlds, other places, where life is exotic, compelling and strange.
Found at this fascinating blog right here

Monday, July 13, 2009

Nanosh and Keja

As my website isn't set up for such information, I've decided to start sharing some of my newer works on this blog and tell the stories behind each piece.
I admit, I don't often like to say too much about what an artwork is about; I feel it's really important for the viewer to work that out for themselves. Often I don't really know the stories behind the characters, it's like I know they have a tale to tell, but I just like the mystery of not knowing or something!
I love the feeling of looking at old photographs, especially of exotic looking people, and just wondering who these people were and what adventures in life they experienced and the stories they had to tell. I guess that's a feeling I would love my work to convey, and I hope it does that, or will one day :-)

(there's only a short little blurb on each piece, I'm not a particularly good writer, but hopefully that's something that can be improved by writing this blog!)





"Drabarni" 26x34cm, acrylic on wood (2009)


Keja, a gypsy 'drabarni', shaman, shape shifter, magick maker. Shunned by her people, she makes her home in the woods and the wilds, far from other folk, her only companions being the strange beasts and birds of the forests.



"Nanosh joins the band" 20x20cm, acrylic on canvas (2009)

Nanosh always wanted to join the band, but never had an instrument to play. That was until his grandfather decided to give him his favourite tuba. So today, after weeks and weeks of practising Nanosh rather nervously heads out to join the band.