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I finally managed to squeeze in some me-time, and of course, this can only mean.....brand new things to share!
Yippee!
And some good news about my book! (more of that later..)
So, to begin with, let me introduce you to: the girls of Other Worlds.....
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The Wonderlanders
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Partially inspired by The Looking Glass Wars, by Frank Beddor. These little heads took quite a long time to create, as did the colouring of the dress and the molding of those poised little legs...but I am quite happy with the results. I love how the number 7 girl casts a knowing, suspicious glance towards something that we cannot see, a sort of visual clue to what may be happening just outside of the frame. Her little friend doesn't seem to care, nor does she appear cognizant of the barren, seashore-ish surroundings......lost to her own imagination, no doubt.
I do love this book! Right now I am onto the sequel, Seeing Redd (Redd being the Red Queen, Alyss Heart's evil Aunt) but it doesn't hook me quite like the original book, a little too much action at the outset, kind of confusing me about where we left off in the last chapter..but still, I must read on. I am very fond of this version of Alice, and particularly characters such as Hatter Madigan and the handsome (I assure you he is handsome!) 'Dodge'.
Actually....I have to admit that i do possess a dubious tendency to fall deeply and hopelessly in love with the most unlikely, awkward male characters in books. The most mentionable to date has to be Finn Jowle from Angel Carter's Magic Toyshop. I have no idea why, but you get the picture.
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The Reader
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She reads. She dreams.
The rabbit inhabits a multitude of dimensions. He, like myself, has very little patience for anything less than six going on at any given time. Between worlds, like so many of my strange girls, her quest for knowledge and self awareness has only just begun. This natural propensity for adventure and the continuous anticipation of joy and wonder is not necessarily particular to children alone; it is, to my mind, eternally renewable, at all stages of life. To become so deeply lost within something that you adore, be it art, books, music or quantum physics.
She knows, and he knows, and happy they are to travel together this way.
I very much enjoyed creating her legs and feet from one solitary blob of digital 'paint'. I particularly like the way her left foot curls slightly over the side of the chair. Little things like this can enhance my entire day...or evening.
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Marmalade Fires
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Meet the squirrel girl. She was originally titled Charlotte (quite charming and pretty thought I), but later in the day we had to accept that something extra was required for such a singular lady as herself. Marmalade Fires was settled upon after we had discussed (at length, squirrels like to discuss things at length) the 'Go Go Smear the Poison Ivy' album by Mum. Squirrels do have a somewhat romantic nature when push comes to shove. They don't like to make it too obvious, but all the same...The beautiful song Marmalade Fires had been integral to her creation, so of course, upon telling her this, the matter was promptly settled.
Her ears, nevertheless, were a present from Hermes.
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Rose Red
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Rose Red, Blood Red.... she isn't fussy which. Another healthy contestant for the Looking Glass Wars, methinks. Apple warrior, raven queen, this young lady has more than her fair share of furious, jealous passions. Cross her at your peril.
This actually began life as a rather regular take on a well worn, traditional fairytale, but as is often the case with me, she morphed into something 'other'. Still, she makes a pretty decent Rosie Red when all's said and done. Someone over at Flickr remarked upon her resemblance to the White Stripes. Yes, I am certain that it has something to do with that curious swirling mass in the mirror. Prior to the addition of said swirling mass, the White Stripes hadn't entered into the equation. So now we have: Rose Red + White Stripes (complete with three ravens for good measure) = Quite Surreal indeedy. I can live with that, but would Meg like it?
This work was also subject to change throughout the afternoon. I had originally fashioned the head and face to resemble that of a young-ish child, but then opted to have her grow up a little. The child Rose didn't quite suit the warrior stance with foot on apple. The child Rose had eyes as big as saucers.
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Atomic Playground #2
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This series was inspired by atoms. Yes, atoms. We are curiously composed of them, they are devious, naughty little things indeed, relentlessly teasing the minds of scientists and mystics (and artists) alike.
I had been discussing atoms with a friend, which led to all manner of strange and terrible concepts. Parallel universes, multiple dimensions, the baffling yet wondrous behaviors of atoms when under 'observation', etc, etc. I shall not indulge this subject to any considerable length, I might explode.
So, we shall have to be content with the Atomic Playground, for now. A sort of 'Looking Glass' theme (atoms are reported to have absolutely loved Lewis Carroll. If you don't believe me, just ask your friendly neighborhood physicist).
Hence:
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Atomic Playground #3
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Playtime, Art&Ghosts style, with little white chessboard horsey!
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Atomic Playground #1
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All things are one, according to the soothsaying, floating-fir heads;)
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Atomic Playground #7
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Consider your actions, above all else, for even thought has the power to shape reality. Said the Madhatter....
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Now, I should prefer to leave atoms and soothsaying fir trees well alone and return to the comforting, if confusing realm of Myth....
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Artemis 1
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Artemis 2 (added 27th Jan 08)
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Artemis... my favourite of all, for many a reason.
I was thinking of her little 'incident' with Actaeon'; he (quite accidentally) had discovered her bathing (quite naked, in fact) one fateful afternoon, once upon a long ago. So she turned the poor boy into a stag for his own hunting dogs to tear apart, limb from (quite) innocent limb. Dear me.
I chose to dress her in lunar blue, surrounding her with similarly pond friendly nymphs. No Actaeon. I couldn't face the terror of it.
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And finally, as far as the new works go:
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FieldMouse
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A rather demure, sweetheart little ghost.
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And joy of joys, I have some meaningful Art&Ghosts Book News to share!!! Yay!
A brand new Limited Edition set will be available as of next week. I had to cancel the remainder of the Limited Book 1 due to the company experiencing 'book editor' issues, so i chose not to reprint from scratch for fear of any slight differences that might put the concept of Limited Edition to shame. Mwah!
But not to fear, for those of you who have a desire to purchase a book, the 2nd edition includes a scattering of brand new works and many of my old favourites. Hopefully, this can please everyone, especially those who had asked for a reservation on the 1st book.
I will keep you posted.
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I will leave you this evening with 7 Random Facts about myself. Having been 'tagged' by the very lovely Creature Comforts blog, i am happily obliged to share even more weirdnesses with you than is nessecary during the average post, if you please...
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Here we go.....
(1) I will return to the fictional love interest theme : In addition to the delightful Dodge (Looking Glass Wars), Angela Carter's Irish shy boy (Finn Jowle) and my ever evolving Passion for the legendary Hermes (!!), I have also coveted (in total secret prior to now) a pathetically romantic interest in Mr Rochester (Jane Eyre), Laertes (Shakespeare's Hamlet), one of the writer Saki's feral wolf boys (Gabriel-Ernest), Roderick Usher (Poe) and the Weasley twins (Harry Potter). There are many more, but my memory refuses to release them from their blissful bonds at this particular moment in time.
The above should be enough to worry anyone!
(2) My cat likes to have poetry read aloud to him. It began with Keats, and now he has grown rather partial to Haiku. He also likes to be sang to, on occasion, warming predominantly to old English folk songs.
(3) I cannot abide hunting as 'sport'. There is hardly anything remotely sporting that concerns one animal against 5 (or even 2) men with a gun. If you are starving, hunt. If you are not starving, just leave things alone.
(4) My ideal flat share companion would be Sherlock Holmes.
(5) Two members of my immediate family are sensitive to unexplainable phenomena, ie, they see ghosts. I am not one of them (a sensitive, I mean, not a ghost, I don't think........)
(6) I long to inhabit a crumbling old castle surrounded by a moat. Wales or Ireland, I'm not over fussy about this one. But it would have to be a castle with a moat, that is the only fixed condition. Failing this, I would probably move to Norway, or Iceland. Someplace cold and ancient, oh glee!
(7) I have a thing about pom-poms. It isn't healthy, I'm sure. I have a collection of hats sprouting pom-poms, bigfoot snowstomper slippers with pom-poms, a blue anorak with pom-poms, mittens with pom-poms, socks with pom-poms and absolutely no underwear with pom-poms, so perhaps there's a glimmer of hope?
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Oh, and i forgot to mention, this is going to be a veeeeeeeery long post indeed:)
Take care
Lu xxx
