Art&Ghosts

The Destiny of Trees, and other stories...

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I appear to still be working with the 'nature' theme. Something stirs within me; my dreams, mysterious, are leading me through a vast, endless forest, populated with curious characters, ancient sounds, and that irresistible aura of adventure. Really.

And they tend not to quit on waking.

I have been furiously busy this past week (worrying myself purple over postal deadlines to boot). Working from home has this peculiar effect on me - it seems as though the work never stops. Ever. Perhaps I will get the hang of it eventually, who knows. At the very least i have enjoyed two exquisite, hedonistic, transcendental nights of unbridled self expression out of the past seven. I cannot complain, for somehow this 'restriction' tends to render the eventual creative liberty almost holy. I was literally drunk with inspiration by the time I could actually sit down and play with my pictures again. I imagine what might happen if you locked me up for a year then released me............it may strike you as over the top, but there's no denying a fact;)

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So, I continued (or elaborated upon) the nature theme. The concept of returning to nature, whether symbolically (as in the discovery of our true selves) or literally, as in a surrender to the passionate wilds (to which my heart belongs).

There.

And trees. They are a huge feature here. I am fiercely protective of them almost as much as i am of foxes. It often disturbs me, but so do most things that move me on a primitive level. A love that knows no restrictions, no bounds. And trees, they like me, too, I think. Well, they better had.

And this is the only way i know of translating such potent feelings - In pictures:

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And a Rose Grows Over the Stones

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Bliss is sifting through the rubble for that lost key.

OK, that wasn't entirely the point, nor was it terribly serious, but there is some truth in it. I think that i am attempting to illustrate the idea that the search for what we desire may as well be enjoyable...elevating even, an adventure. She knows, of course. She may appear blind, but this is simply my way of expressing the obvious; what she seeks in not without. The houses represent the self, although I'm sure that some of you are getting quite used to (or even bored with) my Jungian prattle by now, ha.

I'm very fond of this image. It pleases almost as much as The Architecture of Dreams, which is possibly my all time favourite creation.

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The Rescuers

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Click on the image to view big!

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I imagine this is self-explanatory. I hope so!

They are two separate works that i chose to present as a pair. The idea of liberation and captivity. Which is which?

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The Music Room

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She is supposed to be rehearsing, but she prefers to dream.

I love the idea of the hair becoming 'lyrical', or at least expressive of a state of mind. In this instance, we have very content hair that likes to dream. It has a penchant for sweet harmonies and sudden cessations of gravity. Poetry hair.

I'm not best pleased with the shadow areas on this monitor. I know, I say this every time, but it pains me. They are quite dense and delightful in reality, if the concept of reality applies to my art at all!

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The Allure of Lost Lands

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Something about this image moves me beyond words. It is the feeling alone that does this to me. Technically, I'm not so sure about her hair, or the horizon, yet it does not deviate remotely from the concept that inspired it. Liberation, a sense of belonging - to eternity, to the winds and the rain and the timelessness of the earth beneath your feet. The rhythm of the earth is in her blood. She is quite possibly Irish, of Erin, and not altogether mortal.

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Valentina

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Valentina. I like how the trees branch out before her, not so much the way trees ought to do, but more like cracks, fissures in the earth. She tippytoes around them, quite confident that she will not fall prey to the abyss. She is the embodiment of a heart that knows its own desire.

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Arboreal Angels

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Or, the protectors of trees. (this one must be viewed larger)

This reminds me of something un-nameably classical in nature, or else I'm thinking of William Blake. And oh, i do love him, almost as much as I love William Morris (they seriously gave a damn about the state of things, so far as i know), must be a William thing, you know.....

The hair, like shining swords. Avenging somnambulist sprites. Protectors of the heart also.

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And a continuation of the theme.....

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Arboreal Angel

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What am I playing at? Haha! This particular piece was born of In the River by A Hawk and a Hacksaw (yep, i cannot quit them)....I watched my body float to the hall, and out of the room where i lay...

Another Tree Angel. Quite 'dark' visually; those deep emeralds, thundersome clouds, the apparent passivity of the angel........yet I am hoping that these details only thinly disguise the beauty of her conception. Something positive is at work here. Healing, communion, love. I cannot put it any simpler than that.

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And now, a temporary break in the theme........some brand new anomalies and a portrait of 'Us':

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Penny Farthing

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So, now I have the Travelling Dandy and his female companions:)

It's been a while since i last utilised this infamous bicycle (Proud Sally is somewhat jealous of its return in such a fashion...) so i decided upon a pair!

Here are the two of them together:

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I sure don't know what convinced me to position them just so, but they amuse me nonetheless. The second image impresses me far more than the first, but I'm quite fond of them as a pair. I had to self style those handlebars, but they are cute enough, methinks. These are what i consider 'basic' sketches, and may be used in other works. I have already cut them out in hesitation of finding the perfect backdrop. I must paint some, the urge beckons....

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And finally, a somewhat deranged portrait of myself and the Kitten..

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A Portrait of Us

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This is hilarious! We both so seriously aspire to that luscious crimson love seat!

Heavily manipulated, apart from the boy.

In starkish reality, i actually look something like this:

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Any excuse to show off my favourite pom pom smowmonster slippers.

No wonder I'm single;)

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Back sooner than you can say the alphabet backwards....

Enjoy!

Loup xxxxxx

My own little book!

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I have finally completed something that many people have suggested to me that I really ought to consider...............so, here it is, at last, a book full of Art&Ghosts!

Yay!

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Okay, the images are rather fuzzed up and blurry, but i was too excited to start fretting about a tripod, so you will have to forgive me...please say you'll forgive me...I endured a full 3 year photography diploma just so that I could reserve the right to take miserably dreadful photo's, oh yes!

The book measures 8x8 inches and contains 36 beautiful quality pages. I was so surprised by the quality and sheer loveliness of the reproductions within. Some examples...

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This particular book (Book 1) will be available for purchase as a limited edition at my blog shop within the next few days. I will be producing 10 of this set, which contains 36 colour images with titles, introduction, and featuring The Somnambulist on both the front/back cover. More information will be presented alongside the listing at my shop.

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A quick post, alas, but I shall be back soon!

I will leave you with two of my all time favourite things........

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The view from my lounge window......my sweetheart skeleton tree..

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And my ultimate sweetest sweetheart Mirlo, after his annual trip to the vet for his booster injections and a good old fashioned ear wash (he was none too pleased about that!)...

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Loup

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Wolf Lover Wallpaper for the Soul...

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New silhouettes.

TO VIEW THIS SET OF IMAGES, PLEASE VISIT THEIR FLICKR SET:)

Possibly illustrations for the fairytales i might yet write. Who knows? I couldn't quite resist playing with pattern as well as shape, hence the curious, wallpapery backdrops. I also like the idea of the process showing through, somehow. Not caring so much about the 'overlap'. I had a lot of fun with these (whilst listening to Amiina), so there are sure to be more in the making!

Yesterday i smashed my head into a shelf at the local supermarket. Ever since, i have been walking around in a daze, brooding upon it, then, alternately, trying to distract myself from the pain (like a sickening hangover without having indulged in alcohol). Working on the pictures, a nice long walk in the crisp winter light....and several servings of soluble codeine have certainly helped to ease the discomfort.

So, if these new works seem a little odd to you.....

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Into the Wallpaper 1

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I have been working with the idea of combining natural/wild and domestic themes, symbols from folklore, nursery tales, and then bringing them together in a sort of picture-book style. Well, this is what i set out to do. I think i have come at least part ways to achieving it. The above image, something akin to hickory dickory dock (without the infamous clock), is how it all began. I stuck with simplicity over detail, the main focus for me being the posture of the girl, her braids. Her turned up toes suggest that she is quite relaxed in the company of the mouse/rat.

Two worlds merge here, or are supposed to. The black areas (feet and mouse) may represent the hidden, the repressed, the unconscious (you know, i like these themes;)....

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Into the Wallpaper 2

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I have no idea how to even begin explaining this. Folklore again, the hare as a symbol of the feminine, the moon, etc. I like how this particular image appears more like a shadow against the wallpaper than merely a flattened silhouette. We have a full moon tonight (cloudless!!!) and I do tend to get quite excited about such things.....so....back to the image: I was thinking of old festivals (English), curious rites, and of course, childhood games.

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Into the Wallpaper 3

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The wolf and his longing for the forest. A longing quite similar to my own.

The domestic meets the primitive.

OK, the moon is a giant and i have had a rather nasty knock on the head, but my cat agrees....;)

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Into the Wallpaper 4

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A meeting of minds here!

They appear to be in the midst of some sort of conference. A meeting before a journey. I see them as such, about to set out on a moonlit adventure, a top secret expedition. The girl can speak with the rabbits and hares. She's a natural. They are belonging to two worlds; again, like the images above.

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Into the Wallpaper 5

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I have used this figure quite a lot recently. And here she is again, expecting to fly. And why not? She may just do so in the blink of an eye. Or perhaps she awaits instruction. I'm not entirely sure. She too longs for the forest, the tree tops, for the glacial air to embrace her.

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Into the Wallpaper 6

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Ha! I don't know how this came about, but never mind, it makes me smile:)

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The silhouettes un-montaged:

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These images will be available for purchase (in wallpapery and basic form) by the middle of next week. Find them at both my etsy shop and my blog shop (which is still under 'design' construction, but functioning perfectly!).

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I must leave you now, so make sure to enjoy your weekend, and for those of you out West, I hope that you had a supremely wonderful Thanksgiving!

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Back soon:)

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Ohhh! I had to edit to include this; I somehow forgot about her!...

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Into the Wallpaper 7

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I will leave you to ponder her at your own leisure!

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Listening to Forgotten Sounds...

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Recently, dreams seem to have merged with reality. I have been reading, learning and feeling too much.

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The following images represent much that is spiritual, for me. Joys and sorrow, beauty and longing, the impression of dreams and the glory of winter light.

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The Goose Girl

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Too much Sigur Ros.

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leaf (1)

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listening to forgotten sounds
tasting smells and colours,
hiking mounts crossing rivers........................

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Leaf (2)

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....primal hiker lonely walker,
rediscovering your own pace
left here to go elsewhere,
abandon all impatience

reposess the senses,
impression of freedom
time doesn't know itself,
has mingled path and dream
animal survivor,
you belong to nature...(Stereolab)

I love this.

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Unlocked Sorrow

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Liberating. Devastating.

The body a cathedral of light.

Still, the five black bows will keep her grounded, regardless her preparation for flight.

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Earthbound

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Trying to come to terms with the fact that I don't have wings ;)

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Cheshire Cat

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Haha, I so wanted to scrap this, but couldn't. In this instance, the little girl grins and the Cheshire Cat does not care for such wanton displays of frivolity.

Why the grid? I set out to make it appear as though seen through a window.

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Ice Maiden (detail)

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The full version of this image is currently undergoing 'repairs'!

Hopefully I can share the fixed up version pretty soon:)

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Toodleoo

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Tsukiko .....

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Some new characters.

I have been working on new heads, limbs, creatures. Painting (digitally) more than usual, figures that will doubtlessly go on into future works. I don't have the time to write much in the way of explanations tonight, but i would like to share the pictures nonetheless :)

I stuck with the style of the Immaculate image; simple characters, winter themes/colours, no extraneous details...pesky things! Not in the mood for overpopulated scenes just now.

I would prefer to allow the pictures to speak for themselves, for a change. Sometimes they are like a whisper....... silent, serene, internal worlds...

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Tsukiko (stoat baby)

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So ludicrously pale on this monitor, but there isn't much I can do about that. Her limbs, dress and face pretty much created from scratch......my poor dolly files are feeling abandoned of late.

Tsukiko, my favourite new character.

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Tsukiko (rabbit giant)

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The Immaculate dress again. Couldn't resist:)

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Scared of Mice

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I seem to have a love-hate relationship with those little moon faces. So much suggestive of icing, frost. Little punk girls, I'm thinking, scared of a tiny mouse.

(Said mouse may actually be a rat. Ignore this or i will cry)

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Goat Girl

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This feels like a very bare image, for me. No layering, yelp!

Feels pretty much unfinished, so they may go on to appear in new works.

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Angel X

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I will leave you with that little mystery!

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Have a pleasant weekend.

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Little Shop Update!

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A tinyesque update to notify you that there will be brand new prints available both here and at my Etsy shop this Friday evening.

Also available (as of right now) is this sweet little handmade card set, featuring the Immaculate lady and her unicorn, introduced in the previous post. The set features six blank notecards and three little tag sized cards to match, complete with matching ivory envelopes. The 10x8 version of this print will be available later this week!

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There are two of these sets available, one at my etsy shop and one here.

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Also, i am quite stupidly giddy with happiness due to the recent arrival of my first 16x20 enlargement print, Red Fox Girl :

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The frame is so old and dirty and scratched, but i don't care! I just couldn't wait to see her unpacked. I am so pleased at the 'painterly' quality of these works enlarged.......so there will be many more to come. Yay!

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More soon........

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Bluebeard......................

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..................amongst other things.

I appear to have developed Californian Body Clock Syndrome, which is only recommended if you actually live on the West coast (I am presently floating somewhere around the UK). A touch of insomnia, perhaps. This is the down side to working from home - the freedom to confuse one's sleeping patterns.

Well. It will right itself, I'm sure.

I would like to share some new work before i attempt to close my eyes on the dawn. Random oddities, as always (I'm incredibly faithful in this respect;)....

And more rabbits....!

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Immaculate

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She must be viewed larger!

I'm quite in love with this image; it is one of those rare occasions when a plan actually makes it into fruition. Many of my works tend to lead themselves, it often feels as if i am collaborating with the image (they often have the upper hand), seeking the solution to a strange little mystery, or simply slipping into some peculiar sort of trance. Often, if someone calls me or disturbs me when i am absorbed this way, it takes me at least a couple of hours to actually re-enter 'reality'. I am completely somewhere else. Where? I have no idea. The only explanation that I can offer is the completed (or near completed) work.

So, this represents purity. Look up the unicorn, you'll get the idea. I used my own head for the girl, manipulated it beyond recognition, i hope, and closed her eyes. I still have the open eye version (which looks a little more like myself) as an alternative, but I am pretty sure that this is the one i should like to stick with. She does seem somewhat snooty, a little bit like Unicia, though they are not meant to have anything in common, regardless the unicorn (Unicia is an Art&Ghosts Circus recruit, with a penchant for peppermint flavoured bon-bons, whereas the lady above literally loathes confectionery).

I adore the crimson bows, especially those that are tied below her tiny, fawn-like ears. And the stripy horn! Hey!

This took a record breaking amount of hours to work on, due to the hideous state of the unicorn (the original selection was a jagged, botched mess) and that section of frock which surrounds the girl's exposed knee. As i tend to build these images and paint into them part by part, certain bodily positions are a complete nightmare to grapple with.

Nonetheless, i am pleased with the results :)

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Jane Hare

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Of course, the title is not a coincidence ~

A little dedication to my very lovely sister, Lynne. I'm quite certain that she has no particular interest in romantic fiction, but she does happen to be the proud owner of the original rabbit's head. Some of you may recall my misadventure with a sadistic prone yucca plant a couple of weeks ago...well, I am hoping the wounds were worth it after all. Lady Jane Hare began life as a rather nondescript ceramic bunny wench, perched at the far end of my sister's garden, now she wears only the finest crinolines (or whatever they are called), corsets and bows (Marjorie, you must educate me here!), takes tea on the lawn at 5pm every afternoon, whilst reading her exquisite poetry aloud to a scattering of handsome young suitors, and generally enjoys all of the pleasures that any young lady like herself ought to do.

My sister has actually been quite stupidly excited about the possibility of me utilising this character, so.........here she is at last: Lady Jane Hare. Pleased to meet you and will you be so kind as to pass me that last slice of Battenberg....

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And a recently added photograph of the original rabbit :

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Synchronised Rabbit Heads

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Really, i do not know what possessed me...

I plan to do much more with them, but for the meantime, i intend to have a little fun. I would love to see this poster sized:)

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The Mirror

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Lots of distortion, but all intended. I am attempting to illustrate something that I find difficult to put into words. Again.

Inner conflicts, maybe. Or the flat share from hell;) This picture reminds me of a film still, a frozen moment of suspense. A question asked that may remain unanswered for all time. But primarily, it was supposed to translate the concept of internal conflict, of which we are all familiar with to some degree or another. The imaginary, internal world set against the desire for external experience.

Older characters, for me. They have long surpassed childhood and are now faced with the most challenging experiences of all..........love, self realisation, trust, courage, acceptance. Above all, they have to take responsibility for themselves...and each other. Whether you see them as sisters, friends, or the two sides of a single individual isn't important. The mirror reflects a state of mind - in this case it is the mind of the girl on the right - who challenges the other to make a play for external experience, to finally leave the room that was supposed to represent a sort of refuge, their shelter. But has it become a prison?

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Bluebeard

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Okay, i messed up with the shadow, i think. And my Bluebeard is a little on the girly side, but he did start life as a real male figure. In shadow form he now reminds me of a catwalk model (female), so I'm not sure what to make of it...but I love the idea, so I may work into it further at some point. 

This is my own take on the Bluebeard story. It could also quite easily double up as a flaky interpretation of Pretty Maids all in a Row...;)

I have a friend who appears to have a 'thing' about the Bluebeard story. This is where the idea began..........our Bluebeard has long hair, here. Sometimes he ties it back into a ponytail. He is a very polite gentleman, and very few people who come into contact with him could even begin to imagine his true nature. The perfect lover, handsome and smart, intelligent, romantic. And murderous.

I am non too pleased with this image as a whole, but I do like it's separate parts. The girl's faces, for instance, each expression seems to tell her own story, expressing her wordless pleas to the viewer, or whoever they might be looking at (Don't lets go there, things are hard enough!). No longer familiar with autonomy, they have somehow become one with nature, except, this is nature at its most unnatural.

For more Bluebeardyness, go here.

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I must head off and face the prospect of some sleep now, but i shall leave you with a little portrait of my darling Mildred Moog:

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Psychic Girlchick Extraordinaire!

For more of the Moog, see my slowly growing Moogy Flickr set.

Back soon:)

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Art&Ghosts for Sale................

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I have finally configured my blog to incorporate those dinky little Paypal buttons, so from now on many of my works will be available to buy direct from here! Yay!

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The prints are the same price, paper, shipping that you will find in my Etsy shop, although stock may vary at any given time. I am awaiting a huge print order at present, so there will be many more added towards the beginning of next week. I will also be listing original works, limited editions not available at my Etsy shop, and various sized giclee prints in the near future, so please check back frequently if you are interested:)

The link to my blog shop is at the top right....yes, just up there...

If anyone encounters any difficulties when attempting to purchase a print, please email me at the address supplied in my profile so that i can check that i have configured things correctly.

There you go.

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Alsoooo, as of right this very minute, the Wonder Cabinet has suffered a rather lengthy new update...so go and check it out!

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I will leave you now...

Happy November!

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Paper dolls...

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I have been playing with paper cut-outs again.

Some new collages came to life in the process, most of them featuring some of the strange little girls that feature in my recent digital works. These copies were photographed, not scanned (my scanner is rather worse for wear at present, covered in scratches and dents after so many years of sticking little porcelain noses onto the glass.....time for a new one, I'm sure;) so they do not quite match up to the quality of the originals, but never mind, they give a decent enough impression of what I've been up to....

These works are untitled as yet. Most of them measure around 10x5 inches, mounted onto brown card. The originals do not have rounded edges.

Here we go......

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This, above, is the little three drawer box where I store my papery cutouts. I often prefer them in this raw state, before they go into another picture...there is something about them, like little paper dolls.

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The Somnambulist, Lydia, and Alice, to name but a few....(you want to hear them chattering in there, and some of them don't get along too well either, so....)

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The somnambulist once again, this time with a large, curious ball shaped head. Make of her what you will, but I'm kind of fond. Whatever this young lady does, no matter how surreal her exploits, she retains a certain dignity, a happy-go-lucky self confidence that I adore.

Heeee!

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One of the Moth Dream sisters. Still dreaming, of course. Most of these collages appear to be about some sort of 'ascent', or so it appears. They have a wintry aspect , too, I think, which is good!

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A wintry landscape dream. I like the idea of a 'landscape' presented so.... horizontally!

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I consider these two examples to be unfinished, but you never know.

Snow and dreams and houses in the sky. Humble ambitions, much like my own ;)

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I'm reminded of The Little Prince here. This picture haunts me in quite a sweet, almost nostalgic way, i might add. It reminds me also of my memories of snow, from the previous post. So peaceful, remote, yet despite the chilly surroundings, there is warmth, for always, on the inside.

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Mmm, don't know what I think of this. Lydia again, this time the clouds are somewhere above her. The little houses, her dreams.

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The Lake House girl returns. This time without her precious poetry book. She wanders into fresh surroundings, again, suggestive of snow. Another ascent.

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Close up detail of the previous picture.

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More paper dolls.....

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And i had to share this! I love his faint reflection in the gloss.

My little bear paper doll by wool and water. His lady friend hasn't made an appearance due to the fact that i have not cut her out and assembled her as yet, but soon....

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LoveLou

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Fox Hoops Mittens and all....

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Newly added info....

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Click Me !!!

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Some brand new works for a lovely, quiet, cold autumnal evening.

Less words tonight than usual, i am very sleepy and lulled by songs...

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Red Fox Girl

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The cloud always represents thought, contemplation. I have used this single, orangey cloud in my photomontages for nearly two whole years now........ceaselessly. I never tire of it, and it never tires of me. We are eternal, I'm sure. I have tried using other clouds on occasion, yet none of them have ever produced the same magic for me. I think the original was taken through my bedroom window one lazy, late summer afternoon.

This is the Red Fox Girl. Assisting her fox friends as they travel through dimensions quite unlike our own. And why not? I would if I could, but Mirlo would object rather strongly, I'm sure. The mirror frame is enchanted, and so are the foxes. The girl is another somnambulist, so perhaps she is dreaming. Anything is possible.

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Born to be Wild

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I love this, and so simple too.

She is levitating, lighter than air. Her thoughts, her dreams belong to nature.

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Lydia

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Another returning character.

Last time we had her anniversary, now we have her contemplating that cloud. It is as if it cannot be contained.

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Interior #1

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I'm reminded of Amy Cutler and her teapot/egg basket-headed women.

A sombre mood, I think. Most of these images are concerned with inner reflection, self contemplation........stillness and calm. They may seem sombre, but they are also at peace with themselves, contained. These girls portray those private little moments in our lives that cannot easily be shared or translated. Surreal imaginings, dream symbols come to life.

This girl frames her letters, for handwritten notes are precious. I was also thinking of an album by the very strange His Name is Alive, called 'Home is in your Head'.

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Hoops

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Three girls with hoops.

Scary puppety mouths!

I seem to be painting into my figures, lately, in a style that reminds me of Paula Rego. This wasn't intended, but after so many years of adoring her art, perhaps it was impossible to avoid. At first, I was a little unsure of the contrast between the boldness of their faces and hair besides the filmy quality of their clothes. But this is exactly what won me over in the end.

I see this as a sort of nursery rhyme. Playground rhymes, with a dark side!

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Sibling Rivalry

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When magical siblings chance to disagree with one another........oh dear.

I copied and traced the images of the fox from a website about foxes that I cannot recall (it was a while ago). The tree sprouting from one brother's nose was purely my own invention, of course. That look of terror and surprise amuses me. His brother is of the same mind ;) I like how they cannot seem to disentangle themselves from each other....permanently at odds, at the same time inseparable.

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Untitled/Unfinished

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I haven't finished work on this picture, her hair needs attention, badly! But I didn't think it would hurt to share the first installment. The idea, initially, was a butterfly ballet, which somehow evolved into a curious portrait, with a scattering of winged silhouettes having seemingly appeared out of the fireplace.

I see her as a lonely (and only) child, with a handsome, vast house to play in, yet very few signs of life... or love - so she seeks solace in the imaginary, and her magical friends.

I was also reminded of these amazing paintings by Jan Worst, which depict scenes that appear to be set in the homes of extremely wealthy children, who are forever on the periphery of their parents lives. Quite touching, and more than a little upsetting, but insanely detailed, marvelous works nonetheless.

(I will be featuring this artist in my next Wonder Cabinet update!)

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Memories of Snow

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The title was taken from a poem that I wrote for my mother a few years ago.

I no longer wear my mittens on a string, nor do i possess such delightful crimson booties, but my memories of snow, the enchantment of those dark, twinkling evenings, the muffled silence of long, blissful afternoons that everyone else complained about because the schools were closed down, or the traffic was flying about in a dangerous fashion.......are my favourite, most cherished memories of all.

Most notable memories include : finding a treasure trail of ten £10 notes lying half buried in the snow on my way home from school one afternoon (this really happened), running indoors after a snowball fight to press my frozen, bare hands against the radiator (very unwise!) and pulling our overweight yet adorable corgi dog around the fields in a plastic, makeshift sleigh (the regular kiddy style sledges were too small for her rotund figure;)

Hopefully, this year, there will be lots, and lots, and lots

of snow...

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I have had a ridiculously hectic week, very little sleep, some very stressful work related problems and two ridiculous little injuries that have put me on the wrong side of a good mood...

Whilst photographing the strange little ceramic animals that overpopulate my sisters garden, I was stabbed in the back by an evil giant yukka plant (or is it yucca? I don't know). The damned thing cut right through my cardigan and dress, literally knifing me in the back! Pah! Of course, everyone found it quite amusing, and so did i, after shaking off thoughts that the offending 'prong' may have contained some sort of fairy poison ;)

And today i lacerated my mouth whilst innocently crunching on a bag of tangy Dorito's.

Not fair. But comfort comes in the shape of :

Soft carrot cake cookies (mouth injury friendly)

My kitten, friends, mother.

Inspector Morse.

The Worst Witch (Terrible, tacky effects, but who cares! rediscovered after all these years.... i love Fairuza Balk!)

New huuuge books.

And art:)

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Back soonish!

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Oranges..another tiny update:)

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I have been quite busy with a couple of commissions this past week or so, hence these tiny updates scattered throughout October. Although I will be sure to grace you with more gigantic posts at some point in the near future....there's just no escaping me!

For the nowtime, I would like to share a couple of recent experiments. I have been playing around with self portraits for the most part, but as usual, they are rarely about the 'self' in the traditional sense of the word. I use my own figure pretty much in the same manner as the dolls, the sheep, the rabbits, etc. And this week, perhaps due to the closeness of Halloween, I appear to have developed an obsession with Orange....

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Oranges, an experiment

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No idea what to make of this!

But i had fun. It began as a self portrait photograph, which I later drew into, distorted, montaged.....basically : manipulated into another dimension entirely. I have never worked this way before, not exactly. There isn't even a logical 'process' to speak of, either, so i can hardly begin to explain it - just a mixture of paintbrushes, the regular PS tools, and the partial madness that arises from having cut 'bangs' into your hair on a thoughtless whim. Oh boy.

I am not so sure about her/my eyelids. I certainly need to work on those, so I still consider this image in process. This, also, is somewhat new for me, as I generally always complete a thing prior to sharing it. Well, you have to live dangerously sometimes, you know ;)

I love the green haze surrounding her feet, that faint little scratch line at the bottom of the image, and most of all, the dress! It reminds me of 'fire ferns', and I do not know what a fire fern is, because i made it up, but I like it nonetheless.

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Oranges - cropped, legless, wheatfield version

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Nice title. With added splatter of ink, a watercolour wheatfield, and soft, radial blur.

And missing feet.

I ought to upload the original at some point just to satisfy any curiosity - the original only had one leg (the other was tucked beneath me), open eyes, a gaunter face and much frizzier hair.

Although, I can supply you with a picture of what the dress began life as, and my favourite new red beret!

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I adore my new beret to pieces! Recently purchased from this wonderful Etsy shop:)

To see this dress in focus, visit my flickr pages. It cost me all of £3.

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A few little extras that I have been working on....

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Laura's Bear

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I can't seem to get away from this particular girl (she is almost as popular here at Art&Ghost's Towers as the dolly head I have endlessly utilised for images such as The Somnambulist, Lake House, and Levitating Girl). The icy silence of this image delights me. There has to be a little story about them both, I'm certain. I shall not write it, but I like to imagine...or a short, animated film. No dialogue, just sounds, music, the crunch of snow beneath dangerously beautiful paws.

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Centime

 

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She called herself Centime, okay? There was no room for argument.

Again, I had fun, and i am rather fond of the curious aura that surrounds her. Very English, but violently opposed to fox hunting, it has to be said. In fact, mention the subject to her and she is likely to tear you in half with one lash. This otherwise genteel young lady is the forest avenger, the righter of wrongs. Serious stuff if truth be told.

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I will leave you with another of my older, drawn illustrations, as promised :

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Estrella

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The original Estrella girl!

And my very first ever Blythe painting. It is still my avatar image over at the Blythe doll forum, i think :)

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Have a joyously jubilant weekend !!!

^_^

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October's Tiniest Update....

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I thought I ought to let you know that I have fiiiinally updated....

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Le Wonder Cabinet LINK !!!

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And for the curious.....You will find a scattering of brand new print sets and larger poster sized prints at my ETSY SHOP, too!

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A Storm in a Teapot (New image, part of a 5 print set)

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*** I have finally updated and re-organised my albums (located in the left column) ***

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Back Soon!

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Somnambulists are taking over.....

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Or so it seems.

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I've been busy. It comes in fits and starts.

This time, the somnambulist idea appears to have taken over. And masks, i can't seem to get enough of these girls wearing masks..........moth masks, batman style masks, bird-style-Venetian masks, thief-in-the-night masks, and so on. I'm thinking of the symbolic use of masks here, as opposed to their more sinister associations. The concept of revelation and secrecy combined. The enigmatic. The hidden self. (I am also reminded of Jung's concept of the shadow, and the masquerade...)

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The Moth Mask

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I've been doing things differently of late. Combining the dolls with old photographs, self portraits and illustration. I became quite obsessed with seamlessness, and hair.

I can't get enough of hair!

She is only partially with us. Emerging. I like the idea of the mist surrounding her, enclosing most of her figure. Like old portraits, they evoke an air of mystery and dreams. All of these new girls exist in the realm of dreams, of sleep, of transition. Are they emerging, or are they ebbing away? I'm finding it difficult to decide; but most of them affect me on a very deep and strange level that i find quite difficult to translate into actual words.

One thing is certain : these particular ladies are making discoveries about themselves, each and every one.

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The Moth Dream

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The moth. Attraction to light? Again the idea of emergence, although not quite as obvious. These girls are not merely sleeping, yet i do love the contradiction - the attraction to light and revelation, experienced with both eyes closed. Perhaps through dreaming? 

Those self contained, content little faces make me wonder......what thoughts and wonders exist there. They inhabit a strange yet familiar world of their own. And there being two of them, twins, suggests a sort of connectedness to each other, a shared landscape of knowledge...something that we do not have access to, yet at the same time we can appreciate on many different levels.

I waffle, and still, i would prefer you to bring your own, personal interpretations to these images:)

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Lydia's Anniversary

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Anniversary of what, i wonder?

I have my own ideas;)

Those are her own self portraits, watching her from the wall. They are animate, alive. They are able to look right at her, yet she might be too apprehensive (as yet) to acknowledge them. But something tells me she is about to take a giant leap - into the unknown, the abyss.....and this, of course, concerns the self. This concept excites me quite a lot, and although it could appear quite disturbing.....well, it isn't supposed to be. I removed her arms and elongated her position in an attempt to suggest the distance between the physical body and our sleeping dreams.

Something about this image reminds me of the artist Gottfried Helnwein. I have no idea why.

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Sleep Walk

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Like Lydia, she is wandering through the doorway that separates the darkness from the light. The conscious from the unconscious.

This image is so much suited to open interpretation, and i would rather not suffocate it with my own description. You know...i hope this makes sense:)

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Strange Lessons

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I love what somebody just said about this image over at flickr! That it was more akin to 'unnatural history lessons'.........and with a Dorothea Tanning influence. This is quite possibly very true indeed. I have been aching to go and visit the Natural History Museum recently, and might just have to do so.

And I'm pretty besotted with this painting by Dorothea Tanning....which i had actually come to think of after creating 'Sleep Walk' :

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(A Little Night Music 1946)

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I had a difficult time 'sculpting' this lady's features, but i am quite pleased with the results. Her little friends are a mystery, of course......are they the subjects of her lessons?

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Euphoric Amnesia

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Another doorway, another somnambulist.

Another mask.

She appears to be the most courageous of the doorway girls. The carefree explorer, i should imagine. And then i consider the placement of the mask. It might just be that this particular girl will emerge, wake, and then establish herself behind a mask, once again. This makes me think about illusions, about how we perceive ourselves and others. No matter how many personal revelations, how strong, confident we may become, there will always be something that remains hidden, even to ourselves. Especially ourselves.

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The Great Indoors

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This, obviously, has much to do with the idea of nature taking over. Oh please! ;)

Our 'true nature', or even the natural world that surrounds us. Both concepts rolled into one. I am not exactly satisfied with the work i did on this little face, and a guest at my house tonight actually burst out laughing when i showed her to him! Well, I don't think there is anything altogether unusual about carrying your sewing scissors atop your antlers. And i do love that creeping skeleton tree....it harks back to my weird little skeleton creatures in the previous images. I think there is a little celebration of my favourite season having established itself also. I am always most inspired at this time of year. You have Art and Ghosts overload, god help ye.

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Secret Sister

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'She follows me everywhere i go!'

'Well, perhaps she is there to offer you sensible advice'

'Pah, who wants that!??'

I feel that these images are something akin to little sketches. Although they are not exactly sketches in the traditional sense at all, they are digital......yet they function as sketches, especially in the way that i build them up; storing all manner of versions on file, open eyes, closed eyes, wild hair, tamed hair, etc. I like the idea of them changing over time, or being used in further works, so in this sense they do seem to work like sketches, see? Ta da!

I'm in love with those little tree tendrils in her hair. Which brings me to this.........

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Family Tree

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Reproduction : The twins, the digital clone, the tree....and all the usual, multifarious associations of.

And I'm kinda fond of all these pastel coloured maryjanes:)

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Braids

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This began as an attempt to make a self portrait of myself as a child, and failed miserably.

I must own up to having had quite similar hair - forever braided and semi wild.

I was feral, doncha know?

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And on a much lighter hearted, final note........

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The Conversation

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Meet one half of the Merrysocks sisters (Art and Ghosts Circus rabbits of naughtiness)....i am referring to the rabbit with clothes;)

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And Baby Sally.....

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A rather modest portrait from her younger days.

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Enjoy the overload:)

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Paper-y things........

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A few people have asked recently about my work in other media, or if i might ever consider sharing any of my old paper collages and drawings.....so i have decided to upload a scattering of samples.........

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These are not the best examples that i could have unearthed for you, but i shall have to do some serious exploring to locate the main bulk of my older works on paper. Over the next few weeks i intend to present tiny little updates featuring these old drawings and collage, so keep a look out...if you are ever so slightly curious:)

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But firstly, and quite contrarily,i should like to present this little delicacy:

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Apple Slice

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Mmm, not a collage, not a photomontage, not a drawing, painting, digital manipulation (if you'll excuse the text).......just a plain apple slice, half nibbled, on a pretty little plate, my mother's, to be exact....I'm quite taken by it.

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Le Harpy

For some reason, i failed to present the digital original of my Harpy lady in the last post. She is one of our new circus members, of course, and a rather menacing one at that. Here she is incorporated into a paper collage with acrylic paint and cut out text. I'm a little obsessed with selective focus right now, so you'll have to bear with me.

(Many of the characters in these collages feature in my previous post)

.........Please check out the originals, if you aren't already familiar with them:)

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Le Harpy (full)

I have no idea what to make of these images, but they were fun to work on......needless to say i was aching to return to digital. Digital allows me to create just about anything i have in mind, so this little venture was something of an experience with regards to 'getting back to basics', the old techniques that i used to adore, and just imagine my agony, not having access to the transform command! Ghaaa!

And the mess; the papery, gluey, mountain-pile of mess was sheer bliss!

So, meet the Harpy.

She means business.

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Alice Grew Tall

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I have not completed the digital original for these figures just yet. I am still deciding upon the background. So here she is in paper collage form, again with acrylic, pen and cut out text. My scanner is unconscious at the minute, so i am having to photograph these images, and i am not at all convinced that i have done them adequate justice, but nevermind. I decided to have fun with the angles, focus..............

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Alice Grew Tall (detail)

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See?

Alice, of course, is the ideal subject for distortion ;)

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And so was my Paper Unicia

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She is a sweetheart. I think she is the most adorable of all my new recruits.

I need new scissors, in fact.

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Paper Sally Antoinette

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Sally is quite fond of paper collage. It is more in keeping with her vintage-y sensibilities, you know. I had to be veeeery cautious when cutting around her ears, as you can imagine.

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Paper Somnambulist

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I made a number of collage versions featuring The Somnambulist, yet didn't come away perfectly satisfied with any of them. This one i could just about tolerate. I think she is destined for the digital world, born and bred for it, no less.

She will be featuring in many works to come!

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Watercolour Flowers

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One of my older works. I would generally combine pen, ink, acrylic paint and watercolours, rarely using any of these materials without the accompaniment of another. I think this might have been my Egon Schiele phase....

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Paper Blythe doll

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I also used to do commissioned illustrations of people's dolls, can you believe it, mwhahaha!??? This particular girl belonged to a lovely lady at the 'This is Blythe' forum. She is, again, an amalgamation of watercolour, pen, ink and acrylic. How i managed to pull off that skull crochet sweater is anyone's guess.

I have many more where this came from, i will possibly share them as i locate them over the next few days...weeks. I have a very untidy art closet.

Sadly, I have very little experience painting and drawing (even during my college years on fine art), having only ever been inclined to indulge on rare occasions.

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Rats

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This began life as a paper collage, then swiftly became a digitally manipulated affair. How else could i have portrayed such.........speedy little beasties? One of my very first digital alterations, I think, about 19 months old now.

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Last night i fashioned some brand new business and thankyou cards, featuring my favourite Somnambulist lady.....

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Thankyou Cards

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Business cards a la Art and Ghosts...

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I'm very fond of them:)

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And finally, a little picture of a 'segment' of my workspace. Why? Who knows!

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I am also pleased to announce a brand new shop update as of this evening !!!

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Au Reservoir! 

(yes, that was one of my favourite saying from the Mapp and Lucia series...)

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The Autumn Circus, and other stories..........

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The Art and Ghosts Circus are recruiting! (please see my profile for details of application). We do this every autumn. Autumn is when we come alive. That said, we already have a small number of new performers and friends that i would like to present to you this evening.............

I decided to do away with props, backgrounds, the extraneous details, and even colour in some of these new images. I wanted to concentrate on the characters themselves, with a possible view to incorporating them into new scenes in the future. Muted hues and only the barest of details; this is the closest i get to actual drawing or painting (digitally, of course), working into the faces, expressions, hairstyling, etc. I had a lot of fun with these pictures! I literally had to get up and dance around the room, laughing out loud during the creation of some of them.......particularly the new Proud Sally outing, the Harpy, and a delightfully silly portrait of my friend Maren's cat, Milou....

And here they are - a little different, for me, but a change is as good as a rest:)

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Sally Antoinette

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Yes, Proud Sally, this time playing the role of Marie Antoinette. You may have heard of her ever-so-lofty film aspirations before, particularly her debut, but this is her all-time favourite part, her dream role, so to speak. Have you ever seen a more dignified portrait of an anomaly? Perhaps you have, but please don't tell her that, she is proud after all.....

Sadly, she could not be persuaded to have her hair 'done' Antoinette style. She is almost frighteningly particular about the elegant positioning of her ears.

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Autumn Sisters #1

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Once upon a time i created a picture called Springtime Sisters. Well, i thought it was about time that i followed up with another pixellated ode to the season.......why was there no summer ode i hear you ask? Ok, i admit that summer doesn't suit me, at all...and the Art and Ghosties Circus crowd are no exception. So, here are the autumnal twins; I was aiming for a little tableau of sorts, nothing fixed, just symbolic, pure. I have developed a slight obsession with leaves, as you will see.

And i had to indulge in another take on the same theme........

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Autumn Sisters #2

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I love those stoats on a leash!

This time i closed their eyes, gave them dreams of fungi and set the world at large to spinning a delicate, milky mist around them. Nothing ought to disturb their silent reveries. Something about these images reminds me of Kit Williams, those strange yet wonderful books, one of which i still actually own, thank goodness. (I own the Bee book, not Masquerade, unfortunately, but i am on the look out to replace my old, missing copy...)

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The Somnambulist

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She's my new favourite.

I had great difficulty deciding upon hairstyles for this little madam, but i dare say that was 90% part of the fun. I finally settled for this curious little number, but i cannot tell you why; i think the incongruity of the hair flowing forwards kind of swung it for me. She is the masked somnambulist, nowhere near as sinister as the Dr Caligari variety, but far, far more mischievous.

I actually prefer some of these images without the distraction of backgrounds. I see them as a sort of sketchbook, of ideas, portraits of characters that might go on to perform in future works. Like Sally.

The Somnambulist is one of the more silent members of the Art and Ghosts Circus. She doesn't care very much for the company of the other circus members, or even our infamous Twilight Tea Parties. She much prefers to sit alone of an evening, playing with her cardboard cut-out shadow puppets by the light of a solitary candle, listening to the radio or the shipping forecast . A bit like myself, come to think of it.....apart from the shipping forecast part.

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Polar Girl

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Polar Girl literally thrives on the cold.

Please don't pity her condition, she is likely the happiest girl-headed polar bear this side of the north pole. She is one of our sweetest new members, too. A warm, generous, lovely little thing, and a rather gifted storyteller. Since joining us, she has helped to curb the habitual bedtime naughtiness of our younger circus members by lulling them to sleep with her magical, warmhearted stories....tales of lost and found princesses and of hero's who journey across wild, raging seas just to comb the hair of their sweethearts in other lands.

She also has a Bachelor of Arts degree in surreal folklore.

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Laura's House

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I don't suppose i would like to take my chances as a doll in one of this young lady's games.

I wanted to create the illusion of a rather genteel tornado. This particular tornado just happens to be strands of her own hair, gruesomely enlarged. Oh, and imagine a playroom this vast, this infinite! I can imagine it too easily, because that's just the way i am....i like to think of this as a visual metaphor for imagination, play.........and of course, there is just the right amount of creepiness for us not to become too complacent, haha:)

This time i had to give in to the colour urge.

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Laura's Hair

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A close-up version.

I so enjoyed working on her hair! Perhaps this was the barnet (A fine example of Cockney Rhyming Slang) that i ought to have given to Sally, had Sally been been more malleable that is, but... alas, proud deer are apt to be somewhat repressed concerning their appearance, as I'm sure you will agree.

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Unicia

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My unicorn child. Something like a cross between Bacchus and Pan, perhaps, but a little girl...not your average wood sprite. But i love her. Her creation was fraught with difficulties, particularly her legs ( i practically recreated the entirety of that cursed unicorn body with a digital pen and a rather wonky expedition with the smudge tool - best if you don't hear the details).

Another new circus recruit. Shy, conceited, just a touch. She also plays the pan pipes extraordinarily well. Some of the younger members are a little jealous of her, they have taken to tweaking their noses in imitation of her apparent snobbery (she even prefers Mac computers to PC's) whenever she passes by. Even her name is suspiciously snooty, the younger ones insist. I am hoping that she will integrate, eventually, join in with their more frivolous games, share her precious peppermint flavoured bon-bons....you know.

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The Surfer Rosa's

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Lookie here! They're wind surfing on dead leaves!

I took the title from the Pixies album, Surfer Rosa, it has to be said.

Another autumnal endeavor. Made with equal parts love and madness, for your viewing pleasure. They remind me of little ghost girls, and maybe they are.....we are not your common-or-garden circus troupe by any stretch of the imagination. And we know about imagination:)

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Etiquette

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Two very lovely ladies indulging in polite conversation and........lunch. Simplicity itself.

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The Sweet Emilia's

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Our very first Siamese sisters.

Meet the Emilia's. It may surprise you to hear that they are our most gifted of all performers, especially on the trapeze (The Art and Ghosts trapeze being renowned for its 'mysterious' ropes, which are reputedly suspended from thin air. Many have tried to debunk this 'myth', but to no avail, it is yet to be proved that anything is holding the ropes up at all...excepting the sheer mind power of the performers, but nobody likes to think about that one for too long).

The Emilia's are both Aries, born at the full moon... on a Tuesday i think it was. They have a great fondness for Regency furniture, fancy ribbons, papery ephemera and costume jewellery, all of which adorn the entire interior of their rather spacious, seven-cornered caravan. This particular caravan suffers from a somewhat poorly documented malady referred to (in magical circles only) as the occasional dubious enchantment - put simply, it was presented to the Emilia's as a gift from their maternal grandfather, The Weird Whistling Warlock.

A snippet of circus history:

This particular warlock was one of the greatest, most expensive circus performers of the last century. His speciality act involved separating the butter from freshly toasted crumpets with mind power alone. In private, The Whistling Warlock was a lovelorn, rather miserable old man, whose preferred mode of relaxation involved hexing the caravans of his fellow circus performers...... particularly those who possessed a beautiful wife and several healthy children. The Whistling Warlock's first and only wife had mysteriously disappeared in 1931. That very same year, a rather handsome young man known as The Flying Fox had caused a sensation all through the West Country with his daring renditions of the Dorset Jig (The dorset Jig is quite unlike the Irish Jig. It is also known to be hazardous to the ankles). The Whistling Warlock's first and only wife was last seen stumbling through a moonlit wood at half past two in the morning, laughing out loud at something just a few feet ahead of her that nobody else could see. (Although further reports suggested that whatever the nature of the invisible entity that had accompanied the Whistling Warlock's first and only wife through the moonlit wood, it had a curious habit of falling into the shrubbery at intervals like a man who had partaken of a few too many ales. Either that, or it was suffering from the preliminary stages of the Dorset Jig Ankle)

The mystery remains unsolved, but the Emilia's inherited their elaborately embellished home-from-home with this one and only drawback; said caravan still wears the evidence of a hex-gone-wrong, namely, a backfired spell. The Whistling Warlock was a genius with crumpets, but somewhat shoddy with the execution of practical magic. Nowadays, the sisters are quite used to the curious, changeable behaviour of their inheritance, but the seven-cornered caravan has a disconcerting habit of turning into a seven-and-a-half-cornered caravan whenever there is a sudden drop in temperature. Love or loathe the winter months, the Emilia's do find it all quite tiresome if truth be told.

( I really ought to get off that one now....)

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And finally..........a scattering of images that defy explanation :

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Milou

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How could i resist?

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Carousels

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Little Red Riding Hood

Tangle Tangle

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Enjoy your weekend!

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Oh, and i absolutely love Dorset. 

I want to go and live there, but i shan't;)

Get acquainted with all manner of English and Cornish (West Country) folklore....here.

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