Inspiration

People often ask me "Where do you find your inspiration?". Well believe me when I tell you, I don't go looking for it, more often than not, inspiration finds me.

I began drawing at an early age and eventually earned my living as a commercial artist. I realised if I wanted to do well, I had to become fully aware of my surroundings and learn to recognise the beauty in daily life. Over the years, I have found I do this instinctively and when I least expect it, inspiration comes along and taps me on the shoulder.

Quite some time ago, when I used to make teddy bears, I was reading about the English artist, Gainsborough and was inspired by this painting of "The Blue Boy" . . .

. . . to design and make this little soul who is now living with a Swansea family, in the U.K.

Gainsborough also painted the lesser known, Pink Boy which now hangs in Waddesdon Manor, just near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. You can find the painting here. This is my interpretation of this lovely painting . . .

. . . I named him "The Pink Cavalier" and he is now living a lovely life in Scotia, New York, USA.

Where do you find your inspiration?

Fairies from the Dark Side

While I'm in this frame of mind, I thought it might be interesting to show some male fairy artists. The first is Richard-Dadd, (his painting left) and if you click on the link you will perhaps understand why my title is Fairies from the Dark Side.

The second is another long time favourite, Arthur Rackham. I have spoken about him before, along with a post on Beatrix Potter (probably on a previous blog, as I can't seem find it here). Once again, the link gives you his background and readers of my vintage will probably recognise his work (shown below).

Of course no reference to dark fairies would be complete without including one very special illustrator, so recent, that even the youngest of my readers should be familiar with him ~ Brian Froud. (You can thank Alasse for reminding me about him.)

And simply because I love to share, here is another more recent artist, this time from the land of BIG ~ Texas! Let me introduce you to a whole gallery of lovely fairy art by Howard David Johnson.

Now a little fairy of my own ~ she's a work in progress. I used a pre-loved PF body with the recently acquired PF Soso Event face plate and wings from Bambicrony. I'm not sure what she is going to have on her head, it's a toss up between some sort of cap or a wig. I think I will make her a petal dress, but that could change if it doesn't work out the way I want.

Daydreams

Rene Cloke

Rene Cloke (1905-1995) was an author and illustrator of stories for very young children. She also illustrated several books for Enid Blyton, which included the Three Golliwogs, Brer Rabbit, Mr. Meddle, Mr. Pink Whistle and the Amelia Jane books. All of which still remain upon my library shelves.

However, she was possibly best known as a painter of fairy subjects, which were reproduced by a number of publishers, including Medici (greeting cards) and Valentine (postcards).

I have long been an admirer of her fairy paintings along with those of Margaret Tarrant (1888-1959), Hilda T. Miller (1876-1939), Ida Rentoul Outhwaite (1888-1960), Cicely Mary Barker (1895-1973) as well as other illustrators of their time with similar styles and interests.


Margaret Tarrant

Strangely, these women were all British apart from Ida, who was Australian. Ida was born in Carlton, Victoria, the youngest child of four and second daughter of the Rev. Dr. John Laurence Rentoul, an Irish-born Presbyterian minister and his wife Annie Isobel, née Rattray.

Ida's first illustration was published by New Idea magazine in 1904 when she was just 15 years of age, accompanied with a story written by her older sister, Anne Rattray Rentoul. In the years that followed, the sisters collaborated on a number of stories and after her marriage to Grenbry Outhwaite in 1909, she also collaborated with him on The Enchanted Forest (1921), The Little Fairy Sister (1923) and Fairyland (1926).


Ida Rentoul Outhwaite

I grew up reading hand me down books like The Water-Babies by Charles Kingsley, Dulcibella & The Fairies by Alice Raiker and borrowed Cicely Mary Barker picture books, so I guess it's little wonder I became such a dreamer at school.

Still, I'm sure it was those very same books, which helped develop my very vivid imagination, without which, I would never have enjoyed such a successful and varied career.

This fondness I have of fairies, elves and other fictional creatures, is perhaps also the reason for my loving my tiny Fairyland dolls so dearly. In my opinion, my precious Puki Fees along with the newly introduced Real Fees truly capture the qualities of the fairy and elf beautifully.

Cicely Mary Barker

Hilda T. Miller

Tales of fairies, pixies and other creatures of the forest bewitched me as a child and I'm afraid, even after all these years, the realm of fantasy still has a strong hold on my daydreams and my heart. It's the happy part of my life which holds no sorrow, nor regret.

Happy daydreams to you all!
X

There are elves at the bottom of my garden!