Hello..!
We’re so thrilled to finally share ‘The Healer’s Gift…’ with you today!
This one’s been a long time coming (aren’t they all, these days?), but we couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out… If anything, it just proves that there really ARE some things worth waiting for!
As with every new artwork in ‘The Carnival of Wonders’, there’s a LOT to discover, so in this Newsletter, I’ll take you step-by-step through all its secrets.
All being well, this will reach you for the first time, on July 6th: the very day that our annual Open Studios begin; hopefully you’ll have seen a note about that, just a few days ago?
In case you haven’t, I’ll just take a moment to remind you that our home studio, here in this little corner of rural Wiltshire, is open EVERY weekend in July… So, if you’re intrigued by this new painting, as much as all the other amazing work we do here, you’d be more than welcome to come & browse, ask questions and just lose yourself in the work.
A selection of Original Artworks and a full-range of Fine-Art Prints will be available should you be tempted. I’ve also got a number of frames in-stock, should you need them!
Please check your email inbox / junk folder for that email, or follow the link here for more details, directions, etc: >>LINK<<
From the bottom of our hearts, Thank You for being a vital part of our story. Your ongoing encouragement and passion for our work fuels our creativity in-turn. It drives us to capture a little of the beauty & mystery that surrounds us. Long may it continue…
Our Best Wishes to you,
Gary & Ann
On a particularly beautiful moonlit evening, the White Stag and his Shaman approach the edge of the wood; their arrival celebrated by the creatures of the forest…
I remember this sketch very well: another quiet day at The Corn Hall, over in Cirencester. Both of us bored, as usual. Ann reaches over for the sketchbook and begins a doodle…
At the time, we were preparing ‘The Promise of Spring’ for release and were still thinking about mysterious forests; once an idea gets into you, it often rattles around for a little longer than just a single picture. In that earlier work, Winter is giving way to Spring, as ushered-in by a magical Dryad.
But it left us with a question: “If we were to do something else, in a woodland setting, what might that be?”
The answer lay in this sketch.
As usual, the finished work went through a few changes, but we’ve ended-up with a painting that brings a sense of hope to the viewer. A feeling that someone’s got our back, even in the darkest times. Someone to listen to our troubles. Calm our fears and soothe our anxiety.
That’s the timeless message carried by The Healer’s Gift…
The white deer stag holds a distinguished place in the mythologies of many cultures, symbolising purity, transformation, and the supernatural. Much like the Unicorn, its rare white coat can signify innocence and an otherworldly essence. In Celtic mythology, the white stag is a mystical creature of the faerie realm, guiding souls and heralding profound changes or messages from the spiritual world. Similarly, in Hungarian folklore for example, it is a revered animal associated with divine messages and quests for wisdom.
In Ann’s beautiful painting, the stag is transformed into the archetype of a spiritual healer; the Squirrel becomes his ‘Shaman’: the channel through which the magic flows. Working together, they heal the sick, restore vitality to the woodlands and bring peace to the lands beyond.
When considered in those terms, this work can also be seen as a beautiful companion piece to ‘The Promise of Spring’…
Hopefully, this close-up gives you a sense of the painstaking brushstrokes that have gone into the Stag’s face! I think the emerald head-piece to be a perfect finishing touch. Ann was also very pleased with the depth of shading in his eyes… I might’ve mentioned at some point in the past, that she tends to start with the eyes; getting them ‘right’ gives her confidence that the rest of the work will go well…
A long time ago, in a picture entitled ‘Playing With the Elements’, Ann painted a black rabbit wearing a ‘gorget’; a stylised metal ‘pendant’.
We decided to bring that idea back for this one, as we felt the white expanse of the Stag’s neck needed breaking-up. In the end, we went with a solid-gold look, embedded with polished moonstones. The gorget’s chunky gold chain nestles into the Stag’s shaggy hide to good effect here. It also enabled the addition of a string of little painted bells strung across from the gorget’s chains: how else do our heroes announce their arrival?
This view also shows some of the gloriously purple hollyhocks, that sit in the bottom corner. Blackberries, too!
A better view of those bells… It’s hard to convey here, but on the original work, the depth of paint and the contrast with the white strokes behind, give them an almost 3D feel…
Look closer and you’ll spot any number of creatures carved into the Stag’s antlers: many of these have featured in previous artworks from the ‘Carnival of Wonders’ and we challenge you to find as many as you can!
Why are they here? Much like the Walrus found in ‘The Old Man of the Sea’, The Healer keeps a record of all the animals he’s helped along his journey through life…
The Shaman engraves their images in-turn, as a constant reminder, both of their good deeds, as much as their true purpose: to help others and live selflessly. Can you spot any here? I can see the Tiger, from ‘A Great Leap Forward’…
So why are parts of some antlers ’empty’? Ah, but there’s still more yet to be healed!
Just to tease you all, I thought I’d include another view of some more of the antlers: can you spot the Flamingo from ‘Strangers in a Strange Land’? and the Zebra, from ‘Leap of Faith’, to name but two?
And here’s our Shaman…
If you go back to Ann’s original sketch, he’s not there! Instead, as tends to happen, the story found its own – unique – path. When we followed this far enough, we soon realised that a Shamanic figure of some kind was required! Why a Red Squirrel? Well, put it like this: who else could do such an amazing, yet sensitive job?
Exactly.
Doesn’t he look splendid, in his green cloak & red Fez? Long-term collectors will know that seeing a Fez on a character, marks them out as having some importance. He’s also got a lovely bejewelled & armoured breastplate, from which hangs another little bell, should those around the Stag’s neck not be heard!
Of course, I should also mention the staff, that’s topped with a glowing orb: a larger version of this potent talisman last appeared in ‘The Promise of Spring’. Here, the Shaman uses it to channel the ‘Healer’s Gift’, when treating individual animals. Think of it as his ‘magic wand’…
While the stag is content to just curl-up on the forest floor of an evening, our Shaman needs a few more creature comforts! So, we decided he needed a little hut of his own, in which he can meditate and keep warm…
Note how its platform sits on the Stag’s saddle, with its supports interwoven with vines? The little railing around the base? The hint of a glowing fire within, with embers drifting lazily through the opening in the roof?
You’ll also have spotted the bubbles, I’m sure: as with the balloons seen in many of these paintings, they represent ‘pure magic’. Look around you: it’s happening all the time…
This adorable Fox couple are first to welcome the Healer. Although only part-visible, their armour hints at bejewelled adornment and polished metals.
Ann was also able to create differences between both the male & female profiles, with the female Vixen having a shorter snout and smaller ears.
As I write this, I’m wondering what they might need from the Healer… Or whether they need anything at all? After all, there’s a placid look about them; a sense of completion and contentment… So perhaps they’re here just to give thanks for a previous outcome?
What do you think?
Tucked into the foxglove at the bottom corner of the painting (and unseen by the Foxes), is this little Fieldmouse…
Watching over the scene, is an Owl…
It might even be the same Eagle Owl from ‘Pearls of Wisdom’… They appear to be wearing the same armour, so if it isn’t, then perhaps they belong to the same ‘Company of Sentinels’.
For in our world – this ‘Otherwurlde’ – whenever you see an Owl, of any species, they’re always the guardians of that particular territory. Watching-out for lost travellers, mysterious happenings or, as here, welcome arrivals.
Then again, there are always some characters who are too shy to come out and say ‘hello’ straight away…
And, yes, we have a balloon.
Not every painting has one, but when you see a balloon we want you to think hard about why it’s there and what it represents… For balloons are magic. Pure magic, happening in the world.
Happening right before your eyes…
Painted on a 510mm x 605mm saddled panel, we’ve had this beautiful artwork framed… We went with a deep-sided design, with a top-surface that angles down towards the panel. For a finishing touch, this elegantly simple frame has an antique’d-gold finish, which complements the tones in the work wonderfully.
Incidentally, quite a number of Ann’s paintings have already been framed… As a result, it seems sensible to offer these original artworks as they are NOW and not suggest alternative frames as an option (given how securely some of the paintings are framed, this is an increasingly impractical option anyway).
If you’re considering a large print, the painting’s cool tones, with warm purple highlights work best on sympathetic walls…
We’ll return to the Corn Hall, Cirencester EVERY weekend (Saturdays and Sundays) from the beginning of August, 2024 (after Open Studios)… Despite our best efforts, we haven’t quite managed how to be in two places at the same time…
Our stand at the Corn Hall might look impressive these days, but we still struggle for storage. That means we can’t bring everything you might want to see, to every show…
Neither Ann nor myself want to disappoint you, so if there’s anything you’d particularly like to see in-person, PLEASE get in-touch ahead of time and we’ll ensure it’s there!
Follow the Leader?
Thanks for sticking this Newsletter out to the end; we hope that you’re delighted by this one as much as we are!
What’s next? As I write this, Ann’s making steady progress with ‘Follow the Leader?’ It’s a fairly large painting, so my guess is that it’ll be on the easel for a few weeks yet! In other words, for those of you planning to visit us during Open Studios, don’t panic! Something tells me it’ll still be here…
I can’t close without offering our thanks to you all. Your support (and patience) has been immense over the few years we’ve been on this ride together; we couldn’t do this without you…
