I know some of you have been wondering if another entry in the Otherwurlde Collection would appear. Believe me, you weren’t the only ones asking…
This summer has been full: we’ve been growing and sharing The Wylde Ones — our new wildlife collection — while also keeping up our regular Corn Hall weekends and running the Open Studio programme. Perhaps a little too much all at once!
Something had to pause, and it turned out to be the completion and photography of this painting. But now that it’s here, I think you’ll agree the wait has been worthwhile, because we return with something truly special.
Do you remember what I promised when we launched The Wylde Ones? That it would be the “battery” keeping the Otherwurlde torch burning bright? Having lived with this work for the past month, I can honestly say that torch has never burned brighter.
We’re delighted to finally share it with you.
With our warmest wishes,
Gary & Ann
For those who’ve been following from the start, welcome back. And if this is your first glimpse into The Otherwurlde, we’ll soon have you up to speed.
As ever, each piece in this series has been hand-painted by Ann, with an underlying story from myself. So what makes the Otherwurlde so special?
This is an other world—and a state of mind—where familiar animals move with purpose through ritual and tradition. The mood is hopeful; the station of each character is dignified and positive. It’s both familiar and yet… not.
Their armour isn’t for fighting each other. It’s a gentle ward against us—the ever-encroaching human realm. Weathering, patina, and verdigris are the marks of survival, not aggression.
Every painting is a self-contained myth: a story with a philosophical point, anchored in beauty. Objects—gems, balloons, lanterns, sigils—are clues, not props; invitations to read more deeply.
These works aren’t riddles to solve but visual tone-poems. As Ravensong suggests: the bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer—it sings because it has a song. Bring your own meaning; the picture meets you halfway.
Now you know what’s going on, let’s see what this stunning new work has to offer…
Let’s begin at the beginning, shall we?
Long-term subscribers will undoubtedly recognise this…
‘Pearls of Wisdom’ has done well for us over the few years it’s been in the collection and is the direct inspiration for the new work ‘Ravensong…’
In an earlier painting, Pearls of Wisdom, we followed an Eagle Owl as it helped lost travellers by sending out fragile, floating “pearls of wisdom.” Each bubble carried an engraved message, drifting down on the breeze until it reached hesitant ears. And when it finally burst — pop! — the wisdom was released, entering the mind of the wanderer and renewing their sense of direction.
It is this same enchanted act that connects us now to Ravensong, where the raven itself takes up the role of engraver…
So it occurred to us — what, or perhaps who, is engraving the messages on those pearls in the first place?
The more we thought about it, the more it felt like a task for a Raven.
Here in Ramsbury, our garden is always alive with birds coming and going. Jackdaws, Crows, and Magpies squabble for scraps, while the Red Kites circle overhead, ever-watchful. Over the years we’ve seen all sorts — Jays, Woodpeckers, even a fleeting Goldfinch once or twice.
But one bird we never see? Ravens.
They must be out there, tucked away in the wooded estates that surround the valley, though they’ve never shown themselves to us here in the village. Perhaps that rarity is part of their mystery, and why they seemed the perfect choice for this unseen work.
Once we’d settled on the idea of the Raven as engraver, other threads began to spin. One was the decision to set this painting indoors. That marked a real step forward for the Collection. With one notable exception (Any ideas before you click?), every Otherwurlde piece until now has been set outdoors, where Ann could weave in ethereal horizons and dreamlike landscapes. Bringing a subject inside was a new challenge altogether.
I hope the detail above shows the care with which Ann has handled this Raven. From the start, it was no easy task to balance those blacks and inky blues — but I think she found the perfect harmony. And that eye… such intelligence captured there.
There are other details to savour too: the delicate embroidery of the cap, the pendant chains and their jewels, each link painted with precision. And then the beak — which we imagined needed an ornate ‘cover,’ tipped with a hardened scribing chisel. After all, engraving wisdom onto pearls isn’t a job you’d want to wear your beak out on!
This is a good view of the raven’s back plumage, showing how it lays & ‘ruffles’ over the ceremonial chains of office. Such detail. Also, you get a marvellous view of the shaft of light flooding through a distant skylight and the magical orbs floating about the raven. No wonder we see a balloon later on..!
Another close-up, showing the additional pendants hanging from the bird’s gorget. Oh, and the little golden bells at the edge of the cape’s tassels.
The dark, inky blues of the piece are working well here, as we come down the bird. Lots of reflected light & shadows for Ann to think about..!
Let’s now turn our attention to the reason why the raven’s here in the first place: engraving the pearls!
Don’t be fooled into thinking you’re looking at a crown or similar: Oh, no!
For this is actually a ‘pedestal’ of sorts, in which the blank, unmarked ‘pearls’ are held as the, err, ‘crafty’ raven sets to work… When he needs to move the pearl, he simply rotates it with his foot, until he gets it into just the right place!
If you’re wondering just what this one says..? I’ll let you into the secret here, as usually you have to buy a print to get the story-card..! It’s simple: ‘Change is Constant.’ Ooh… Now I wonder who might be needing to hear THIS reminder..?
Can I just mention the raven’s foot? Ann was debating for a spell about whether to add extra bejewelled rings to its talons, but then we realised that these might scratch the pearls, so thought better of it: such is the level of detail we’re thinking about in these pieces…
In the dark & dingy corner of the workshop, just below the mouse-scribe, sit a pair of freshly-worked pearls, ready for dispatch! We have two messages here and a challenge for those subscribers who we know can read runes: Can YOU tell us what both of these are? There ‘might’ be a little prize for the first one to give us both!
Aah… You SEE? That degree in Medieval Studies might pay-off in the end…
Obviously such a gifted corvid as our raven can’t be expected to work in the gloom of this dusty chamber, so we’ve given him a handy candle… Looking at it, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s been burning the midnight candle at both ends…
Tucked away on one side of the painting is a curious little fellow you might easily miss at first glance. Look closer and you’ll see the title of his book: The Scribe’s Rule Book. That tells us he’s no ordinary mouse. In fact, in Otherwurlde, every true “VIP” wears a red Fez — so he must be something of a big cheese indeed.
Behind him, a small guild shield hangs from the shelf, marking him as fully qualified to give the best answers. Nearby sits a stock of unused pearls, waiting to be engraved — different sizes, depending on the courier’s strength and on the length of the wisdom to be carried.
It seems clear this little mouse is the Raven’s scribe, his indispensable partner in the enterprise. Just as in our world, when a creature of the Otherwurlde seeks guidance — whether lost in strange lands or wrestling with an impossible problem — they put out a call for help, for inspiration.
Our heroes respond. The mouse, consulting his Rule Book, composes the most fitting reply from the runes at hand. It wouldn’t do to send the wrong answer, after all. Once chosen, the words are inscribed upon a pearl, and the wisdom begins its journey.
Simple — but vital.!
So what else is there to see? Up at the top right corner, we see a few of the coloured glass pendant lamps hanging from the rafters; Ann took great delight in perfecting their designs & chains!
And, of course, there’s a balloon… Long-term collectors will know by now, that we don’t put these into every painting, but when we do, it always means that something special is happening. The universe is ‘turning a key and making magic happen’ and it certainly is here, in this magical hall, wouldn’t you agree?
Coming down a bit, we see the source of the wisps of smoke that are drifting up into the roof (and helping keep the balloon aloft!). We always light incense sticks in the kitchen after we’ve made a curry (Rogan Josh if you’re wondering!), and the heady airs that follow I think reminded Ann to have a go at this censor (is that what it’s called?).
Then again, maybe the raven has a tickle in his throat and needed a humidifier!
Time is money! Well, not in the Otherwurlde, but it helps to know ‘you’re on the clock’…! Otherwise, like Ann & me, you’re lost in the world we’ve made and wondering where the hours have gone!!
The hourglass also serves to remind us that time is finite. Nothing lasts forever – a theme we’re touching on in the next painting…
This gives you a good view of all the knick-knacks onboard the shelves above the mouse! So much to see in here: A wooden horse’s head that might be a chess piece (you decide!). Oh, and a little wooden hare and mouse, too! Some lovely glass bottles that look like they’ve come from an apothecary and some intriguing old books!
Although the Original Artwork of ‘Ravensong…’ is currently Un-Framed, I thought you might like to see what I think is the best solution when the time comes to get it done?
I’ve looked at all combinations of antique’d gold & silver, but they’re all too ‘busy’ for a darker-toned work such as this. Instead, I’ve gone back to the matte black & pewter 2-tone moulding we’ve used so often in the past and I think it looks great: What do YOU think?
I say this every 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…
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!
Thank you for staying to the end of this Newsletter…
We know that this one has been a long time coming – perhaps too long! – but we hope you’ll agree that it’s been worth the wait… It’s hard juggling everything at-once in this little business of ours, so we appreciate your patience when things slow down!
Above all, we want to thank you — for your support, your encouragement, and your trust in what we do. It means the world to us, and we couldn’t continue without it. Here’s to keeping the Otherwurlde light burning, together.
