Portraits

I'm blogging a couple of portraits that I did some time ago because I have just unearthed them from my mother's loft and they are about to wing their way to the sitters. (Better late than never!)

Peter has just moved into a new home and has donated the artwork from his previous home to his ex so it seems good timing.

Peter Lindsey Jones 16" x 20 " oil on board 1981

This painting of Kate was inscribed (in indelible pen) by my daughter whose Graduation we are attending next Tuesday! The daughter has got herself a very creditable First in Art, Event, Performance and was only two at the time of the inscription!  I'm just about to touch it out this evening, so this is the last look at it for posterity! It's quite handy since F has been at uni in Leeds and Kate who is Francesca's godmother lives and works in Yorkshire, so we are combining the outing.

Kate Wright ( neé Standen) 30" x 20" oil on canvas 1991

I need to unearth another one from 2001 to show some continuity in this set but nothing has immediately presented itself so I'll finish by  posting this one of Sherri because I really must get on with it! It doesn't look it but this one is four feet tall.

Sherriann Stephenson  48" x 40" oil on canvas
(Started 2011 WIP)

Triple Hares Painting Auction Closing Soon #Magick4Terri

The Charity Fundraiser for Terri Windling finishes today. Well actually the auction closes at 5pm PST, which by my reckoning is 1 o'clock tomorrow morning here in good old Blighty.

Bidding is up to $220, at the moment it appears to be going to someone in New Zealand, doesn't anyone in Britain want it?

EDIT: Now gone up to $250

http://magick4terri.livejournal.com/85393.html

EDIT: Terri says

"Charlie, your work is absolutely beautiful. I'm honored by this lovely painting...and whoever buys it will surely be blessed. It's *gorgeous*."

EDIT: Painting sold for $300.

Magick4Terri

Magick 4 Terri is a heart warming and magical fundraising initiative organised by the friends and colleagues of editor, artist, and writer Terri Windling in her time of need. Her Journal of the Mythic Arts is the best reference on the net for all things mythical. She is recognised by many as the faery godmother of fantasy literature and mythic arts, and as such many amazing people in the field have donated work that can be bid for. There is signed artwork, signed books and all sorts of other things by people like Brian and Wendy Froud, Neil Gaiman, Alan Lee and err ... me.

I adore Terri's work and when I heard about this appeal I wanted to do something unique for her, that captured her spirit.

Terri wrote a fantastic article on the Symbolism of Rabbits and Hares and in her honour I have created this piece especially for this auction. It is an original painting 360mm x 365mm in gouache on Ingres paper.

The Triple Hares (sometimes called Tinner's Hares) is an ancient symbol of three hares or rabbits running in a circle and joined by their ears which form a triangle at the centre of the design. The symbol is a puzzle for each creature appears to have two ears yet, between them, they share only three ears.

The motif is an extraordinary and ancient archetype, stretching across diverse religions and cultures, many centuries and many thousands of miles. It is part of the shared medieval heritage of Europe and Asia (Buddhism, Islam, Christianity and Judaism) yet still inspires creative work among contemporary artists.

Like the Green Man it appears often on medieval church bosses and that kind of thing. But no-one knows quite what it means...

You can bid for my red, white and 'blue' hares here until 15th December, but if you're not in the market to buy, I'd be grateful for any re-tweets and re-bloggings of this post.

The campaign can be followed on Twitter and Facebook. I'm to be found @charliefarrow1 on Twitter please do add me.

Triple Hares Symbol

I've embarked on a painting of the Triple Hares - well it will be a painting - it's obviously a sketch at the moment. I'll explain what the painting is for when I've finished it.

The Triple Hares (sometimes called Tinner's Hares) is an ancient symbol of three hares or rabbits running in a circle and joined by their ears which form a triangle at the centre of the design. The symbol is a puzzle for each creature appears to have two ears yet, between them, they share only three ears.

The motif is an extraordinary and ancient archetype, stretching across diverse religions and cultures, many centuries and many thousands of miles. It is part of the shared medieval heritage of Europe and Asia (Buddhism, Islam, Christianity and Judaism) yet still inspires creative work among contemporary artists.
Like the Green Man appers often on medieval church bosses and the that kind of thing. But no-one knows quite what it means...

There's a fantastic article about the subject covering the symbolism of rabbits and hares by Terri Windling at Endicott Studio.

OCTAVE

I'm not sure that I added this sketch when I posted the ones of the developmental sketches of the magician, Plaucus, that I put up back in the summer. The illustrations are for 'Octave Finds a Voice' by Walter Harris.

Oh! Probably ought to say, I did the pictures.

Walter Harris

I've had a business meeting today with cult author and very darling friend, Walter Harris. He's the author of the novelization of the Creature from the Black Lagoon, as well as a whole raft of other works.

I have had the privilege today to draw his likeness... across a shared charcuterie platter and a very nice temperanillo... (thank you very much)... with a good seasoning of a lot of laughter.

We are relaunching Walter's books in the New Year on his website, but I couldn't resist showing you his portrait now.

He's recently turned 86 and jolly handsome he is too!

Plaucus

This is Plaucus, the Magician.

I've been working on developing characters for Walter Harris's 'Octave finds a voice'. Strange to be drawing again, but really nice.

We find him:

"....standing on one leg in a clearing, scratching himself, tall and thin as a moonbeam, and wearing a long blue and silver cloak, yellow pointed shoes and a tall silver blue hat with a dark blue feather at its tip. He has a long silver beard with a blue point, and a silver wand in his hand.

Plaucus hops and down as though he were a bird himself. The feather in his hat and his beard seem to nod at each other, as if they were both parts of him"

"Plaucus stood on tiptoe and bellowed the last word, his beard sticking out parallel to the ground. “There, what did you think of that? That was a tenor sort of voice. " "