WALKING WIDDERSHINS (counter-clockwise) was, in days of yore, a well known way to enter the realm of myth and enchantment, the Land Under The Hill, the otherworld of faery...
On Summer Solstice Friday, an in-between sort of evening,
Green Hill Arts Gallery in Moretonhampstead, Devon opened its doors to the good folk of these hills and beyond for
Widdershins - an exhibition of Moorland Mythic Art; and inside, those folk found the walls were hung with green tendrils of magic which reached out from the frames, snaked into people's eyes and took root in their souls.
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| detail of work by Alan Lee |
I have been ensconced for weeks in preparations for this exhibition, creating new work, framing and counting and planning, and so have many of the other artists involved in this wonderful show, not to mention the amazing curator - Carol Harvey - and the other gallery staff and volunteers who have put together a really stunning array of otherworldly fairytale art of high renown, in this lovely little community-run arts centre in Moretonhampstead's old school building.
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| detail of work by Alan Lee |
The ten artists taking part all make work that takes the participant across that gossamer-thin boundary between the worlds, shimmering at the corner of your eye, though our styles are all very different. The thoughtful arrangement of painting and sculpture, large and small, bright and muted, really held a beautiful balance, and the opening night was a great success.
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| detail of work by Alan Lee |
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| detail of work by Alan Lee |
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| detail of work by Paul Kidby |
The gallery was packed with enchanted people, and I escaped the overwhelm by playing music outside with my band
Krasa next to the drinks tent, where crowds spilled when the gallery got too hot!
Brian Froud said a few words about how as artists of the faery realm we were making manifest the spirit of this land we love so.
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| work by Rima Staines |
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| detail of work by Rima Staines |
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| detail of work by Virginia Lee |
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| detail of work by David Wyatt |
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| detail of work by Wendy Froud |
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| detail of work by Hazel Brown |
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| detail of work by Alan Lee |
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| detail of work by David Wyatt |
I succeeded in taking absolutely no photographs on the evening, so those of the private view shown here are by Catherine Back who was kind enough to let me use them. You can see more of her photographs of the evening
here. Such was my wide-eyed tiredness on the opening evening, having just finished a very detailed painting by the very last minute (it was still wet when delivered, in time-honoured Rima-fashion!), not to mention elation at sharing gallery space with such amazing artists, I had to sneak back on a quieter day to take some photos of the actual artwork on the walls, which I show here for those too far away to visit. If there's any way you can make it down to Devon over the summer, I recommend this exhibition highly - there's some exquisite original works by Brian Froud and Alan Lee amongst the many many other delights.
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| detail of work by Virginia Lee |
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| detail of work by Rima Staines |
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| detail of work by Wendy Froud |
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| detail of work by Terri Windling |
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| detail of work by Virgina Lee - photo by © Catherine Back,used with kind permission |
On the walls were quotes written in
Terri Windling's lovely hand, which conjured stories and reminded us of why we need them so. It completed the exhibition for me, as these works all call out for words to accompany them.
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| detail of work by Rima Staines |
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| detail of work by Wendy Froud |
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| detail of work by Rima Staines |
My newest work, which is painted on a piece of burr oak, is called Weed Wife. I'll tell more of its creation and magic soon, but for now I'll show you a picture. I was moved and delighted to hear that it caused a good few people to shed tears, though it is hard for me to know why...
I also finally got a beautiful frame made for
The Alchemist. Instead of cursing the busy days and the time passing without my having made the frame for it that I intended, I realised that I could send my design to my
wonderful framer, David Winter! And returned to me in the post was a
true work of art - a rustic icon-container with doors - that sets the work off like never before. Thank you, Dave!
Of all my Widdershins compadres' work, I was most wowed by a new painting of
Virgina Lee's -
In the Heart the Woodland Wakes:
An incredibly, bafflingly detailed and beautiful work in water-based oils and scratching; a forest alive! What talented neighbours I have!
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| detail of work by Virginia Lee |
Truly this is the most exciting and wonder-filled exhibition I have ever taken part in, and it just amazes me that almost all of us live within a few leagues of each other amid these mossy moorland oaks and granite tors. There is a plethora of interesting and magical events that Green Hill Arts are putting on in conjunction with this exhibition, including
Tom and I telling the Lithuanian folk tale -
The Sun Princess and the Fortieth Door on August the 3rd around a fire under the stars if weather permits. Do come and
join us in dancing
widdershins for a while for any or all of these conjurings: who knows where you might find (or lose) yourself...
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| detail of work by Alan Lee |
