Shadow Play

Last autumn I created a group of shadow puppets for the telling of a contemporary fairytale and finally, in May, was able to see the end result performance at a theatre near my home in Nantes. The shadow show is part of a larger work entitled "Les Fabuleuses Histoires du Fabularium", a charming piece full of humour and accordion music performed by Les Aretes du Biftek troupe:
http://lesaretesdubiftek.wix.com/lesaretesdubiftek

Below is the princess character minus her control rods...

She is beloved of the wolf, a dandified fellow who in some ways might not be all bad, although still obsessed with harassing pigs...

Here they are in performance...

And we all hope they lived happily ever after...

Or in the meanwhile at least had a very good time...

A Fractured Fairy Tale

Once upon a time in a kingdom by the sea a trio of weary travellers stumbled upon a modest castle. It was neither too small nor too large, but just right... for a brief sojourn out of the intense Mediterranean sun...

 

The trio were received warmly by the inhabitants who mentioned there had been only too few travellers of late.

Despite the hospitable welcome, our travelling trio began from the first to sense something amiss... Yet they were hesitant to insult their hosts and decided amongst themselves that they probably just had a bad case of post road jitters---with all the ogres, wolves and giants afoot, life could easily become overwhelmingly stressful---always watching one's back whilst fumbling among a weighty baggage for magic beans, talking dolls or golden egg laying poultry. Travel was without a doubt a tiring and dangerous prospect and it was good to relax for a bit...
Their hosts smilingly proposed a tour of the castle with an introduction to all its inhabitants. To commence, the travellers were treated to views of the latest in court fashion, worn by what must surely have been some of the leading innovators of the day....

And after, a dazzling show of courtly comedy...

Followed by an introduction to local practices of vino culture...

And a view of the amazingly lifelike displays in this groundbreaking cabinet of natural curiosities...

They were made privy to a thrilling glimpse of gold being coaxed from lead in the castle alchemist's subterranean chamber (although the trio wisely decided against mentioning the simpler process with their own golden egg laying hen...or was it a goose?)

Suddenly a sinister figure emerged from the shadows and the travellers felt strong hands placed roughly on their shoulders. Their hosts froze and began to back away slowly...

They were led through dim corridors hung with weapons...

Past increasingly more sinister sights...

until they found themselves in a dark place where they feared their wandering lives would end...

Suddenly there was a loud whisper from behind a curtain at stage left..."PSSST...I can get you out of here...but it's gonna' cost you..."

PHHEEWW...That was close!!!

Fae Underground

To illustrate that the fae of many eras have sought subterranean shelter, I submit the following for your perusal--- the extraordinary, crystal illuminated laboratory of an ancient alchemist gnome, complete with minute alembics and the ubiquitous furnace in miniature...

 And a fae bedchamber of more recent date, illuminated by the rays of many wasp paper lamps...or in the more mundane light of day...

Sketch Book Pages

It was a very Old Thing and it had been sitting for it didn’t know how long beside a muddy brook in the rain. It might have been there for years or days or hours, it couldn’t say. Then it heard the creak of hinges and an odd gruff voice with a creak of its own calling. The Old Thing made a harrumphing sound and raised itself up, heading for the small oval portal in the earthen bank.

Inside it was dry and toasty warm and the Old Thing couldn’t imagine why it had been sitting alone in the rain and mud for such a time. Just then the kitchen door swung open and there were toast and tea and blackberry marmalade on a pewter tray in the midst of an ancient oak table. Encircling the table a carved bas relief seemed to twist and dance in the fire light, unfolding a tale that changed from beginning to end even as it was told. For a moment Old Thing was lost in the telling, "Come Old Thing!" the voice said "Sit here by the fire!" For once Old Thing did as it was told, ambling along in a toadish fashion that would have left wet foot marks if Old Thing could find any feet. It had a wide lipless mouth and mottled grey-green skin much like a toad ---but who or what it was, really, the Old Thing couldn’t say.

Nor can I.

Urban Fae

I have begun to make a new series of miniature faery furniture for my Etsy shop, Pandora Jane. These pieces are part of the "Urban Fae" series and they combine my love of natural materials with the equally fascinating world of the found object (already an important part of my larger scale works).

"Lurking beneath the alley's spindly saplings or along the sidewalk where a dandelion breaks through concrete to mirror the sun, crouched at the edge of a pigeon's nest in the niche of a cathedral arch or among the window boxes on the 5th floor, they are the urban fae, those who have chosen to live in this most human of environments and offer subtle encouragement to the natural world. These fae can be a bit tricksy to deal with, although contrary to much popular belief they are not adversarial to humans. They do have a difficult role to fulfill and at times there have been incidents...
They are experts at blending human cast offs with materials from the urban natural world to create imaginative homes and furnishings. This chair represents a prime example. It combines the remnants of a blue enamel pan, broken crockery bits and a rusted bottle cap with twigs, mica, lichen and a duck feather from the city park. The throne measures 18 centimeters high to the tip of the feather x 5 cm. wide."

And another urban fae piece, a bottle cap, pottery shard and twig chair and tea table.