This is an appropriate time of year to be mentioning this talented artist as many of her pieces are autumn inspired. We first met Dawn M Schiller a few years ago and I was immediately drawn to her astonishing creatures and little folk that she’d sculpted. Dawn’s amazing ability to be able to make something so intricate, and often, in miniature, is wonderful. Her Odd Fae have such a great humour about them, even the grumpiest of chaps are appealing and rather cute (though they wouldn’t thank me for mentioning that!) all tucked up in their pods or shells, their natural settings are perfect with intricate faces so full of expression and every detail carefully hand crafted. Dawn always discovers their names and gives a little history about each one with her own distinct sense of humour… These are, of course, one of a kind pieces and are treasured and collected the world over, whether fantastic Hermits or Seidhs (my favourites) or larger dolls, complete with costumes that Dawn makes and sews herself, each one is a three-dimensional piece of art. It’s a good thing that Dawn often shows the actual scale of her tiniest creations on her web site www.autumnthings.com  or you would find it hard to believe that the human hand could sculpt so small. As is so often when one talks with these artists, you get the feeling that they are compelled to do this art and often have little say in the matter of their creations, but that they just magically happen…
 
The loudest song in our garden comes from one of the smallest birds and is a delight to me every time I hear it. The darling wren with its sticky up tail and little round body, with movements so mouse-like you often have to check twice, has one of the most impressive birdsongs - beautiful high notes, a distinctive trill at the end and of far greater volume than its size would suggest. In character, they are one of the more shy birds, keeping to the depths of the hedgerows or crevices of walls and I’ve heard that they can roost in many numbers to keep warm! One of my happiest discoveries came last year when I caught sight of one wren, busy collecting spider webs to bind its nest material, and on researching this, found them to make nests comfy enough for me to consider moving in...

Magical Blessings, Be

“You can do no great things. Only small things with love.” – Mother Teresa

There is a very special, highly talented gentleman who lives in Spain and paints awesome dragons, just like one seems to know they should be painted! Ciruelo is a charming chap who is loved and deeply revered within the Fantasy community. His work is like a dream come true if your passion is for dragons as he is also an accomplished writer. This wonderful man seems embedded in days of old as he weaves tales, pencil and paintbrush to bring alive what we may remember in our heart… Ciruelo Cabral is highly respected within the science fiction circles too, his amazing illustrations are collected all over the world, his art needing no translation. His books are treasured by many devoted fans, and we’ve been greatly privileged to get to know him and also see his other original, amazing way of producing art – Petropictos. This fascinating art form is honestly elemental, as Ciruelo has perfected the art of painting on stones! These give his painting a fantastic three-dimensional quality and when holding one of these treasures in your hand, you truly cannot make out which is his paintwork and which is just natural contour – they have you transfixed, like your eyes are playing tricks with you – Ciruelo has managed to ‘find’ that figure in there and it looks like he’s actually sculpted it, yet the smooth stone remains the same as it has for thousands of years! This very special man is also a musician and loves designing covers for rock albums  www.dac-editions.com  prepare for a real treat.

Puddles play an important part in our lives! Our children adored jumping in any that they could find when really young, whether or not they were wearing wellies; the swallows use them in the springtime for gathering mud with which to make their special nests; if there’s a drop of oil in one, I love to watch the rainbows swirl (I’m a real rainbow addict), the wildlife quench their thirst from them; birds bathe in them to keep their feathers preened (our geese adored them); frogs and toads even breed in them! I’m sure I’ll think of many more reasons in praise of puddles, so I’ll pause my list there and add to it gradually - but leave you with the best image of all: if you’re lucky enough to have seen Dawn French in her brilliant BBC TV comedy series ‘The Vicar of Dibley’, I'm sure you'll remember that side-splitting moment when she jumps into a puddle to hide, and totally disappears… you have been warned!

Magical Blessings, Be

“Imagination is not a talent of some men but it is the health of every man.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson      

This is art with a more pagan feel and earthy qualities inspired by the elemental world around him. Dear Marc’s gentle spirit comes through his paintings with an understanding and spiritual awareness of one who reveres the folklore and mythology of our past. His distinctive portfolio contains nature-spirits and faeries, gods and goddesses, fantasy artwork with a haunting mysticism, evidence that this fine chap is also a writer speaking volumes through his artwork. Marc Potts' web site is www.marcpotts.com   

(photos here) What a delightful surprise I had this week, when walking down the lane to our Believe Barn, as I discovered that the patch of beautiful blackberries that I’d been eyeing up for weeks, had at last ripened enough to easily come away in my fingers to be popped into my mouth and deliciously devoured. I’m sure that they tasted so much better, just from the fact that I’m pinching them from the hedgerow in the warm autumn sunshine where they were growing wild and seemed to have been inviting me to eat them. Those kinds of moments, with fingers all stained perfectly purple, instantly transport me back to times in my childhood when I’d done the exact same thing. The wonder in our natural harvests, made me just stop for a moment and count my blessings as I savoured the sweetness on my tongue and paid homage to all the gatherers that have gone before me, stretching far back in time…  

Magical Blessings, Be

“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” – Albert Einstein  

This artist’s work is unique and quite beautiful. Stephanie Pui-Mun Law has a mastery of the paintbrush that leaves one hushed in admiration. Her style is instantly recognisable, with a flow that looks so natural you feel woven into her paintings. Stephanie's graceful and delicate art has been sort after for many years by private collectors and she is also an extremely well known and highly respected illustrator for many companies in the fantasy genre. She mainly uses watercolour and sometimes pen and ink, but her digital work is wonderful too and brings yet another quality to her portfolio, the same fantastic ability but with a different texture and feel. Her web site is www.shadowscapes.com and it contains a fantasy journey like no other, it is such a treat to witness Stephanie’s stunning talent, especially the Tarot deck she has been working on that looks absolutely awesome. There are a few tutorials there too!

(photos here) My favourite birds are without doubt, the Long-tailed tits. These adorable little things with their tails longer than their ball-shaped bodies are so much fun. I get so excited when I hear from far off, all their distinctive tseeing calls, as they’re traveling in groups and descending on the tree branches and the peanut feeders in threes and fours, with their tails getting all caught up! These tiny birds look almost fluffy with a white head, a black stripe from their eyes down their necks and a pink tinge to their shoulders and underneath making them really pretty. You know you have to make the most of them, as each visit is quite quick before they move on, almost like restless grazers. In the wintertime the flocks get larger and my squeals of happiness even louder as I call everyone to come and see them before they leave again, sometimes for weeks at a time. To hear them calling to each other and watch their acrobatics, hanging upside down as they feed with their minuscule beaks, is pure joy.

Magical Blessings, Be

“There is strong shadow where there is much light.” – Goethe

Masks are an evocative part of any costume and their history is a fascinating one. Last year in Oregon, we were delighted to discover one of the finest mask makers we’d ever come across, the artisan Monica Roxburgh. Her masks are of true fantasy, beautifully hand crafted, comfortable to wear and stunning to see. Monica manages to combine the ancient traditions with modern techniques, resulting in gorgeous pieces of artwork that one can wear and treasure! The designs are spectacular, imaginative, iridescent and totally original. No wonder Monica is commissioned to make masks throughout all aspects of the arts including film, theatre and television. She also creates the best horns out there, they are so much fun to wear and perfect for those who maybe don’t wish to cover their face but just alter their look a little! Monica’s web site is called www.goblinart.com where she goes into some more detail as to how she makes her magical masks and her inspiration to do so.

(photos here) I have always had a fondness for acorns, ever since I was young and would use their enchanting little cups for my fairy teas and I’m sure I’m not alone in this! Acorns feel lovely to hold in your hand and seem to be so magical, the way that tiny seed inside its shell, can grow into a magnificent oak tree that could easily outlive us. Some autumns there are more nuts on the ground than others depending on the previous year’s weather and watching the squirrels collecting them to bury for later in the winter is an amusing sight. They get so busy digging little holes, popping in the acorn and then patting it down placing leaves on the top – they’re planting new trees if they forget some of their hiding places. The deer also love acorns but while they’re still growing on the trees, and stretch their necks as high as possible in their efforts to munch on them. We sometimes have a beautiful Jay, who flies into our garden especially to visit the young oak trees and take his share of the acorn harvest. I too like to consume acorns… but in a powder form mixed with chicory, figs, wheat and malted barley as a coffee substitute – so yay for the haycorns as dear Piglet calls them!

Magical Blessings, Be

“When the oak is felled the forest echoes with its fall, but a hundred acorns are sown silently by an unnoticed breeze.” – Thomas Carlyle