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           

The world of Kinuko Craft is pure delight. Her exquisite work has been collected and loved, commissioned and exhibited for many years all over the world. Kinuko herself is a beautiful lady with natural charm and modesty and I was so thrilled to meet and talk with her, having been such a huge fan of her delicate work for many years. She weaves stories through paintings and transports you into the heart of myth, legends and fairy tales with the mastery of one with great talent and experience born of many years perfecting her craft. Often Kinuko’s work appears to have been painted many years ago and therefore the journey offered, brings with it feelings of stepping back in time. Her web site is www.kycraft.com - this truly is a box of delights.

(photos here) I’d never seen a pheasant up close until we lived in this part of the country and now we have our own special visitor who comes right up to the back door, peering in as though he’s been invited to tea! This is a male pheasant with the most vibrant coloured, iridescent feathers, magnificent tail and more tame qualities than is probably good for him.  In the springtime he brought his harem over from the woods. There were quite a few females, though they are much more shy and stay nearer to the back of the garden and instead of running away squawking like the male does when startled, they sit close to the ground and stay perfectly still – isn’t nature wonderful! The not so good part of living in the countryside though, is that you can hear the shotguns of the people who tragically, consider these stunning birds fair game. We all loathe those days and hope that in our own little way we are a refuge for the precious pheasants, may they flock here always…

Magical Blessings, Be

“Deeper meaning resides in the fairy tales told to me in my childhood than in any truth that is taught in life.” – Johann C. Friedrich Von Schiller  

One of the funniest things I saw at the Faerieworlds festival last year was when I was chatting with Joe and a beautiful big dragonfly flew into his booth. Never have I seen so many folk clamber over each other with their cameras so eager to capture this magical creature’s image – this was probably that particular insect’s fifteen minutes of fame and he’s been boasting about it ever since!  It was a perfect example though, of how a photographer’s mind works, always looking for those moments and being there with camera poised ready. Joseph Corsentino is a really lovely chap and his Time of the Faeries is now! He presents his urban faerie within contemporary settings, modern fae in elemental places, silhouettes that play with light and his appeal is great. The popularity of Joe’s work is becoming legendary bringing with it warnings about how our planet is suffering, thus delivering a vital message in a new and appealing way using his amazing photography – magical beings in environments we can relate to, but how do they fit in... This is a darker journey with creatures of the night, and angels as well as faeries - you can see more on J. Corsentino’s web site  www.timeofthefaeries.com   

(photos here) I have learnt much these past seven years from living near cows! What wonderful animals they are, such a part of the British landscape and so often taken for granted. Although I am a vegetarian, I still eat dairy products and now I appreciate more about this astonishing cycle of: grass goes in, milk comes out!! How cool is that. These gentle creatures are near to my thoughts at this time of year, as they will soon have to be taken in for the winter away from their fields and it saddens me so much. Years ago this land around here in the Cotswolds, was covered in many more trees and the cows would have managed by sheltering under these. Nowadays there are less copses and the grass seems to need to ‘rest’. I will really miss looking out of the window and seeing them slowly munching or lying down to contemplate life. They peer over the hedge with their beautiful big eyes looking at us, as if we’re mad to be rushing about. There’s a lovely rhythm to the summer days as you can set your watch by the times they’re called in for milking, gradually ambling down the lane, udders full, with all the time in the world to snatch a quick bite of Cow parsley from the hedgerow! If that’s the time you need to scoot off somewhere quickly, then they hold all the cards as you can only sit and wait while they set the pace. So I will wave to and greet them in the farmyard as they plaintively moo and wish, like them, for the first breath of Spring when they will once again be allowed back out to pasture – I didn’t think cows could leap about with joy, but I assure you that on those days they really do and it is the most wonderful site to see.  

Magical Blessings, Be

“You are made of stars.” – Serbian proverb