Wytchwood Art Reviews

Tam Lin - The Faery Host by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law

2010-08-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

"Tam Lin - The Faery Host"
by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law

This is a luminous interpretation of a very old and well-told ballad that shows up often with many variations. It may be one of the most heavily re-told and illustrated ballads in the Western world and the bravado Stephanie shows in talking this topic on is very refreshing. Stephanie includes a deep look into the content of the ballad in her single breath-taking illustration. Enjoy!

Giclee prints available from her website here

http://shadowscapes-stephanielaw.blogspot.com/2010/08/tam-lin-faery-host-giclees-now.html

Her Website is a treasure of image & magick!!!

Stephanie also provided some in-process shots of the piece as follows:

If you are unfamiliar with the ballad, here’s a basic synopsis

Summary of Tam Lin : The woods of Carterhaugh are guarded by Tam Lin, a man who demands payment of all maidens who pass through, in the form of a belonging or their virginity. A maiden named Janet travels to Carterhaugh and picks a rose, causing Tam Lin to appear. He questions her presence, to which she relies that Carterhaugh is rightfully hers. She then travels to her father's house where she exhibits the early signs of pregnancy, much to the concern of the household. She states that her lover is Elven, and then returns to Carterhaugh, once again encountering Tam Lin. He reveals he is not elven, but a mortal captured by the queen of Faeries, and that he may be sacrificed to hell as part of the faerie tithe. He then details how she can save him to be her mate, if she will undergo a trial on Halloween night. She must pull him from his horse as the faeries process through the woods, and hold onto him as he is transformed into various beasts, then plunge him into a well when he turns into a brand of fire. When he regains his own naked shape she must cover him with her green mantle and he will be free. She does all of this, much to the anger of the watching Queen of faeries.

Stardust - the movie

2008-08-04T17:29:00.000-07:00

OK, so any of you who think of yourselves as well-rounded, well-educated magickal folk ... if you have not seen Stardust, I recommend you get to it! FAB piece of movie art! and its been out for awhile now!

When Graphic Artists get bored

2008-08-04T14:44:00.000-07:00

I just had to share this! a little 'funny feast' for your eyes.

Women throughout Art

2008-07-26T17:05:00.000-07:00

This is one of the most beautful pieces of video creation I have ever had the joy to watch ... over and over again!

Brian Froud's art

2008-06-30T16:36:00.001-07:00

Brian Froud's art

If you have yet to experience Brian's intriguing and intense images of the Fae in many of their guises, I highly recommend that you take a gander at his website and get a book (or ten) of his works.

I found his Faeries book (a collaboration between Brian and Alan Lee) in 1978 in the SFSU campus book shop and even tho' I was a starving student, I dropped my $20 right down and cuddled that book all the way home. I've kept both eyes peeled for more works from his drawing table over the years and he continues to engage and sometimes astound me with the images he creates. They seem to leap off the paper and dance around the room, sometimes without an invitation!

About 11 years ago he was doing a book signing at Keppler's in Palo Alto and I showed up with all of my Froud books, as did many other folk. When it was my turn, I presented him with my first ed. Faeries book, decorated with yellow sticky notes all around the edges. He said "I see you really use this book" as he signed it and when handed my Good Faeries/Bad Faeries book, he started to ask which side he should sign and I simply lowered my brows a bit …"Ah, I see" he says, and signs it on the Bad Faeries side!

In 1999 he was on tour again in the States, this time with his wife, Wendy and they were appearing at the Capitola Bookshop in Santa Cruz.

There was a prize offered for the best Faerie costume, so I dressed my daughter and myself up and went on down. A tiny little gal (cute as a bug) got a first prize artist's proof from Brian, but then he took my daughter and me aside, gave us the same prize and posed for this picture, saying that this time there were two firsts! (please note: the 'Good Faery' in gold face was very tired and hungry when this picture was taken, she was fed and pampered immediately afterwards!)

Enjoy Brian Froud's magickal art!

I certainly do!

Brian Froud