Here is a picture I painted a few years ago and exhibited at the Portsmouth Open Art Competition back in 2004. The inspiration obviously comes from the Little Red Riding Hood childrens' story popularised by the Brothers Grimm, but the reason for me painting it actually came from a visit to the graduates show at Portsmouth University. One project set to the 1st year illustration students that year was to illustrate fairy stories. Some of the work was really great and it set my mind whirring for some of my own work. I love the fact that kid's tales are sometimes really quite dark and violent and often have a deeper tale to tell about the pains of growing up and the big bad world. I really like the LRRH tale in particular because it could so easily be a tale of growing up in today's world - the innocent child walking carefree to her grandmother's house, preyed upon by the carnivorous beast in the dark woods etc . It is interesting to note that the story has changed a great deal from it's original telling when the wolf did actually eat Little Red Riding Hood and it was only when the woodsman cut open his belly that she was found. There was a debate on "Loose Women" yesterday about whether kids stories are in fact, to scary and violent. Personally, I think it's a great opportunity to introduce the idea to kids that the world isn't all sweet and lovely and that there are consequences to our actions. But also, that baddies more often than not, do get their comeuppance.
2 comments:
I think this is a really intriguing image, although difficult to see properly because of the angle and reflected light. I love the subject matter, and the way the protagonists are at opposite sides of the composition. Any chance of you taking a front on digital image without the reflections? Peter and I find when using digital it's possible to get a reasonable image in relatively low, indirect light, and then to tweak contrast, brightness etc on the laptop. Looking at this I'm reminded of some of the work of the American artist Ben Shahn. Do you know him? He did a wonderful painting titled Peter and the Wolf which is fantastic. I think you'd enjoy it. I shall scan a copy and send it to you c/o C.
Hi Clixchix,
many thanks for your comment - i'm glad the painting had some resonance with you. Believe me, I tried taking a photo of the painting from all sorts of angles with various lights on, but whichever way i pointed the light just kept bouncing off in flares: the problem is that the base colour is silver acrylic - textured by dragging a carrier bag across the wet surface. I was very pleased with the effect it gave in bouncing the light, just as snow on the ground would (but did not count on the problems it would throw up with photographing). I was also pleased with the composition - I had it in my head that although LRRH was the 'innocent' of the piece, I remembered reading Angela Carter's story about a company of wolves and the undercurrent of temptations, animal lust, deviance, wantoness. By placing LLRH off to the side, it feels like she is inviting the wolf to her.
As for Ben Shahn, I must admit my ignorance of his work. But after a brief internet image search, i found quite a few pictures that I like. I'm going to see if i can find a copy of the book you've suggested.
I think, much like your own work, i feel drawn to myths, legends, fables, archetypes, Gods, monsters etc. I can't imagine being the kind of artist that is happy just painting the street scene outside his bedroom window - although, i do admire a great many artists who do that kind of work. Perhaps it is out of a ridiculous fear of doing the scene an injustice that I feel more confident in creating my own 'landscapes'.
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