Tag Archive for "painter"
Tapestry by Brian Froud
Brian Froud was supposed to be receiving a lifetime achievement award from the society of illustrators but somehow this rumour never actually materialised and everyone seems at a loss as to why it was floated and then didn’t happen. It is hard to believe that anyone could conceive of the possibility that Brian Froud is not worthy of such an award. If anything, it is long overdue since he had already produced a lifetime’s brilliant work years ago! Brian Froud must now be well into a third or fourth lifetime of work in comparison to many newcomers. Perhaps a triple lifetime achievement award would be more appropriate. After all, Brian Froud is not an artist who climbed on the bandwagon of faery art, he was one of the very few pushing it uphill at the beginning! Brian Froud’s work dates way back into the early days of fantasy art - far further back than Brian Froud himself probably wishes to remember! Along with his colleague Alan Lee, Brian Froud set the standard for technical excellence as well as realism, imagination and vision in bringing fantasy ideas to life.
Whether Brian Froud actually IS an illustrator is of course another issue and maybe that was the problem. Perhaps they recognised that Brian Froud is more a painter than an illustrator. For the most part Brian Froud has not illustrated books other than his own and certainly in recent years the number of Brian Froud books has grown considerably. But if film design work is illustrative then Brian Froud’s work on ‘The Dark Crystal’ alone is worth a lifetime achievement award.
Brian Froud has always trod his own path and openly acknowledges his admiration of Arthur Rackham whose work inspired his early efforts. The world of faerie is probably more due a lifetime achievement award in his opinion since Brian Froud’s work has always been by the inspiration of the faerie folk, however you conceive that to be. Brian Froud himself doesn’t actually profess to know faerie because he is happy enough to bathe in its mystery … or at least that is how it always seemed to me.
For someone so influenced by faerie that they sometimes pop up even when he is signing his name Brian Froud actually isn’t away with the faeries. If you read a Brian Froud book you’ll find it refreshingly down-to-earth in many ways. Although the Pagans, New Age people and others love Brian Froud’s work he is somehow somewhere else and does not seem really close to any of these groups or genres. There is certainly magic in Brian Froud’s artwork though and maybe it is that kind of magic that the world is lacking right now. Let’s hope he continues to bring the realm of faerie out into his paintings for many years to come as he starts on producing the work of a fifth lifetime!
If you are not that familiar with Brian Froud and want to see more, just click on Brian Froud’s Tapestry or here and away you’ll be whisked away … as if by magic!
Excellent artist Chris Down has produced six fabulous Giclee prints of his work such as the one above that are now available to buy at Artists UK.
Click on it and you’ll see the rest of them.
Born in 1963, Chris Down was brought up and has spent much of his life in rural Wiltshire. The wooded valley, where he lives, is walking distance from Stonehenge. The route, along an ancient green lane carving through rolling fields, is a journey he has made from school age. It was the 1970’s and the time of the Stonehenge free festivals. Once a year in June, to celebrate the summer solstice, a gathering on the plain occurred which stirred the interest of his young mind. He had spent much of his childhood avidly reading books along with making and painting things. Always lost in some project or another. His grandfather had been both a writer and artist, who first earned money from art, aged 15, by creating caricatures of tennis players and then went on to write for BBC radio and television. Chris’s uncle also wrote for television. Including the cult series Dr Who in the 1970’s and was responsible, with his writing partner, for bringing the world the robot dog K9. With childhood influences like these, to spend a life being creative was a natural progression. At Stonehenge, he would find much of the inspiration and roots to his way of life. Chris achieves a traditional feel to his art. He has been asked many times whether he works in oil or acrylic and the questioner is surprised to learn the pictures are digitally created. Inspired by the works of the Pre-Raphaelites, 19th century symbolists, art nouveau, late 20th century fantasy artists, 9th/10th century illuminated manuscripts and dark age craftsman, Chris’s eclectic work is constantly moving forward as he finds new ways to work and refines those techniques he has developed over the years. Maybe it is only a matter of time before his talent gets recognised and massive fame beckons. Who knows? But if it does then these early Giclee prints could end up being collector’s items.
Lily Maid of Astolat by artist