Adriana and Antigoni, the real fairies in my life

Hello again.

I've been talking to so many people about the twins so I thought it's not a bad idea to post a few pictures of them alongside with my fairy paintings as them two are the real fairies in my life! They are a constant inspiration and I know that one day they will love to receive my fairy art. I have turned them into fairy art addicts you see ...

I am for sure a "silly auntie" (this is what we say in Greece for aunts and uncles that get crazy over their nieces and nephews - that they become silly) and I love them dearly. They will be 4 years old next month and ... here they are!

The first 3 pictures were taken on July 1st, 2007 (when their hair was still long). In the first picture Adriana is on the left and Antigoni on the right.

The next 3 pictures taken on the 12th of July after they had their first real haircut. Again, in the first picture Adriana is on the left and Antigoni on the right. No need to say that I think they are beautiful no matter what their hair looks like ...

DeAnna Gladys Conn

I'm back to show you the work of a wonderful artist whose work I cherish. DeAnna is one of my favourite artists and I have to say that I am very glad to have bumbed into her when I first started searching E-Bay for art in the summer of 2005!

DeAnna has a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), major in studio painting from Converse College 2000 and has worked in various art related jobs including freelance art projects, privately commissioned work and teaching high school art. She was born in Virginia, raised in Louisiana and she is now lives in Spartanburg of South Carolina.

As she says herself in her bio "She loves creating abstract or distorted fantasy figures like mermaids, fairies, and modern folk art type ladies. Her subjects are almost always female, sometimes serious, sometimes just fun, cute, or aesthetic art for art’s sake. Her art and the colors she chooses often reflect her mood at the time of creation, sometimes dark and a little gothic but, usually a little lighter and brighter".

Her art is sold globally through E-Bay (her E-Bay seller ID is "deanajewel") and is a juried member of EBSQ, which is a is a group of self representing artists selling their own work on E-Bay.

I have to say that I'm more than happy to own a few of her original works (and equally unhappy to have lost to other bidders works of hers that I still wish they were mine!). DeAnna adds copyright text when posting her images, so I will use them as they are posted by her, with the copyright text.

Title: Sparkle fairy "Fea Anna the faerie"

Medium & size: 6 x 6,5 inches ink and watercolours

Image is copyrighted to the artist DeAnna Gladys Conn

http://www.ebsqart.com/Artists/cmd_550_profile_portfolio.htm



This is the very first drawing I purchased from DeAnna in 2005 and it remains a favourite until today. Isn't it a superb drawing? Look at the details on the wings and the fur of the fairy's dress. The pose of the fairy itself is perfect and I love the movement of her legs.

The next painting is also one I purchased in 2005 and I got hooked the minute I saw it. If I remember correctly it was purchased by somebody else who for some reason did not get it in the end. So I had a second chance, for which, (needless to say) I was and still am glad about!

Title: Flowered Fairy

Medium & Size: 9 x 12 inches watercolour

Image is copyrighted to the artist DeAnna Gladys Conn

http://www.ebsqart.com/Artists/cmd_550_profile_portfolio.htm

A real beauty by all means. I love her pensive look and the soft yellows and pinks of her wings. To me this is a gorgeous painting. One that I'll always be happy to look at!

There are more original paintings of DeAnna that I will post so look out for them. And as far as I am concerned I sure look forward to purchasing more of her amazing art.

Wenche Skjondal

Wenche was born on the west coast of Norway, in the land of high mountains and deep fjords, where tales of trolls and all kinds of supernatural creatures flourish in the wild nature, as she says herself in the bio you can find in her official site. She was educated in Stockholm and is now living with her family in Cothenburg of Sweden. She is an artist, illustrator and art teacher and the rich Scandinavian folklore with trolls and huldras and gnomes and fairies and spirits of all kinds is featured beautifully in her art. The settings where her fairies and brownies live and play are often flowers with gorgeous colours and lust foliage. The compositions of her paintings are always perfectly balanced. I find her art ethereal and the fairies she paints are as if they are are truly alive! Or should I better say they are truly alive .....

Wenche has yearly exhibitions in Norway and Sweden and her art is collected worldwide. Apart from her official site you can see her paintings at Deviant Art at http://skjon.deviantart.com/ as well as in Epilogue and Elfwood.

I own three of her original paintings and I'm really looking foward to more. Here they are!

Title: Soft Summer Wind

Medium & size: 25x30 cms watercolours on watercolour paper

Image is copyrighted to Wenche Skjondal

http://www.wencheskjondal.net/



Wenche's paintings bring a warm and cozy feeling when you look at them, with their bright yet soft colours sometimes ... and ... don't you fell the soft summer breeze through your hair as well?

Title: Hide and Seek

Medium & size: 22 x 27 cms watercolour & gouache on watercolour paper

Image is copyrighted to Wenche Skjondal

http://www.wencheskjondal.net/



And the third one .....

Title: Playing Faeries

Medium and size: 22 x 27 cms watercolours and gouache on watercolour paper

Image is copyrighted to Wenche Skjondal

http://www.wencheskjondal.net/

I think that I will never get tired of Wenche's art and to me she is among the best fantasy artists of today.

Silvia Lugli

Hello again.

Silvia Lugli is the next artist to be featured in this blog. Silvia is among my top favourite artists and I could say a friend by now. Chiao Silvia!! Her art is simply a dream. She is Italian, born in Novara. Her her fairies are so soft, delicate, gentle and inspirational ... I'm sure that I don't use the right words here to really say how her art makes me feel!

Her paintings are sold through her official site and E-Bay (her E-Bay seller ID is "lazy_fairy") while it is also featured in other sites like Epilogue, Elfwood and Deviant Art. She is known as "sanguigna" at Deviant Art and here's the link: http://sanguigna.deviantart.com/. Her art is collected worldwide and I'm happy to say that I own a few of her originals. I'll start with the latest painting of Silvia which was purchased a couple of days ago (I have not received the original yet and there's one thing for sure .... I can't wait to see "Regina" in real life!).

Title: Regina

The image is copyrighted to Silvia Lugli

http://www.artesilvia.it/


Isn't "Regina" gorgeous? Adorable, so demure and soft!

Next painting of Silvia to post today is a favourite of mine among the original of hers that I have. It is a 19,8 x 30 cms watercolour & indian ink painting which is incredible.

Title: "After the bath".

Image is copyrighted to Silvia Lugli

http://www.artesilvia.it/



Did you notice the blue hair of the fairies? Isn't this an adorable detail? And the poses they get! So natural! Regina is looking back a bit sad and mysterious at the same time and the fairy in the second painting is sitting on those amazing mushrooms so relaxed ...

I adore Silvia's art and I wish she keeps on painting as much as she can!!

Dorie Waters

I chose Dorie to be the first artist whose art will be featured in this blog because one of her original ACEOs which I have recently bought through E-Bay has become my all times favourite.

By the way, ACEO stands for Art Card Editions Originals and are original miniature works of art of a standard size of 3,5 x 2,5 inches or approx. 8,9 x 6,35 cms of all mediums, which are widely collected nowadays.

Dorie Waters is a great person and an even greater artist. I think her kindness and lovely character shows in her art which is absolutely magical. Her art is so amazingly detailed and the colors she uses are vibrant. As she says herself, "she loves the challenge of a lot of detail in a little space"! Each image truly tells a story of its own. I strongly believe that if she illustrates children books she will become a legend of our times. Dorie was born in Vancouver, British Columbia where she still lives and she sells her art through her official site and E-Bay (her E-Bay seller ID is "dasha_smasha"). Her art is collected worldwide and she has given pleasure to a lot of people that were lucky enough to meet her on the web and purchase her art. I own a few original pieces of Dorie, ACEOs and bigger, and I will start with one, which as I said before has stolen my heart.

ACEO (3,5 x 2,5 inches) watercolor and watercolor inks

Title: The artist is a faery in a tree

The image and the text below are copyrighted to Dorie Waters

http://www.doriewaters.com/

...the moon is golden and bright tonight...and a lantern casts another, closer light, as this little Faery sits in her favourite tree - with brushes and paint pots all around. She is painting the Magic of Faeryland ... a small bird is as curious as the man in the moon ... will she be in this creation?...Will you...?!!!


Another watercolor ACEO of Dorie I purchased recently is the one that follows, titled "The fairy's first flight".


Again both the image and the text that accompanies the ACEO painting are copyrighted to Dorie Waters

... her little wings not yet strong enough for flight, the little fae Adora is safe and snug in her blanket of stars, as her beautiful faery mother Ariel takes her on her very first tour over the hills and valleys, over the water and trees, and up among the stars in the magical skies of Faeryland!

Although the two photos are of low resolution, do you notice the beautiful details? And for sure her brilliant, intense colors, cannot escape anyone's attention. Dorie's art is indeed magical and I have a long way to go until I scan and upload all of her art that I own. I'm sure you can't wait for more!

My first (real) post

I think the best to do is start with a bit of information about this blog and why it is created. Well, it is a blog about fairies and magical creatures of all kinds. About elves and brownies, about witches and wizards, about pixies, about mermaids, ... about fantasy. The fantasy we all miss in our hectic everyday lives, the fantasy that was so natural to us when we were kids. It is a blog about fairy tales and their creators and about fairy tale illustration throught time. It is mostly a blog about art. About fantasy art which I adore. About the art which I am lucky and proud to collect. Yes, that's right! I collect fantasy art (I of course have a long way to go until I am able to own an original Brian Froud but still ...). I'd like to share the art I own with the rest of the world and a blog is an ideal place for this purpose. I have turned quite a few people around me (friends and family) into fairy art lovers during the last three years and it's pretty much time to expand ... You see, there are brilliant artists out there, people with grate talent and vivid imagination who create magnificent images, images that can colour the dullest of lives. Please keep in mind that all artwork that will be displayed in this blog is copyrighted by the artists and must not be misused in any way. A name credit will be always displayed along with the image as well as a direct link back to the artists' sites. So, stay tuned. There will be beautiful art to follow.

How much do you really know about fairy tales? A quiz.

Interested in fairy tales as well? I discovered a fun quiz which tests how much you really know about them .... at http://triviapark.com/quizzes/fairytales.html