Elysian Field Originals » fairy

Do You Believe?

Valerie Ashley — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 19:33:08 +0000

I can’t begin to tell you how many times I am asked that question. As a fantasy artist I live and create in a world of make believe, folk lore, and the everyday magic that is nature.

A better asked question might be, “who wouldn’t want to believe in times like these?”

Recent weather catastrophes, war, financial crisis’s, drugs, violence, and the downfall of the “hero” in our society has left us bereft and adrift in a sea of disillusion and uncertainty. As children we looked up to sports legends, movie stars, and presidents until it become glaringly obvious that they missed the mark, fell or were toppled off their pedestals by their actions or misdeeds. After all they’re only human, right?

Faeries on the other hand are known to be duplicitous, tricks-y, pranksters, who depending on their type are pretty straight forward. Most fairy fall into one of three categories, Neutral, the Seelie, and the Unseelie. The neutral fairies are just that, neither aligned with the good or bad, and the Seelie are generally considered to be light (mainly positive) fairies while the Unseelie are quite the opposite. With faerie you know where you stand.

We were brought up believing in the Tooth fairy, Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, and faeries. Early memories of scouting fields behind our home for dew covered spider webs on the ground with the hope of discovering fairy balls still going on. Mushroom rings, dark hidey holes in trees, fallen logs, dense underbrush were inspected for wee folk. My mom and grandmother would read to us each night of wee folk, goblins, and brownies who regularly stole our toys if we were bad.

My favorite poem is still William Allingham’s “The Faeries”.

Up the airy mountain,
Down the rushy glen,
We daren ‘t go a-hunting
For fear of little men;
Wee folk, good folk,
Trooping all together;
Green jacket, red cap,
And white owl’s feather!

Down along the rocky shore
Some make their home,
They live on crispy pancakes
Of yellow tide-foam;
Some in the reeds
Of the black mountain-lake,
With frogs for their watch-dogs,
All night awake.

While we were not rich in coin we were rich in imagination and we believed!

Fast forward some forty years and I still believe. I believe in a world of imagination, of art, of music. Nature has become my muse, my comfort, and my friend. I turn off the TV and go for walks in the woods.

The air is clean and sweet, vernal pools are now teeming with life, trees are waking and showing forth their finest buds and blooms.

I believe.

My grandsons are now of an age where Santa, the Easter Bunny, and fairy folk are real. I will pass on the tales, poems, and stories that were told to me. The seeds will be planted, nurtured, and if they are lucky, they will have the chance to experience the imagination of a magical world, something that is slowly dissappearing from their daily life.

So, the next time you lose your keys, the lights go out, or toys go missing, blame it on the faeries… you’ll feel better and your children will love the stories. Use your imagination!

Fantasy artists do it every day. We live our lives immersed in music, art, folk tales, traditions, and when the world around us is in chaos, we find the quiet place that faerie provides. Our own oasis in a desert of disillusioned humanity.

I ask again…do you believe?

Leaf Art ~During~

Valerie Ashley — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 05:25:54 +0000

A few days ago I posted some pictures of assorted leaves I’d done and what they look like before I draw or paint them. I thought today I’d show you a progression of how some look so far. I have so many ideas and things I’d like to try but for now here are a few pics of current works in progress.

When I’m painting faces or images on my leaves I work in layers of color so that from different angles you can see the face but in a more subtle way. As in nature the hint of life and personality are “just” there beneath the surface.

The gilded leaf was a practice in doing a bas relief on a leaf and I had fun playing around with it. The leaf was such an odd shaped one and I still don’t know what it was or is. I’ll post some pictures in a few days of the finished pieces.

Till then…

FAE Magazine and Silas…

Valerie Ashley — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:29:35 +0000

Yes, I know, dear reader, I am a bad blogger, and as many of my artist friends would say, “Valerie stand in the corner!”

Ok…now that my stint in the corner is over, I’ve trudged back over to my laptop in tutu and combat boots to write to you. (I am very unorthodox fey you see in dress and deed)

For those of you who are newly come to my art…WELCOME! For my regular readers and friends, I’m glad to see your lovely shining faces once again.

Things have been crazy busy at Elysian Fields, many new techniques to try out and I’ve been working on stretching the boundaries in my work with polymer clay. I’m also thrilled that the medium is enjoying new kudos and has begun to be taken more seriously as “fine art”. Many amazing artists have pioneered and paved the way to make it easier for the rest of us to focus on creating, and for that I am truly grateful and inspired.

I also want to give a very special Thank You to Karen Kay, editor of FAE Magazine in the UK, for launching my first exclusive feature as an emerging fantasy artist. She is a truly amazing lady and I’m looking forward to the day I can fly over to give her a hug in person. Thank you also to the many emails I’ve received from all of you on my art as well, it really is great to hear from people and connect with you all…it is inspiring and always a welcome surprise when I open my mail.

So, now the seasons are changing and we’re heading into Winter, and that means all ten fingers and toes will be very busy creating new and unusual Nature Spirits, as well as a return to some

of my popular miniature sculpts. If nothing else that will silence, Silas, my house Brownie, who loves to sit amongst them like he is High King of it all and they his court paying homage. I don’t dare correct him for fear I’ll lose another necklace to his mini rampages. In the past if I forget to leave him his milk and honey he wreaks havoc around here and scowls most ferociously at me. I act duly chastened but really love the scolding he gives me, he sounds like a squirrel chattering away.

That’s it for the moment…I’m busy today finishing up on some new pieces to add to my Etsy shop. For those unfamiliar with Etsy it is a venue for all things hand made and a neat place to show and sell my art. Stop in, take a peek around and let me know if I can help you with anything, if I’m busy I’m sure Silas would love to help, although I’d keep a close eye on any sparklies you may be wearing…

Valerie & Silas

A Dryad’s Dream

Valerie Ashley — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:10:00 +0000

Winter’s here and tree spirits are slumbering. Here is a quick peek at a dryad as she sleeps in her Maple leaf.

Nouveau Tree Nymph

Valerie Ashley — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:04:00 +0000

A unique blend of Nouveau and Nature!

This tiny art nouveau style bas relief of a tree nymph is set into an imprint of a 2″ Norway Maple leaf from Rhode Island. Both are sculpted using Kato clay. The leaf has been colored with inks and mica powders and the fairy nymph is colored using watercolors then sealed.
The brown leather necklace is 20″ with amber glass beads, silver beads, sterling silver bail and a hand crafted sterling silver clasp.