Alice in Wonderland

"Alice"  2008

Have I mentioned that I adore Alice, even though when I was little the story terrified me? See I had a book with Peter Pan on one side and when you turned it over and upside down Alice in Wonderland was on the other. I'm sure there were other book made this way but it was a bit unnerving all the same that down the rabbit hole was literally topsy turvy!

 But Alice, she was my hero! yes she cried, but she kept her wits even though the adults around here were nutty as can be! And what child can't relate to that? She was also so independent, no fairy godmother or prince for Alice. 

Oh yes I do adore the other more traditional tales with Princesses and towers, and princes *swoons* but this tale was about a real little girl, someone I might of known or been myself. 

So here I painted her feet firmly planted in Wonderland, and The Cheshire Cat is keeping a close eye on her every move, and yes thats the Queen of Hearts on the card!

Prints are available here http://darklingwoods.etsy.com 

Magic Carpet Ride

my new watercolor "Magic Carpet Ride"

Magic Carpet Ride is available here http://www.darklingwoods.etsy.com 

I've got sketches complete for 4 new paintings. I hope to work on the Alice in Wonderland piece this weekend. Others are "Climb" and a new little Witch, and "To the Fairy Market"

I'm needing to do some mixed media work, I can just feel it coming on :) 

Alice In Wonderland 1903

Here is an enchanting journey down the rabbit hole! from richlayers live journal, a vintage film from 1903. The film quality isn't perfect, but that adds to the charm. Its quite ambitious once you think about it!
enjoy!

White Rabbit

New Painting of "The White Rabbit" all decked out in the Queen's finest. 

Wishing all of you a very Happy Valentines Day.  Its one of my favorite holidays, being all about the glue and glitter and of course the chocolate and cupcakes!

xxxooo

Cat

Fairiesnest

I meet the most amazing artists in my journeys online and off, so I decided I just had to start sharing more often!
Todays treat is Cynthia of Fairiesnest http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5072731 here is the link to her etsy shop where I found her, and she has dolls of all sizes and prices, even tiny little doll pins to wear!
she just makes the most enchanting dolls, just look at the Queen of Hearts Face, isn't she lovely? and here is her blog http://thefairiesnest.blogspot.com/ where you can see more (she's been featured in art doll quarterly!) It just blows me away what magic she can do with needle and thread, I'm afraid I'm more of a seem ripper :( Its an art form I greatly admire!

Queen for a Day

Portrait of Catharine with Sparrow and Pomegranate by Lisa Falzon

This a photo collage portrait I commissioned by the ever talented Lisa Falzon, an artist I've been admiring for quite sometime. her web site is http://www.lisafalzon.com and for information on a portrait commission for yourself you can visit her deviant art site http://meluseena.deviantart.com/ She also does amazing traditional paintings and illustrations as well.

Thank you Lisa!

West of Moon

"Hold on tight to my shaggy coat" Detail from my November submission for Children's illustrators club on deviant art. The theme was polar bears and I was drawn to an old favorite East of Sun West of Moon :)

Prints are available in my shop along with new prints of my ruby slipper painting, "Follow the Yellow Brick Road".

Hermitage

I'd like to introduce a most wonderful and enchanting artist, Rima of the Hermitage I've long admired her work and recently been delighted to find that she not only has an Etsy shop but a blog!

here are her links follow them and be transported to a magical place
http://intothehermitage.blogspot.com/ blog
http://www.the-hermitage.org.uk/ website
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5195715 her etsy shop
be sure and check out her stop motion film its wonderful! And I love her new blog... wouldn't you love for her wagon to pull up to your town?

Striped Socks!

this is Henri, he is quite uncertain about his new striped socks...

painted for Children's Illustrators Club on Deviant art for the theme of Oct. (Striped socks)
ttp://childrensillustrator.deviantart.com/ this months theme is Polar Bears you can already see entries being submitted...I'm not so speedy! I'm just hoping to get this on in on time ;)

Halloween! at the Dead End

Wow! do I have an amazing Halloween artist to introduce you to! Meet the Howloween Queen! This self taught artist is the mom of one of my advanced art students, I found out she made paper mache' scupltures and asked to see her website, was I ever blown away! This Mom is a one woman Halloween theme park! take a look....
http://hometown.aol.com/howloweenqueen/gargoyle2.html Would you believe she was able to fit that guy along with Frankie and several others in her truck and brought them all to share with my students? They were entralled and the best part is she shared all her deep dark spooky tricks! like would you believe the gargolyes fingers are made from a pool noodle? (hey we live in sunny florida!) and so is his tale :) the rest is boxes, paper and glue and lots of work!
here is her home page .. she has all kinds of great photos of her home inside and out, you must see the skeleton in her garden tub! and lots of how too instructions and ideas!
http://www.howloweenqueen.com/

Contest

I've entered my "Little Miss Magic" painting in the FAE (fantasy artists of etsy) fall fantasy contest!
I've never entered something like this before and I'm so excited! (and the votes are close!)

heres the link http://faecontest.webng.com/

so go vote for your favorite! polls close at midnight Thursday!

New ACEO card! First in a series of original watercolor images inspired by the Wizard of Oz.
This one inspired by Dorothy and a love of magical shoes and golden roads. A Wonderful addition to your ATC collection or gift for an Oz collector.

you can see it here http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7257279
in my etsy shop :)
keep your eyes open for the next in the Oz series... "Wicked" comming soon!

Also check my shop out for some great Halloween specials! Prints and magnets and notecards!

*boo*

feature!

exciting news! I'm the featured artist on the Fantasty Artists of Etsy Blog!

http://fantasyartofetsy.blogspot.com/

:)

"Little Miss Magic"

My newest watercolor painting, a darling little witch out for an autumn stroll.

She will be availble in prints and notecards. She is shown here on a magnet. My first, and I'm thrilled with the color quality!
They make a great locker decoration or to hold your potions list to the fridge!

You can snag one here while they last www.darklingwoods.etsy.com

working on a couple more goodies for Halloween so I'd better be off now! .....

ACEO and Snow White

Ink, with a touch of gouache and watercolor image inspired by Neil Gaiman's Short story "Snow Glass Apples". I was lucky enough to "see" the Atlanta Radio company do a live performance of a radio play version at Mythic Journeys in 2006 and I couldn't get little Snow out of my head. Here she is perched on her throne. Wicked little Snow.

The original is availble in my shop www.darklingwoods.etsy.com

also something new! ACEO... what are they? Artists Cards Editions and Originals. trading card sized mini works of art. Collectable and affordable! 2.5 by 3.5 inches and my first one offered is shy "Violet" she's at the top of this post and is also avaiable in my shop.

Thanks for stopping in!

Cat

Mermaid

15x20 watercolor on illustration board
the original is available on my etsy shop at www.darklingwoods.etsy.com
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6682287
.. I also have cute new pocket mirrors in, featuring The Frog Princess and The Sun Goddess!
______
in the works .... a painting of Vasilisa the all Wise after reading "The Frog Queen"
I need to research my Russian fairy tales, but is Vasilla .. the Beautiful/ the Brave a mortal version of Vasilisa? just wondering. I love those stories!

Russian art and costume fans? just look at this.... http://eng.ethnomuseum.ru/section1282/1283.htm

isn't she wonderful? this delightful little doll is the creation of the talented Helen Grossman
from her profile " I love to work and experiment with different medias like clay, paper, beads, gourds, different paints and surfaces and it is always something new here to learn. Back in Ukraine I learned a decorative folk art style of painting called Petrikivka named after village it was born. I like to incorporate this painting into my dolls, either made of gourds, cloth, etc."
you can see more of Helens work at
ArtByHelenGrossman.etsy.com and helldg.blogspot.com

... I couldn't live without the little winter flower doll :) she is now sitting on my studio desk overseeing things!

Merry Met! I'm Cat an artist inspired by myth and muse. Welcome to my corner of the woods where you can learn about my newest projects, inspirations and processes and other chaotic and whirly happenings!

Why Darkling Woods? oh how I love words! From Tolkien's poem, "Through darkling woods he walked at will" to Keats nightingale in "Darkling, I listen". Darkling is one of those words I find simply enchanting. And paired with "woods" my love for all thing fairy tale is tied in.

The image above is my newest, "The Frog Princess" I always loved the fairy tale about the little princess and her frog prince. But I have to admit I was always a bit perplexed when she kissed him and turned him into a prince. I couldn't imagine anything better than a talking frog (with a tiny crown!)

So this painting came from that idea, a very impish Princess with her pet.

prints are availble in my Etsy shop at www.darklingwoods.etsy.com