Tinkerbell Color

Tinkerbell Color

This one, though in a somewhat different style, and featuring a boy rather than a girl, also reminds me of the series. It has to do with an adventurous nature, a quality of fearlessness, and a rare affinity with the natural world. There is, I think, something of the proverbial "familiar" about the relationship between my children and my animals. It's slightly preternatural. I feel there's a greater truth there ready to be explored, but I'm not ready to elaborate on it. It's all still mulling around in my brain.

Tinkerbell Dancing

Tinkerbell Dancing

Mathurin Méheut (1882 - 1958) French painter and engraver. Though he is best known for his scenes of Breton coastal life, his magnificent animal studies are a bit of an obsession of mine, and have been a great influence on my work. I reference them constantly. I have hunted down and purchased the soft-cover book of his animal studies twice now, after previous incarnations were lost in my various moves. Creatively, I simply cannot seem to live without them. The original, foxed, taped and worried edition, btw, I found completely by chance on a clearance cart outside The Strand in NYC...which makes sense.

You can see his influence in many of my animals, in particular the monkey in the early sketch, and the fox under the sofa in my banner.

Like so many artists, I am also inspired by studying that which inspires other creative people whose work I admire. Their work might be very different from my own, but I draw sustenance from each in their own way.

For instance, I always keep an eye on the inspirational blog of Charlotte, designer of the French children's clothing line VDJ. (And, naturally, I was thrilled to one day find my own daughter's photos included therein!)

She does not always attribute the photos that she posts in her inspiration blog, so forgive me if I am not able to properly attribute some of those reproduced here.
This one is from a French photo book called "à hauteur d'enfants" by Olivier Föllmi (éditions de La Martinière)
I have searched for it here in the US, but have not found a source. If anyone knows where I can obtain a physical copy of this wonderful book, please advise!
This layout was from Milk, a magazine of children's style which I also particularly admire.

Manon from Japan (source not included).
Charlotte also draws inspiration by the stylings of her sisters, Jeanne and Clémence. This was Clémence at an earlier age.
From another Milk magazine spread, as shot by the wonderful Australian-cum-French photographer Vee Speers (who is in her own right one of my great inspirations. Expect to find me referencing her brilliant work in the future!).