Friends, forever

 Friends, forever ver.1

Friends, forever ver.2

Digital illustration. I couldn't decide between versions so opted to keep both. The less saturated image feels somewhat quieter, more melancholy. This is actually a 'remake' of an older image, although I never quite considered the older version to be complete. I feel really odd because I didn't include the customary playing card symbol to the image.....whatever must this mean!?

Friends, forever? Depends upon how you choose to interperet it. I mean, imagine being permanently, physically connected to another individual in this way, whether they were a twin, a friend or even a stranger to you. I wonder about the life they might lead, for 'lives' in the plural would be difficult to imagine. However, I have chosen to take the optimistic view and should prefer to imagine them to be almost smugly inclusive of one another, perhaps even covetous of the apprehension/unease they inspire. Question: how do they go about getting a trim? And one more thing: what would happen if somebody dared to sever their bond? I dread to think.

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The style and tones remind me of the old Holly Hobbie illustrations from my childhood.

xxx

Marchpane

For Sandra.

Digital painting and collage.

For the Specters and Dreams series.

Will write more later!

And later: The images were inspired by a fictitious portrayal of the young life and conflicting nature of Katherine Howard, the fifth wife of Henry VIII. I have recently finished reading a deeply moving story concerning her (fictional) life at court, her marriage to the king, and her subsequent downfall - a very beautifully written book which I was delighted to be able to create several illustrations for (I will be able to give a clearer description and details about its release soon!).

These images represent Katherine's dual nature, or her conflicting emotions as a lover and a queen. The Katherine to the left symbolizes her integrity, tenderness, her emotions, whilst the Katherine to the right enjoys the distractions of merriment, dancing, feasting, weaving intricate webs of mystery around herself, and indulging the attentions of her admirers. Personally I am quite taken with both sides to Katherine. Although my images are not entirely descriptive of Tudor fashions, I simply wanted to create my own impression through my own working style to represent her. The stain around her neck in the first image is supposed to suggest her future, her fate, whilst also alluding to her love of rubies and luxurious jewellery. Here she amuses herself with kittens instead of her beloved dog, holding onto her precious letters to Thomas Culpeper (her secret lover), wearing the key to her heart as a brooch, and her frock adorned with fresh roses, which harks back to Henry's pet name for her 'a rose without a thorn'.

The ravens/black birds are concerned with the Katherine on the right. Her fate in the balance once more.

And concerning the title - a word which really resonated with  me whilst reading the story. Marchpane, (the old English word for marzipan) consisting of almonds, sugar and rose water was a luxurious component of medieval cuisine. I should love to create my own now, with gilded quatrefoils around a crowned Tudor rose! Easy peasy;)

xxx