I painted the picture at the bottom for an
exhibition called 'Tribal' at the gallery I run. The idea came from a
doodle...
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Regal Fox © Amber Caspian, 2012
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...trying to
express how majestic I find Foxes. Sitting in a patch of
sun, with their thick winter coat just glowing like wildfire...
...and I'm interested in our past, our ancient English tribal culture. In asking questions, such as - what is my tribe and where are its native symbols? Have we really lost all the old songs and stories from this part of our land?
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| Our beautiful English countryside |
I realised that I believe these things are encapsulated in some of our indigenous animals - Fox, Hare, Deer, Crow - in the way they still roam free despite the destructive changes
to our countryside...
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| Spinning in the Holistic garden |
...and I also looked for patterns and
markings in local crafts that are still with us, if we choose to look...
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| Pargetting Patterns |
...such as patchwork, weaving, and
pargetting...so that my Fox could wear his own
cloak of regal colours and patterns...
...and I surrounded him in gold, so
he glows like a Russian icon and we can revere him in a patch of sun or by candlelight...
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Rauðr Foa Rogg © Amber Caspian, 2012
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...so I named him in, probably very
bad, Old English to celebrate his old English story - Rauðr Foa Rogg, which means Red Fox Rug (shaggy tuft). And so was born my 'Animal Icons'...
