I painted the picture at the bottom for an
exhibition called 'Tribal' at the gallery I run. The idea came from a
doodle...
...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?
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...
...and I also looked for patterns and
markings in local crafts that are still with us, if we choose to look...
...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...
...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'...