The Grim Reaper

No this is not me making a wise arsed Halloween blog. Death may be an odd hero figure. For me personally do not think so. The figure of Death in a fantasy novel brings a very real sense to the whole story. The beings of fantasy worlds are like us and have a life cycle. The Grim Reaper gives a continuity to a series of novels, Death in Discworld being a prime example.

Dealing with mortality in fantasy can help us deal with it in reality. If everyone was immortal and good in a novel would anyone actually bother to read it. I very much doubt it. There has to be conflicts, power struggles etc to keep the reader interested.

For me the Grim Reaper is not some evil overlord. She is an angel, a dark one possibly, most are if you annoy them, but nonetheless an angel. It is quite comforting really to know when the time comes, crossing from physical to spiritual that angel will be with me.

Martina Navratilova

Born 18 October 1956, Martina is best known as the Wimbledon 9 times ladies singles champion, in total she has 167 tennis titles.

Anyway why is she featuring in my art and literature hero blog, well we are in the middle of Wimbledon fortnight and as is typical the weather has yet again stopped play. So the dear old BBC is showing a biographical clip of Martina to fill in. For once thank goodness for a little rain.

I had forgotten the grace and beauty of Martina on court. In my mind she is an artist, her art is tennis and physical fitness. Not only that she the way she dealt with the disgraceful behaviour of the world's press as it probed into her private life, wow the lady deserves an award for that. Who the hell cares who or what a person sleeps with and why should that be anyone else's concern.

Martina was one of the first sports women to stand in contrast to the western worlds ideals of women in sport somehow maintaining the curvaceous form and be good at sport, preferring to enhance her game with muscle tone and conditioning which enabled her to dominate her sport for so long.

So from an avid fan of yours its game set and championship Miss Navratilova, you still rule, chick.

Charles Evans

Charles' gentle and humourous teaching inspires and encourages many an amateur who would otherwise see the beautiful world of art as too stuffy and unreachable. On many a miserable morning when I have woken up feeling totally bereft of inspiration Charles has flickered on my tv screen and within seconds I'm laughing and picking up my brushes and tubes of paint. Art is accessible to all, including me.

I'm not a great fan of landscape painting but Charles has got me exploring and painting them. In itself a feat worth a medal. Like Dali, Charles has made me start looking outward for ideas instead of inwards, seeing the world around me as a source for my art.

I am not going to post his art here just visit his website and see it for yourself.

So Mr. Charles Evans a huge great thank you.

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them

JRR Tolkien The Fellowship of the Ring 1954

One of the giants of fantasy if not the giant. I first read Lord of the Rings at school many eons and moons ago and hated it. Now its one of my favourite books that I never fail to enjoy reading. Don't worry I am not going to review any novels here.

Why Tolkien as one of my heroes. Well his works have stimulated my own imagination and desire to bring to life the little and not so little folk I have in my own mind whether in pictures or words or both. Not that I'll ever be has great as he but hell its sure a goal to aim for.

I do share one thing with this great man and that is being born on January 3, possibly and most likely not a significant thing.

The difficulties of Tolkien's life are said to reflect in his work as is the fact he lived through two world wars. I am not sure that is the case but I guess what we write and paint is a reflection of our own lives and experiences so it does make sense.

Needless to say Tolkien is high up on my list of people living or dead I'd like to do lunch with

Germaine Greer

Author, critic, academic, Germaine Greer was born on 29 January 1939 in Melbourne, Australia.

Germaine Greer was educated at Melbourne and Sydney Universities in Australia and in 1964 she left to go to England where she studied at Newnham College, Cambridge, gaining her PhD in 1967.

From 1968-1973 Greer lectured in English at Warwick University. This period encompassed the publication of her famous book, The Female Eunuch in 1970, which had a pivotal role in a key period for feminism.

As a female supremest, no I don't believe in equality of the sexes I wouldn't lower my standards, I adore Germaine. Without this wonderfully opinionated lady who says exactly what she thinks women would not have the power, not openly anyway, that they have now.

By being forthright and up front Ms Greer has made it possible for us all to have an opinion and be able to voice them. She has made it possible for women like myself to accept who we are and be happy with that. She has made it possible for me to be me and not pretend I am something else for the sake of a parent, a sibling, a partner or any one else. I live my life for me if others don't like it they don't have to be with me... simple.

Thank you Germaine

Salvador Dali: Swans Reflecting Elephants

Dali is one of my favourite artists, and certainly my hero of surrealism. I was fortunate enough to be able to go to the Dali exhibition in London a couple of years back and see some of his work in original state, not being rich enough to actually own and original, who knows maybe one day.




Swans Reflecting Elephants, Salvador Dali 1937

The reason I love Dali's work is because you can see it everyday and see something different in it each time. I have a print of 'Swans Reflecting Elephants' which I have had for at least 3 years and only recently I have only just noticed the self-portrait of Dali on the left of the picture, not that I didn't know it was there just its only just jumped out of the picture so to speak.

What is it about this work I love? Well its one of the pieces that has encouraged me to look at whats going on around me and see the images that aren't really there. As an artist and writer thats a neat trick to have in your mental kit box, I think. And yes thats why I have chosen it as the first entry to my tribute blog.

So a big thank you to Salvador for opening my mind to imagination.