Trees and plants in storytelling
I’ve written on this website about trees before, they permeate the arts throughout history. There were trees in early cave paintings, and they appear in …
Category: Illustration
Strength in nature – the art of Natasha Newton
Natasha Newton is an artist and illustrator from Suffolk, England, whose work is inspired by the natural world. Birds, trees, stars and mountains all feature …
The art of Maria Sibylla Merian
Chances are you hadn’t heard of Maria Sibylla Merian before she was celebrated by Google on her 366th birthday April 2nd. And yet she was …
The fantastical world of Benjamin Lacombe
Nature stirs the imaginations of writers and artists. Benjamin Lacombe is a young artist from France whose work recalls that of Arthur Rackham and Brian …
North by East: the woodcuts of Rockwell Kent
Last summer I did a whole series of posts about the ocean, and how it was depicted in books, paintings and films. My post about …
Katy and the Big Snow – a children’s classic
All this recent snow has reminded me of one of my favorite picture books from childhood, Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton. …
The Snowman
Winter is just about here, with snow already falling in colder climates. Winter can be harsh and brutal but also peaceful and stunningly beautiful. It’s …
Arthur Rackham’s Midsummer Night’s Dream
November always puts me in the mind for Arthur Rackham, one of my favorite illustrators. I especially love how he draws trees, which are like …
The Sibley Guide to Trees
Autumn is a great time to look at trees, and a new tree guide was published last year by David Allen Sibley, best known for …
Cartooning under the sea with Jim Toomey
This recent talk by cartoonist Jim Toomey, creator of Sherman’s Lagoon, is a great example of an artist who not only draws inspiration from the …