It occurred to me that it would have been 40 years ago this year that I first read The Lord of the Rings at the age of 15. What a long, wonderful journey it has led me on! How many dear friends it has made me!

This year my focus in Tolkien has been on The Hobbit, galvanized admittedly by the prospect of the book being adapted to cinema within the next couple of years. (For those wondering—no, I have not been asked to work for the film, at least yet.) It’s been a singular pleasure to revisit scenes and create new sketches in a growing series of artworks meant to bring my own sensibilities, ideas, and painting style to the famous story. At last summer’s exhibition event ‘Edge of the Wild’, those who attended saw the results; Bilbo and the Eagles, A Conversation With Smaug, The Riddle Game, and Entering Mirkwood. I believe these and works yet to come will stand as some of my best, and in the months ahead I’m planning to add a Beorn scene and a depiction of the Trolls scene, two of many other possible subjects.

However, an artist and illustrator like me usually has other projects, both commissioned and non, and in September I participated in the Bradford Artist Studio Tour, displaying a range of artworks in a small scale exhibit. Notable were a number of traditional rural scenes in gouache, pencil, and pastel crayon, the latter being a medium I haven’t used for many years. Different mediums can be found in art stores or even discount office supplies can be used to spark creativity. Several pencil drawings were done on site, often with Marian nearby doing her own drawings. These are mainly inspired by a common feature of the local landscape, dilapidated sheds, barns, and shacks on abandoned farms. It seems to indicate broken dreams during tough times, but for me they are beautiful ruins, and my inspiration comes from the same melancholy that Tolkien felt (and really all poetic souls) at the inevitability of change and decline in the countryside. It’s my plan to add to this alternative genre of my art in the years to come.

As to Tolkien, most recently I produced a small commission titled Thorns and Briars in Mordor, which depicts the scene from below the bridge that Sam and Frodo jumped off of. Though at first the subject, with no figures, seemed very limited, it proved to be a delight, and I am very pleased with the result. Two other unrelated Tolkien commissions are in the pipeline in coming weeks, and I’ll keep you posted.

Musically, in October I gave a 1 hour concert with my brother Bruce of mainly songs from my CD The Hidden Door. We received great praise, some calling it a magical event. It was part of a series of concerts sponsored by the town of Uxbridge (a half hour east) held in the historic Foster Memorial Temple, a local architectural jewel built in the Great Depression to honour a former Toronto mayor’s love of his wife and his daughter. He was inspired, the lore goes, by the famous Taj Mahal in India. The polished stone interior is very acoustically resonant, making it a wonderful venue for softer music. We were immediately invited back next year, and have accepted. Following the performance a group of us gathered at a favourite local pub called The Hobby Horse—or as I dubbed it, ‘The Hobbit House’. We intend to post some of the songs on YouTube soon.

Lastly, this week I took a giant leap into the 21st century and installed Skype! Friends have been suggesting I do this for a while, but the catalyst was an invitation from musician John DiBartolo of New York, and Dr. Cory Olsen of Washington College in Maryland USA. We arranged for a 3-way virtual ‘moot’ in order to compare notes as artist, musician, and scholar. John, of The Lonely Mountain Band, has used a painting of mine on his new CD Beyond the Western Seas. We exchanged emails a few times, and out of it the idea to collaborate with Dr. Olsen came to fruition. The resulting podcast will offer the best of our discussion and our answers to submitted questions, along with music from both John and myself. We hope this initiative will grow and bring in other scholars and artists.

As always, I have much on the go, including my painting a portrait of my daughter Sharyn and her new husband Paul as a wedding gift. Now completed, it’s to be presented to them very shortly.

And finally, we’re of course approaching the holiday season, a time of year I lend my voice to Bruce’s church choir for Advent and Christmas services, plus a choir concert. On behalf of Marian and me, we’d like to wish you all a festive, safe, and peaceful holiday. Merry Yule!

I'm proud to announce that later this year publisher Spectra, a division of Random House, will release the 2011 George R.R. Martin Ice and Fire Calendar. It will feature 13 of 14 castle illustrations I painted for The Complete Guide to the Ice and Fire Universe (still in production). This is a welcome and unexpected honour. It had been suggested to me some months ago that the castle paintings, which were created in close collaboration with the author, would make a fine calendar, and it seems the dedicated editors of George R.R. Martin came to the same conclusion when considering material for the 2011 edition.

Most of the illustrations can be viewed here if you go to Other Works and click on the first thumbnail, which says George R.R. Martin. The original paintings are also available to purchase by contacting Malcx Lindley at www.adcbooks.co.uk.

As some will know, I have a growing association with the Ice and Fire novels, and have been a fan of the series since first being introduced to them several years ago. I'm hopeful that the relationship will continue; it represents an exciting new direction for me, as Mr. Martin's phenomenal fantasy epic continues to grow in popularity.

Once again I return from my creative wanderings in 'Faraway Lands' with, I hope, exciting achievements. Picking up where I left off in my last detailed entry from mid-2009, I'd like to describe the next works I created leading up to my Brazil trip in October.

Legolas and Gimli Reach the Shores of Valinor

Continuing with the history of the Dwarves, and following completion of Durin I Discovers the Three Peaks, I went on to paint Legolas and Gimli Reach the Shores of Valinor, a simple piece based on the appendices in LotR, and the account of the companions' final journey.

Aule and the Seven Fathers

It was followed by a work titled Aule and the Seven Fathers, a depiction of Aule as he attempts to create the Dwarves, a scene related to my work titled Aule Prepares to Destroy His Children. This type of subject always presents difficulties, describing as it does a purely mythical event. Yet it can be very evocative and satisfying nonetheless, realism being merely the medium utilized to present a poetic, metaphysical image. All of it in order to better appreciate the wonder, pathos and beauty of Tolkien's invented myths.

The Nauglamir

Following Aule, the 4th of the Dwarf-themed works of last summer was something unusual, a depiction not of a character or scene but of an artifact; The Nauglamir. This most beautiful and rare necklace was said to be made by the Dwarves of the First Age for Finrod, and then its history has it coming into the possession of Thingol of Doriath, who commissions the Dwarves to incorporate a Silmaril into it. What soon follows is tragedy and destruction for Thingol and his kingdom, such that the necklace changes hands again a number of times until it is brought to Earendil by Elwing, the daughter of Dior, only child of Beren and Luthien. There, it is placed upon Earendil's brow, setting the stage for Earendil's transformation into a Star in the Heavens. (This last event was in fact the fragment of Story that Tolkien was inspired to build upon originally, resulting in the life's work he invested in the entire Silmarillion history!)

To accept the task of depiction of The Nauglamir, I had to accept that whatever I drew, it could not possibly fulfill the imagination of readers, given the poetic superlatives applied to the object. But as a project, it nonetheless was a fascinating puzzle. The qualities assigned to it--light on the wearer, yet heavily jeweled, and incorporating THE jewel, a Silmaril of Feanor, raised troubling questions. Tolkien uses the word 'carcanet' to describe it, and from what I could find, the definition of carcanet is understood traditionally as a 'choker' necklace. This type of necklace is worn wrapped around the neck, not resting on the shoulders like a 'bib'. Tolkien's description nonetheless suggests that it "rested lightly on the shoulders", leaving room for interpretation of his exact meaning.

The necklace was originally made for the Elf king, Finrod, and this suggests a more masculine design. Being made by the very male-centred Dwarf culture also lent weight to this rationale, such that I opted eventually for a quite geometric design, emphasizing angles and facets over curves and 'softer' elements. I also tried to incorporate the Silmaril in a way that suggested the technical demands of adapting the necklace to include the Jewel--a round, feminine object. In time, and with many revisions, I developed what seemed at least an intelligent design which incorporated all the criteria.

With the final wearing of the necklace being said to have been upon Earendil's brow, the question arose: Could he have been wearing the necklace itself, or only the detached Silmaril? Tolkien doesn't say, but given the emphasis on the time the Dwarves devoted to adapting the necklace to hold the Silmaril, it seemed incongruous that Tolkien, had he been able to fully reconcile all conflicting information in the unpublished MS, might have had Earendil dismantling the priceless, supremely beautiful and unique necklace in order to wear the Silmaril upon his brow. Therefore, its design was partly dictated by that thought, and if thus worn, it became a tiara, the Holy Jewel resting just between the eyes. The overall effect might be like a golden crown.

The Window on the West

Following my trip to Brazil, I began work on a full size version of a private commission, The Window of the West. I had generally shied away from painting the scene, despite its evocative description, but as I studied the passage in question, and in consultation with the gentleman it was intended for, I came to appreciate the interesting play of light which could be captured. The character of Faramir is always an interesting challenge; this gentler, higher minded brother to Boromir. I was careful to depict him with what I imagined would be his accouterments and costume during this episode, and to make sure his height was appropriately Numenorean, given his ancestry. Frodo is seen looking worried but respectfully at the great Gondorian, while Sam, ever cautious and skeptical, looks unimpressed.

A Conversation With Smaug

This new painting, A Conversation With Smaug, which I worked on over several weeks into February, is unapologetically inspired by Tolkien's iconic illustration for The Hobbit. Despite my thoughts of drawing the scene ever since I began depicting Middle-earth, I was never happy enough with the sketches (at least one in colour) or sufficiently moved to take on the subject before now, and was content to turn to the many other scenes and subjects instead. However, a thumbnail sketch I made while experimenting (as mentioned in a previous post) with new artwork from The Hobbit, expressed "Smaug-ness" as effectively as I've ever contrived, plus with the colour sketch that followed, such that I was happy to find I had the time to take it on to a finished work.

The challenge was to express the character of old Smaug; wily, shrewd and dangerous, yet vain and overconfident, as well as to 're-imagine' the elements in Tolkien's familiar original; the treasure piles, the deep catacombs, evidence of a final battle, plus the great vats of yet more gold and treasure. And of course there is Bilbo, who must 'register' despite his invisibility, and be juxtaposed against the great dragon in his lair. Many artists have depicted this scene, of course, so it was a scene I wanted to interpret only when I felt I could offer something interesting enough to justify adding mine to theirs.

The Riddle Game

As with the colour thumbnail posted several months ago, I found I had some time available, and turned my attention to this equally iconic scene, The Riddle Game. I once did paint an early version of it (also titled The Riddle Game), in acrylics in the mid-1970s. I now wanted to apply the intervening 35 years of experience to the subject. And the first difficulty for the artist is the darkness of the scene. As with Aule (see above) and other subjects requiring artistic license, it's necessary to ignore the obvious in order to portray the characters, and I did my best to suggest darkness while still lighting the setting.

Gollum, looking suitably wizened and slimey, emerges out of the gloom with glowing 'cat's eyes', while a clearly out of place Bilbo nervously confronts this ugly thing with his blue-lit sword Sting. Tolkien gives us a description of Gollum's cannibalistic feeding habits, so I felt justified in emphasizing the imagined results of his isolation--not unlike Shelob's lair--with bones, rottenness, and decay evident. This I feel is in keeping with The Ring's longstanding presence, it's undead evil. The coracle Gollum sits inside sends out ripples around it, not unlike the radiating malevolence within The Ring itself.

Currently on the board is a work provisionally titled Entering Mirkwood, which continues the project of new Hobbit-based scenes. I will shortly post information on the coming exhibition, Edge of the Wild, in England set for this August, where these and other new artworks will be available to see.

It was always a hope, after the 2004 experience, that it might be possible for me to return, and this year it was accomplished, with dedicated fundraising efforts on the part of the local Rio smial of Conselho Branco (White Council), the Brasilian Tolkien Society. On the day of the conference, held at the Hotel SESC Copacabana, I was pleased to present a lengthy retrospective of my Tolkien art on slides, featuring successive versions of many subjects (eg. Rivendell or Minas Tirith), ably translated by my friend Rosana Rios. I also included examples of automotive and (recent) pastoral art, plus some of the castle paintings from the fantastic world of George R.R. Martin. Immediately following my talk I sat down with a beautifully hand-crafted, locally made guitar which I was loaned, to sing a few of my songs. It was an honor to play this beautiful acoustic guitar. I was deeply grateful for the very enthusiastic response on both counts, and most grateful to the organizing committee members whose hard work and dedication allowed me to be among you and renew our acquaintance so happily. All who I met and enjoyed conversations with during my stay are fondly remembered. I think Brasilian 'hobbits' (or elves) would be hard to match anywhere for conviviality or hospitality.

Very special thanks to Betina Dengler, who kindly gave of her time in order to be my guide and host through the days before and after HobbitCon. Despite a fair bit of spring rain initially, she made sure I saw the best of Rio's many and varied sights and attractions; everything from stunning Baroque churches, the Sugarloaf, the Carnaval workshop complex, Botanical Gardens, pan-Brasilian Festival, or mountain-top National Park--and of course those superb beaches. The tourist posters do not do the city justice; it is unquestionably one of the most beautiful and exciting places on the planet.

I came home very much inspired, and encourage others to put a priority on visiting our fellow keepers-of-the-flame in this tropical Wonderland! Obrigado! 

It's been a busier than usual six months! By January this year, my partner Marian and I had already been tentatively browsing the market for a house on a couple of occasions prior to Christmas, and once the holidays ended, we took up the search in earnest. After carefully viewing 2 or 3 dozen properties, we'd narrowed it down to a short list, and then one in particular had hit us in just that certain way... Then, nervously, came the offer, but which was duly accepted, opening up the joyful but harrowing OMG process of preparing for the transition and getting a mortgage.

After the ensuing scramble to work out the details of combining our two households, plus a studio, we are now, at last 'gathered in', and slowly managing the business of determining where all the stuff should go. This is a lot harder than it might otherwise be (or have been years ago), since both of us are/were parents (she of four, I of three), which tends to mean you function to a degree as warehouses for the things said offspring don't want/need, but which cannot in good conscience be discarded, or is of sentimental value, etc, etc.

At any rate, the worst is over, and we are now enjoying our first spring and summer in the new house, located in an older part of this community. The town of Bradford is about 75 minutes north of Toronto's downtown, and about 40 minutes northwest of Markham, my former community. Inspired by and newly appreciating Upper York Region (as it's known) in the two years plus I've known Marian, and recognizing that her roster of clientele requires proximity to the immediate district, it didn't take much to persuade me to move this further distance out of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), serene as it is with rolling hills, valleys, towns, villages, and farms.

I think for a long time I felt drawn to such surroundings, and to a degree Markham provided that with its open country to the immediate east. Now I've taken it the final step, and I'm hopeful that the change will be therapeutic without inadvertently signaling any less of a commitment to continuing my level of productivity. Much the opposite, this is consciously intended to reinvigorate my creative energies, refresh my spirits, and provide a more integrated creative base for the future.

Continued Output

Despite the demands of moving, for the past six months my output of artwork has not slowed down much, although the recession has been felt, and some projects were self-assigned. Within the framework of freelance work, the constant dilemma is that despite the relative freedom to follow one's own muse, the pressure to stay engaged with the continuum of commissioned work is very strong, and we artists typically have difficulty with something as benign as a proper vacation! So despite the constant attention to the house sale and the logistics of the three stage move, I kept to a timetable of painting and drawing to prepare work for the exhibition in April titled Lands of Enchantment, held as our other exhibitions have been, in Moreton in Marsh, Gloucestershire, then on to other projects afterwards. 

Prior to the exhibition, which again I attended and enjoyed thoroughly, I was able to finish the demanding private commission called Thus Came Aragorn, depicting the difficult subject of the arrival of Aragorn as he lands at The Harlond in the Black Ships of the Corsairs. This was quickly followed (in the nick of time) by The Glittering Caves, a fresh take on the work I did in the 90s titled The Glittering Caves of Aglarond. Both works had pride of place at the exhibition, along with the new version, painted late last year, of the iconic scene The Fair Valley of Rivendell.

Sketching The Hobbit

In September of last year, I was in a position to paint a new Hobbit scene derived from a piece of decorative landscape I did some years ago for The Hobbit board game. It is titled Eagles to the Carrock. Incorporating aerial landscape and featuring the Company riding the eagles to the great rock beyond the Misty Mountains, it added a dramatic new scene to my output. This spring, Sophisticated Games, makers of The Hobbit game, expressed interest in using the illustration for a new box cover, but unfortunately it is/was the wrong shape. I suggested creating a whole new cover piece, and produced a series of thumbnails of various Hobbit scenes in the process.

One requirement was that this new scene not feature the dragon Smaug, in order to emphasize the more benign image the book evokes. After considering a number of possibilities, we agreed it should be a more tailored verson of the eagles scene so favoured, this time set above the Misty Mountains just after the Company are borne aloft. We're calling it simply Bilbo and the Eagles, and it was completed in May.

Taking the set of Hobbit sketches a little further, I worked a small number of them up into colour sketches, revisiting scenes I've tried in the past such as The Riddle Game, Conversation with Smaug, or Bilbo and the Trolls. Others were developed into pencil sketches of varying degrees of sophistication, and I hope in the months ahead to return to them.

Finally, last year I painted a series of small, sketchy works under the theme of Tolkien's Dwarves for a colleague and friend. Four colour works and two in pencil were done celebrating the theme of Dwarf history, and that first series featured scenes from the pre-history of The Hobbit, such as Thrain Discovers the Arkenstone or Thorin and Gandalf at Bree.  I am now continuing that series with another set of artworks in the same vein, having completed Durin I Discovers The Three Peaks.That brings us to the present time.

In closing, I should add that within the past couple of summers, along with Marian, I've returned to sporadic plein air sketching sessions. I feel I want to develop that side of my output, and the surrounding rural splendour should provide ample inspiration. Just to the south at the edge of town there is a sprawling geographical feature known as The Holland Marsh, a large wetland drained and cultivated by (mainly) Dutch and Portuguese settlers in the early 20th century (their descendants are still the backbone of the community). Besides having been for a long time a favourite place for me, it is now close enough to enjoy routinely, filled as it is with hundreds of vegetable farms stretching into the distance, bounded by wooded hills. The old workers' shacks and farm buildings, and discarded equipment, plus the system of irrigation canals green with duckweed under changing skies, offer an abundance of picturesque inspiration. I am looking forward to exploring some of these possibilities as I continue to express my Tolkienian and other themes alongside.

Artist Bruno has spent years creating beautiful, magical sculptures in a Faerie style, installed in a park setting adjacent to his gallery and residence, only to see them mostly destroyed in the recent fires. Words can hardly sum up the heartbreak this would represent for any artist. Of course the human cost is unquestionably the greatest matter in this situation, and those now in the process of attempting to recover in the aftermath of so much horror are mustering extraordinary courage, and deserve all the help they can receive. But restoration of as much as possible of the material destruction is nonetheless critical to the survivors and their morale, plus support--financially, practically or emotionally--from outside, is most urgent.

On behalf of myself and my colleagues within the Three Farthing Stone Fellowship in Gloucester England, we wish to offer our sincere condolences and solidarity as you mourn what was lost, and as you rebuild and restore in the weeks and months ahead.

Along with my newest Tolkien paintings (see previous entry) the exhibition will feature the latest art by Ruth Lacon, Jef Murray, and Peter Procownik, along with books, memorabilia, craft and activities geared to attract and interest our many friends, supporters and clients. As in the past, I and my fellow musicians will perform songs and music each afternoon (and some evenings unofficially). We invite you to be a part of our gathering.

This spring's event will also officially launch the first book of collected notes and stories by JRR Tolkien's late brother Hilary. We have lately been entrusted by the Hilary Tolkien family with publication of their grandfather's papers and letters, a first. Up to now, there has been very little known of the very warm relationship John Reuel had with Hilary throughout their lives. ADC Books has now published the first of two volumes presenting a glimpse of the story ideas Hilary made up in their youth so long ago. Angie Gardner has done a lovely job editing and contextualizing the often difficult-to-discern notes, and Jef Murray has created just the right whimsical illustrations.

Like Smith of Wootton Major (or Samwise) I'm BACK. Back from further adventures in Faerie, I suppose, and it wouldn't be too great an exaggeration (NaSmith of Wootten Way??)! In the weeks since I last returned, it's been mostly a succession of new works in a Tolkien vein, as is my wont. In late summer, shortly after painting a commissioned work called Frodo and Haldir in Lothlorien, I went on to a work I'd long considered interpreting, called Eagles to the Carrock. I'm very happy with this one. I'd like as often as possible in coming months to add to my body of Hobbit paintings in fact. With a movie version in production I feel keen to revisit anew the book.

Once Eagles was finished I offered it for display at Oxonmoot, where I also presented slides of how several of my works have evolved in successive versions. Of course, it wouldn't be an Oxonmoot without "Ents" (Entertainments), the Saturday night Party. Once again I had an opportunity to perform a set of songs, starting with a duet with Caspar Reiff of The Tolkien Ensemble, and then on to a solo song from my CD before bringing in Alex Lewis and Maddy Anderson for another couple of numbers.

In the weeks afterward, I got down to more serious work, sending Caspar a series of small colour pieces depicting scenes from the pre-history of The Hobbit. Then, taking advantage of a lull during November and into December, I decided I'd like to reimagine Rivendell once again. I hadn't painted a full size version since the 80s, and felt it was time to revisit it, in order to demonstrate how my techniques and ideas have evolved. Just about when it was nearing completion I was contacted by HarperCollins about illustrating the 2010 Tolkien Calendar and Diary, interestingly enough. After accepting (of course) I immediately suggested inclusion of this Rivendell (which I'm calling The Fair Valley of Rivendell) to HC, along with several other newer works. The theme for 2010 is landscapes of the Third Age, to complement the 2009 Calendar/Diary which features landscapes of the First Age.

Only this week, after adding some final touches, have I sent The Fair Valley of Rivendell to Andy Compton of ADC Books and Art for inclusion in the upcoming exhibition scheduled for Apr. 3 to 6, '09 at Redesdale Hall in Moreton in Marsh, UK. It will be the keystone piece.

Following that work, I've been working up two new pieces. One is a cover piece for a CD by Irish rock group Dead Heroes Club, while the other is an important new Tolkien commission. They're both in production now, the latter to be called Thus Came Aragorn. It will depict his landing at The Harlond in the Black Ships with his mustered army from Southern Gondor, bearing the standard of Gondor and Anduril reforged. It too will be included in the exhibition, and at least one further work which I intend.

And that brings us up to date! I hope to see as many friends, supporters, and (of course) patrons as possible during the four day event in April, which will also feature new art by Ruth Lacon, Jef Murray, and Peter Procownick. You won't be disappointed!

Two Tolkien Events

In mid-July I flew to Frankfurt Germany and was taken to a castle built of red stone amid forested mountains in Bavaria, atop a village called Reineck. Here I was welcomed to the 2008 Tolkien Thing, the 10th anniversary celebration of the German Tolkien Society. Marcel Bulles and his very dedicated committee threw a truly memorable and magical party July 10th to 13th, attended by a diverse number of hobbit-fans and friends from places like Italy, Slovenia, Greece, Holland, Denmark and beyond. It was almost completely perfect, I thought, and along with my slide presentation I sat on an anecdotes-of-our-careers panel with Rene van Rossenberg and Caspar Reiff, as well as did a live painting demo for the first time. That was a challenge, but despite logistical difficulties (the question of light to work by offset by the need to see the projected image for the audience) in 90 minutes I successfully produced a small painting of Bilbo and Gandalf outside Bag End (you know the scene!), and even sold it straight away.

I also performed a set of original songs in the castle chapel Sunday morning, and felt almost hallowed (certainly humbled), having managed not to wake up semi-hung over after the Saturday night revelries. Those wonderful Greeks entertained us well, and about midnight were passing out the ouzo! The chapel featured fabulous acoustics, so that no sound equipment was needed. Happily--unlike last year at this event at a different castle (Diez) during a song--the steeple bells did not go off! Thanks to everyone who made my visit so great! 

Later, in mid-August, my partner and I drove to New Britain, Connecticut (USA) for Mythcon 39. My last Mythcon was the Tolkien Society / Mythopoeic Society joint event known as Tolkien 2005, held in Birmingham over several days in August that year. So it was with anticipation that I renewed my acquaintances and friendships there. The location in nearby Connecticut meant a saving on travel costs, significantly. Marian was new to Mythcon, but agreed to assist me (very expertly) with a sales table in the dealers room. After considering alternatives like air or bus, we decided on a scenic, day-long drive through New York State as part of the experience. This proved well worthwhile, giving us a glimpse of the stunning Adirondack Mountains area after we crossed into the U.S. at the beautiful Thousand Islands. (It almost sounds Tolkienian, doesn't it? Rather like The Thousand Caves of Menegroth...)

All in all, it was a very enjoyable time at the campus of Central Connecticut State University. We arrived during a monsoon-worthy thunderstorm, but as everyone who lives in this part of the world knows, it's been a remarkably stormy spring and summer; cooler than average but generally very pleasant (and featuring many memorable sunsets). For us it's been nearly perfect, with the minimum of stale, humid swelter one normally must endure.

Featured at Mythcon for me were my 08 slide presentation, two concert performances, and the sales from the dealers room of CDs, card sets, prints, and calendars. While the first concert was of my serious music (similar to the one in Germany), the 2nd featured fellow musicians/singers Lynn Maudlin, David Emerson and Anne Osborn. Together we gave a comedic performance of The Lord of the Ringo, a spoof based on the trivia that The Beatles seriously considered making a film of LotR in the mid-60s (yes--mind-boggling). Mike Foster and I took the idea forward based on the embryo of it as conceived by Mike and David a few years back. The idea is/was to alter various applicable Beatle songs to LotR lyrics, all to comic effect. As performed with Mike, me and my brother Bruce in 2006 at The Gathering of the Fellowship 2 (Toronto), we and the audience had a blast. Sadly, Mike himself was unable to join us this time, due to combined circumstances, but we gave our all in his honour. 

Work and Leisure

This summer I have been busy working on several pieces. Adding to the 13 castle paintings completed by March (for the George R.R. Martin companion book The Complete Guide to the Ice and Fire Universe; Random House; Sept. 09) I painted The Twins in May-June. Later in June I managed to fit in a vanity piece: My car illustration mania needed something to accomplish, so I decided to do a 1962 Pontiac Parisienne Coupe for fun. It's among my nostalgic favourites, and I never felt I'd done the car justice in the past. I'd been toying with the idea since acquiring some new/old illustrated brochures a bit earlier, one of my hobbies. I felt I wanted to research the car as carefully as possible, so I got hold of a GM (General Motors) paint chip sampler from the year, and also  managed to locate an actual car in rural Ontario (with uncanny luck; a needle in a haystack if there ever was!) during a weekend away in the backroads. Colour? I selected Honduras Burgundy Metallic.

Since then, I all but completed the Pontiac, and also did a red 60s Mustang semi-sketch in gouache for a friend. In between, I created a Tolkien piece on commission called Gandalf Returns, as well as more recently, Frodo and Haldir in Lothlorien for the same private client.

Along with these works, I'm currently working on the now-in-progress painting Eagles to the Carrock (I'm inclined to focus more on The Hobbit nowadays). Aside from these ongoing works at the studio, and as hinted at above, I've gotten much inspiration from various weekend day-excursions with Marian, along with our camping trip in late July. It's all about piling our stuff into the ol' car and leaving the domestic stress behind as often as possible. We've explored areas in/near the Madawaska Valley to the northeast, rural splendour in Ontario's farming heartland (Holland Marsh; central western Ontario and my home town Goderich), Muskoka (forest, lakes and cottages) for a family reunion, and the aforementioned camping, which was a return to the Lake Huron shores and the Bruce Peninsula, and the clear waters of Georgian Bay. Along with excellent luck weather-wise (including one overnight storm--but every camper wants THAT), it was a chance to compare notes on places both of us have visited separately, but could now appreciate together. As often as possible, we took photos, sketched, and drove nearly randomly along scenic, forgotten roads. Often there was a sublime calm as the sun slanted towards evening. We both feel very lucky indeed to live in a place with such a wealth of beauty within a day's travel.

Next--and it'll be the final Big Trip of 2008--we're off to Oxonmoot later this month. I'll report on that sometime before Christmas with luck...!

At present I am in the midst of painting a newer version of a work published in the 2003 Two Towers Tolkien Calendar called The Stranger in the Forest. I'm calling the new work simply Gandalf Returns; it is a private commission, and will show this key scene from a different vantage point. It will be followed soon by a painting depicting Frodo's first full view of Lothlorien from a flet, looking toward The Great Tree of Caras Galadhon.

At this date I am waiting for confirmation of additional castle illustrations for the George R.R. Martin concordance project I have been involved with since this time last year. The original commissioned series of thirteen works was completed in early March, and the originals were exhibited in England at my exhibition (see blog entry 'Castles and Conviviality'). I will inform readers of news on the book's publication as soon as I know more; I believe it is to be released sometime later this year. 

I have also been toying with the idea of doing a new car painting; simply a vanity project. I've always liked the 1962 Pontiacs, and the official advertising illustrations, and hope to steal some time in the next few weeks to create a '62 as new homage to the genre. 

As these and other works are completed, I will try to post them.

Lastly, I have just signed off on the colour proofs for the 2009 Tolkien Calendar, so remember to look for it and the accompanying Diary when they are published this summer. The Diary will feature a piece written by me about the illustrations, along with a few of the colour roughs. That's it for now!

We were also very pleased to have been able to display a small number of important artifacts courtesy of Chris Tolkien of nearby Evesham. Chris is the grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien's brother Hilary, and still operates the family garden nursery business. He kindly loaned us copies of letters and other memorabilia, allowing visitors a glimpse into this largely unknown aspect of Tolkien's life. We thank Chris sincerely for his time, interest and support.

The 'conviviality' of the title refers of course to the meals and general 'pubmooting' we all enjoyed so thoroughly after hours. The Bell Inn (aka The Prancing Pony) again was the venue of choice for our special Saturday evening dinner, along with less formal gatherings the other evenings.

The 'castles', on the other hand, are the subject of the newest paintings of mine being featured. These non-Tolkien works will be published in a book to be published soon titled The Complete Guide to the Ice and Fire Universe. It will be a concordance for the 'Song of Ice and Fire' novels by George R.R. Martin, arguably among the greatest post-Tokien fantasy writers alive.

This exhibition included two additional artists besides me and Ruth Lacon; Georgia-based Jef Murray and Cornwall-based Roger Garland. Jef's distinctly colourful Tolkien works in oil nicely complimented the other work, and we appreciated having him and his wife with us. Roger Garland's extensive variety of limited prints of his well known Tolkien illustrations rounded things out very nicely. We were disappointed that Roger was unable to attend on the Sunday as planned, however, but a volatile weather system bringing snow and dangerous driving conditions in its wake blew through early Sunday morning, unfortunately.

It takes a team of helpers, both paid and unpaid alike, to put on such an event, and I wish to thank you all very much! Most of all, thank you to Andy Compton as always for his organizing, generosity, promotion, and so much hard work in order to prepare this extraordinary event. And for his goodwill, humour, patience and overall passion and devotion to the promotion of Tolkien-inspired arts and crafts. I believe I can speak for Andy and say we are all very proud of the interest and loyalty our events are generating in so many of you, and thankful for the steady patronage of our work that these exhibitions help generate. See you next time, I hope! 
 

It was duly attended by some 30 of our loyal members, friends and supporters the afternoon of Sunday Nov. 25th. Drinks in hand, we began by sitting down to a delicious, hobbit-worthy meal of roast lamb and trimmings, followed by 3 or 4 choices of dessert/sweet (decisions!), all at the historic Bell Inn, local contender as the (certainly an) inspiration for The Prancing Pony itself. We then re-congregated for the meeting proper, discussing sundry items of significance, and clarifying plans for a spring exhibition at Redesdale Hall nearby. It is provisionally set for April 4th, through 7th, 2008, and will be expanded to include the lower floor of the Hall, mainly for dealer and demonstration areas, and will also introduce some other new features. I will announce these details closer to April.

I can tell you that the upcoming exhibition will include the new castle paintings I am currently creating for Random House. These are illustrations of a series of fictional castles belonging to the aristocracies of author George R.R. Martin's imaginary realm of Westeros. (Those works which have been completed are now available for viewing here on my site.) I will also include any other new works I manage to create between now and then. I have a very full agenda in coming weeks, with completion of the castles being the first priority, along with some newly commissioned Tolkien works which I will announce as they come along in early 2008. 

Along with other reports, our meeting also included a reading of the two versions of the Riddle Game passage from The Hobbit, (thanks to Tess Venus), a new Tolkien quiz (thanks to Angie Gardner), and a performance by me of selected songs from The Hidden Door. Unexpected delays prevented my long time friend Alex Lewis and partner-artist Ruth Lacon from attending, regretably, but we trust they will return, and bring their gifts of music, scholarship, and art next time. Happily, we were not the only overseas members present; collector and enthusiast Joe Kraemer of Cincinnati, Ohio also arranged to be there as part of a UK-Spain business trip! All this contributed to a renewed sense of true Fellowship among us, as was remarked by Lyn Wilshire, and seconded by Angie and all of us.

Heartfelt thanks to Andy Compton for making the arrangements and composing the agenda, and also for being a constant, thoughtful and generous host during our stay in Moreton.
 

Calendar collector extraordinaire Phil Goss along with daughter Megan have generously volunteered their time designing it, and orders can be placed at: www.herenistrarion.org Here's the thing; the calendar will feature unpublished and recent new Tolkien artwork from me! Some of this art is presently available in limited edition giclee print form [www.adcbooks.co.uk], but this calendar, a first (but perhaps not the last), offers fans an affordable and highly collectible alternative. Thanks in advance for your support of my ongoing art, and the non-profit scholarly work of Heren Istarion.