Wild Woodland - A characterisation of the best of us

Si has been as busy as ever, creating a series of animals for art and later for a series of products.

But as ever with Si, scratch the surface and there's a little bit more story to tell...

Deer - is the first work to emerge from this new look, a brand new series of strong colourful art created here in Hathersage in the Peak District.

It was great to set about a project that has been tickling me since I did the Owls project all those years ago. 

Step 1 - Write the words!

The deer silently, without asking for acknowledgement,

stands with great dignity, an oasis of calm in forest chaos.
The keeper of tradition and the woodland values of
sharing, support, love and kindness to all creatures.

The basic idea was to create a series of characters, traits and endearing animals.

The fox dreams of playful games
the woodland prepares itself for the dawn
as leaves rustle around her and 
the stars go to bed.

The essence of Wild Woodland draws down on a lifetime of woodland creature fascination, it pulls on a childhood of Wind in the Willows inspiration, and delighting in finding the humanity of all of us further to Si's Magic Forest project.

There are touches of the totem pole in this new forest, Si has taken Native American art as a starting point and the key sentiment of ‘we are all a little bit of a great many things’, to deliver a collection of Wild Woodland creatures, who take us on a exuberant joyous voyage through everything it is to be alive and human through their eyes.

Step 2 - The brief was to deliver a work:

1) in my own style 
2) that exuded positivity, 
3) that offered some kind of insight into how all of us 'take small elements of each other' to create a full character
4) a system that can provide a useful matrix for other applications and products
5) a range of smaller pieces of work that were independently fun to create and had that had something more to offer whichever way they were presented

Time will tell, and your feedback, whether this was achieved.

:I loved doing it, I hope you love it a little bit too."

The moth, it is told, is the oldest and the youngest 
at one and the same time. Eternally seeking light and 
spreading news of new dawns and hope. There is no 
dark where moth lands, only light and colour.

Wild Woodland is part of the Love Nature range of work by Si Homfray.

We look forward to seeing which products emerge from this series of colourful drawings.