You are invited to a gathering, tonight in the deepest woods. All are welcome. The spirits of the forest will meet you there. They are almost certain you will return unharmed, but you will be forever changed. Will you accept their invitation?
If you’ve ever felt the magical pull of the forest at night, this painting is for you.
I’ve always loved the kind of paintings you can get lost in, with lots of hidden details that emerge as you gaze into them. The longer you look, the more you see.
When I was little, I spent hours studying the illustrations in my storybooks, picking out animals, plants and fairytale creatures, like they were hidden treasures. There was a series of books here in the uk, they might have been in other places too, but they had a tiny ladybird hidden somewhere on every page. I have very fond memories of turning each page, excited to find each hidden ladybird.
I wanted to lean into that kind of experience a bit with this one. So rather than one central focal point, I painted a few little ghostly characters peeking out from the trees, like they’re eager to meet you, but also a bit nervous about being seen by the humans … a feeling I can wholeheartedly relate to!