Fairy Tale Art Exhibit: From Dark Wood to Happily Ever After (Incl. Art by Lisa Hunt!)

Friend of Once Upon A Blog, the incredibly talented and world-renowned tarot artist Lisa Hunt (who's work I've had the privilege of sharing before HERE), recently let me know she's about to be involved in a new exhibit of (contemporary) fairy tale art in Brooklyn. It opens this Friday - the 23rd of October, 2009. (All art included in this post is by participants in the show and included in the press release.)

The exhibit will focus on the "duality of fairy tales" - showing the dark side (of which many people remain unaware) juxtaposed with the dreamy, pretty side that comes to mind most often when people hear the words "fairy tale".

Persephone
by Kristina Carroll

[Aside: Incidentally, I've noticed that "fairy tale" is often spelled "fairytale" but that an unconscious separation seems to have occurred between the two terms. When the two words are joined, as in 'fairytale', the term is generally used to describe an ideal state or happy resolution to a story or personal experience. This single word, 'fairytale', now seems to be a part of modern day vocabulary and describes a state which has, ironically, not as much to do with "fairy tale/s" as most imagine. When I read 'fairy tale' as two separate words, the reference is most often to the actual tales and stories traditionally classified as 'marchen' or 'wonder tales'. I don't believe this distinction happens with any intent of distinguishing, except perhaps by fairy tale and folklore scholars/enthusiasts who insist on referring to fairy tales/stories with a two-word term. There's duality for you.]

The Frog Prince
by Kris Waldherr

But back to the exhibition. Here's an excerpt from the press release:

Fairy tales have a special place in our childhood memories. But did you know that these beloved stories were originally written for an adult audience? Fairy Tales: From The Dark Wood to Happily Ever After is an art exhibit which explores this surprising duality. It presents a wide variety of visual responses to fairy tales — from children's book illustration to fine art; from fantasy to graphic novels. The exhibit opens Friday, October 23 at Kris Waldherr Art and Words gallery in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn.

Kris Waldherr, owner and curator of the Brooklyn studio-gallery, says “This exhibit goes way beyond Disney to explore the rich complexity of fairy tales. I'm very excited to bring together such an illustrious group of artists for it." Waldherr is also an author-illustrator of many books, including Doomed Queens and The Book of Goddesses; she will have paintings from her picture books The Firebird and Rapunzel on display in the exhibit. Other artists in the exhibit include Kristina Carroll, Leela Corman, Mary Louise Geering, Lisa Hunt, Aram Kim, Amy Saidens, Carisa Swenson, and Karen Zuegner. All are Brooklyn residents except for Hunt, who lives and works in Florida.

Yay Lisa! Congrats on being included in what appears to be a wonderful exhibition!

Puss in Boots
by Lisa Hunt

Lisa says she feels honored to be involved. Here's a statement from the announcement on her blog:

I am so honored to be sharing artshow space with these immensely talented artists, each bringing a vision of Fairy Tale land that is uniquely their own. I will be having original watercolor paintings from the recently published The Fairy Tale Tarot (Llewellyn Publications) as well as pencil drawings from the book and limited edition prints showcased in this splendid collection of outstanding fairy tale works. This is a rare opportunity to see my original art and the work of others on display for viewing and purchasing. I have to tell you, I LOVE this gallery. It’s a treasure filled with books, art and endless inspiration. I was so lucky to have been able to spend some time in this beautiful sanctuary with my close friend and owner, Kris Waldherr. It felt so comfortable and lovely and was filled with this ineffable artistic energy that really induced feelings of creative satiation.

You can find the rest of the information on where, where, entry fee and books/prints etc available HERE.

Note: I will share more on Lisa's amazing work in a separate post, rather than make this one any longer. To have the chance to see her work (and the others) in person is something not to be missed if you can possibly manage it. The exhibit will run through the holidays and children are welcome.