"Snow White, Rose Red and Other Tales of Kind Young Women" - Online Launch Party May 1st 6pm AEST (Friday Australia/Thursday US)

If you're a longtime reader you know that we in the Fairy Tale Newsroom are longtime fans of Australian fairy tale writer Kate Forsyth, who has created an amazing collection of historical novels with specific fairy tales at their center [and we personally adore The Rebirth of Rapunzel: A Mythic Biography of the Maiden in the Tower (2016), which explores the Rapunzel tale-type throughout history and includes all sorts of wonderful creative expressions, as well as a research-based exegesis!]. It's also no secret that we are continually drawn to the magic photographic illustrations of Australian artist Lorena Carrington, so it's a given that any collaboration between these two magical women is a must for us - and we're about to be treated with their third!

The third book of the Long Lost Fairy Tales Collection, a collaborative series by Australian writer Kate Forsyth and Australian artist Lorena Carrington, is going to have an online book launch that anyone from around the world can attend!

The book is titled Snow White, Rose Red and Other Tales of Kind Young Women.

The previous two in the popular series are:

• Vasilisa the Wise and Other Tales of Brave Young Women
• The Buried Moon and Other Tales of Bright Young Women

All are available through Serenity Press.

We've included a small selection of popular time zone, times below to give you a start on figuring out how to block it into your calendar.
Australian Eastern Standard Time - 6pm FRIDAY night
USA PST (Pacific Standard Time) - 1am FRIDAY early morning (late THURS.)
USA EST (Eastern Standard Time) - 4am FRIDAY super early
UK London Time - 9am FRIDAY
Moscow, Russia Time - 12pm (noon) FRIDAY

YOU CAN JOIN THE LAUNCH VIA FACEBOOK
(click image or link below):

Online link:
https://www.facebook.com/events/2345942522374686/

OR MAKE YOUR WAY STRAIGHT TO THE ZOOM ROOM AT THE SCHEDULED TIME HERE
(no Facebook required! Click image or link below)::

Online link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7588848380

Publisher's book description:

An enchanting collection of little known fairy tales about young women who prevail because of their kindness and compassion.Snow-White & Rose Red save an enchanted bear from an ungrateful goblin Marushka is sent to find strawberries in the snow by her cruel step-sister but wins the help of the Twelve Months Ailsa climbs Mischanter Mountain to rescue her sister, armed with nothing more than her sewing kit and her parents’ blessing Reinhilda outwits a witch and saves her sweetheart.A kind henwife helps Morag find a home for her family with the help of a magic pot. Agnes and a young Romany woman together overcome the curse of an enchanted cupBrigid honours a promise she made, even though it takes her to theunderworld and back.With an introduction by Isobelle Carmody, Snow White, Rose Red & Other Tales of Kind Young Women contains tales fromGermany, Slovenia, Ireland and the Scottish Travellers.It will transform the way you think about fairy tales.

And here is a lovely sneak peek inside the covers!




Can you guess which fairy tales Kate and Lorena are retelling in this volume?
Hope to see some of you Friday at the launch!
(Or Thursday - whatever day it will be where you are!)
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A small selection of the many fairy tale books by Kate Forsyth:

 Fairy tale art - in book form! - by artist Lorena Carrington:

"South of the Sun - Australian Fairy Tales For The 21st Century" (Submissions Call & Crowdfunding)

Anthology cover design by Lorena Carrington

Once upon a time, Australians fell in love with fairy tales... and they never stopped! 

The formation of The Australian Fairy Tale Society [Est. 2013] marked a new era of fairy tale activity in Australia, that has gone from strength to strength, with local monthly "fairy tale salons" (known as Fairy Tale Rings) meeting in almost every state, annual conferences, a hefty, growing library of resources being made available for members and an ezine exploring old fairy tales and new fairy tale work in all mediums.

A LOT of best-selling fairy tale retellings the world over have come out of Australia (by Kate Forsyth, Juliet Marillier and Sophie Masson, to name just a few of many!) so it's only natural that the AFTS (Australian Fairy Tale Society) has been aiming to take that passion and evident talent, and create new - specifically Australian - fairy tales, as part of their mission. A uniquely Australian, fairy tale anthology is a goal the Society has been working toward since its inception and now we are on the cusp of bringing it to life. But there is a question that must be considered to make this happen:

What is an Australian Fairy Tale? 

This is a question South of the Sun explores. We are challenging assumptions that fairy tales are for children, are European, and must contain fairies and pale, passive heroines. Through stories, flash fiction, poetry and illustrations we are producing inventive, intercultural new Australian fairy tales for young adults and older fantasy readers.  (from the AFTS Pozible campaign page)

While the AFTS has provided a generous 'seed fund' to get things in motion, along with publishing partner Serenity Press, it's going to take a (worldwide) village to make it happen and they - we - could use your help. Please see the official call to arms (and call for crowdfunding help), to make the rest of this mission possible below.

The anthology has an auspicious start, with contributions from notable writers already, including:

• Sophie Masson, the French, Jakarta-born fantasy writer, recently awarded an Order of Australia for services to literature
• Carmel Bird, recipient of the Patrick White Literary Award
• Eugen Bacon, award-winning African-Australian writer
• Cate Kennedy, award-winning novelist and short story writer

And your work could be part of this historic anthology as well! With their ongoing mission to be inclusive, the AFTS has put out a call for submissions to new and emerging writers and illustrators, with the deadline now extended to DECEMBER 13th, 2019 (a reminder for ex-pats and those traveling, that the deadline is Australian time, AEST!) According to the guidelines, contributors do NOT need to be Australian or living in Australia BUT the pieces need to have "an Australian quality" about them. (See guidelines for details.) All accepted contributors will be paid.

Please see the AFTS website for submission details for the anthology HERE.

DEADLINE NOW EXTENDED TO DECEMBER 13, 2019!

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Check out the video below to see some of the beautiful styles of art that will be included, and to hear from some of the award-winning writers and contributors to date. (Hosted/narrated by photographic artist and author Lorena Carrington, who also created the cover for the anthology):

Our anthology, South of the Sun - Australian fairy tales for the 21st century, has embarked on an international crowdfunding campaign! https://www.pozible.com/project/south-of-the-sun-1

Tailored for YA + adult readership, rated G, it features original contributions by acclaimed guests, with lush illustrations, reflecting vibrant, intercultural inventiveness. 

Interested in reading more about the state of the Australian Fairy Tale?

You can find some helpful resources below!

• Anthology Website: https://australianfairytales.com/
• Definition of fairy tales by Dr Rebecca-Anne Do Rozario
• A relevant article - Introduction: The state of play in Australian fairy tale: Where to now? - by three fairy tale scholars: Dr Nike Sulway, Dr Belinda Calderone and Dr Rebecca-Anne Do Rozario, writer of our Anthology’s foreword
• Keep up to date with the AFTS Anthology news: on Facebook and through Pozible

May Gibbs on Creating Fairy Tales Out of the Australian Bush

The AFTS is close to wrapping their second annual conference and has been discussing May Gibbs' gumnut folk (among many other wonderful things). I recently saw this little presentation in which May Gibbs talks about how these beloved and iconic Australian bush fairy tales and creatures came to be.

Note: there have been a number of efforts to have Snugglepot & Cuddlepie (& friends) made into a movie but nothing has gotten past the development stage yet. I have a feeling things will get moving on this front again soon though.

Enjoy!

Aussies 'n' Fairy Tales Week: Bruno Torfs "Phoenix" Fantasy Garden

The fantastical sculptures of Bruno Torfs, nestled in a temperate rainforest garden setting in South-Eastern Australia, wowed, moved and inspired 1 000's of visitors from all over the world for over a decade, until, in the midst of a devastating national bushfire disaster in February 2009, amidst great loss of lives, homes, unique rainforest habitats and more, this beautiful garden also became a casualty. While it doesn't compare to the loss of life, losing great art is worth mourning in its own way and many of these mythic sculptures were lost forever.

While, at the time, I was concerned with family members there and fire fighting cousins who were battling against the odds (all of whom survived and got to safety) to hear of the loss of the Torfs' gardens affected me very deeply. (I'll explain why shortly.)

The Torfs family, who lived at the unique garden and gallery, managed to get to safety but lost their home, over 300 paintings and sustained great damage to the sculpture garden. Friends and neighbors in nearby Marysville weren't as lucky and lost not only their homes but their lives. The area remained in a state of emergency for quite some time. Miraculously escaping with his family, Bruno made a statement on his website, saying they would be salvaging what they could, with the intent of bringing another fantasy garden to life.

Here is one of the many video tributes showing the beautiful sculptures the garden contained before the fires swept through (The Torfs' website has a slideshow as well):

Below are some images of what Bruno and his family found once they were allowed back into the area afterward.

From the website: The slideshow (below) is the bonus extra feature in the new edition of the award~winning 30 minute documentary of Bruno's Art and Sculpture Garden. (You can order the DVD HERE.):

And here is a video of Bruno's new garden, nearing it's basic completion (with new works being added all the time):

Though I have long loved the classics and fairy tales of European, Celtic and Russian influence in particular, there was always a part of me that yearned to integrate that mixed-heritage fantasy 'sense' into the landscape I love of Australia, especially the forests and rainforests.* One of my (now shelved) multimedia projects was an attempt to approach classical fantasy from a unique Australian perspective in a very organic way. It wasn't just a story or novel but included an artistic exploration of the images so people would literally 'see' what was in my imagination. I had planned to come back to Australia at some point to build a fantasy garden project with the dream that the concepts and characters in it would eventually make their way into film and/or animation.

I hadn't heard of Bruno's Art & Sculpture Garden till after I had been working on it for a while and couldn't believe the images I was seeing. It was as if he'd dreamed the same dream then brought it to life in his own way. It seemed uncanny. I nearly cried for joy to see such imaginings had become reality and gladly put aside the project in hopes I would travel to see it before doing any more. When I heard of the tragedy, the loss felt personal, though I had never met Mr. Torfs or his family in person.

Three years ago, the pieces that were salvaged and repaired, along with new works, were placed into a new garden and the Torfs' wonder forest was opened, once again, to the public.

A new "Phoenix Edition" of the original coffee table book of Bruno's art and sculptures was expanded and published after the tragedy. It now contains the story of the fires, the rebuilding as well as photos of the many wonderful works that were lost. You can order a copy (and support his work) HERE.

Bruno Torfs grew up in South America (you can see the influence in many of his sculptures), only moving to Australia as an adult but he clearly has a connection with the land and much of his work has the essence of the Australian Dreamtime stories as well. It's no surprise to hear he now calls Australia "home" and we are very glad he does.

Below are some of the restored and newer sculptures now greeting visitors, of which I sincerely hope to be one, one day.

*Perhaps it runs in my blood. My Nanna's aunt - May Gibbs - had the same desire and created the well-known and loved characters of Snugglepot & Cuddlepie.

Aussies 'n' Fairy Tales Week: Spike Deane, Mythic Glass Artist

New Stories From The Old Wood

UPDATED 1:18am on Friday, June 13th, 2014: Spike Deane's Into the Woods stop motion animation video added!

First up on the Awesome Aussies working in fairy tales list is the truly amazing Spike Deane. (All images shown throughout this post are of Spike's beautiful work.)

She also has a lovely way of introducing people to her art. Here's the introduction sheet from the AFTS (Australian Fairy Tale Society) Conference:

The AFTS (Australian Fairy Tale Society) presented an exhibition of her work in slide form during the Inaugural Conference on June 9th this week, and though Spike was overseas at the time and couldn't be there, she presented the AFTS with a very special and lovely key ahead of time, which was on display on the donor acknowledgement table:

AFTS key presentation

I have been meaning to highlight her work for some time and it is a disservice to you all that I haven't (my sincere apologies for that), because Spike's work is beautiful, mythic and uses a very special medium: glass. She also uses other mixed media, sometimes as part of her glass work as well, including (be still, my heart), stop motion animation! I am in serious AWE.

Check this out:

From the description:

Spike's main exhibits to date reflecting her fairy tale inspiration are:

• The Forbidden Chamber (based on Bluebeard and Fitcher's Bird)
• The Wolf I Knew Would Lead Me... (inspired by the transformational woods of folk and fairy tales)
• The Woodcutters Daughter (representing the many stories that begin with "Once upon a time there was a poor woodcutter..." - see her website for pics)
• New Stories From the Old Wood (representing transformation and metamorphosis in stories, using the age old fairy tale favorite symbol of the tree and the many-antlered deer)
• Fairytale Landscapes (small scenes in glass with a silhouetted fairy tale figures

And she's currently working on a wonderful and completely delightful Selkie project. I heartily suggest checking out her blog where she's been kind enough to share the process of design and casting - it's like magic, where you can see all the hard work and are still wowed.

Casting and experiments in selkie heads

Spike was kind enough to give me some insight into her inspiration and how researching fairy tales and folklore are part of her process. She sent me a wonderful letter that I will share most of, since I can see it reflected in her work so well:

My work draws on narratives found in folk and fairy tales to explore themes of individual transformation and metamorphosis. These tales evoke archetypes, myths, legends and fundamental truths from our lived experiences as social beings in an ever changing world. Each generation re-imagines the core stories of folk traditions and it is this process of reinvention and renewal that underpins my work.

Breath of the Wolf In My Ear

 

The retelling of folk, fairytale and myth in literary fiction is the mainstay of my inspiration and research. My house is stuffed with books, many of which are fantasy novels, and these new stories I believe stem from the archetypes and themes found in folk and fairytale. I love reading and the process of sifting and dreaming through someone else's (or lots of someones) words and ideas is an integral part of my artistic practice. Lucky me. 

(Ms. Deane's Artist Statement is continued below The Forbidden Chamber presentation...)

The Forbidden Chamber

*******************************************************

"The Forbidden Chamber" by Spike Deane

Human beings are story tellers.

My work draws on narratives found in folk and fairy tales to explore themes of individual transformation and metamorphosis. These tales evoke archetypes, myths, legends and fundamental truths from our lived experiences as social beings in an ever changing world. Each generation re-imagines the core stories of folk traditions and it is this process of reinvention and renewal that underpins my work. With this piece I examine tales like those of Bluebeard and Fitcher's bird where a terrible secret lies behind a forbidden door.

In folklore and fairy tales the key can denote liberation, knowledge, the unravelling of mysteries or a difficult task to accomplish. In these stories I see the key assisting us on a path of revelation, unlocking secrets that reveal truths that enable personal growth and transformation. 

*******************************************************

(Spike Deane Artist Statement cont...) 

Currently I am making towards a body of work based on the legends and stories of the Selkie. The melancholy stories express so many of the tensions that exist in close relationships while using the seal skin as the focal element of transformation. My Selkie works will fit into the broader theme of 'Depths & Shallows' with 2 other glass artists and the show opens at M16 Artspace in Canberra on the 31st of July. 

I would have to say for fairytale analysis I am most definitely in camp Zipes. I have many of his books, bristling with markers. His idea of the 'hopeful journey' really strikes a chord with my sensibilities.

Fairytale Landscapes

Into the Woods

Look at the shadows! 

Most recently I have completed 2 pieces based around the mythical archetypes of the stag in the woods. 'Midnight grove' a lighted work is on show at Kirra Galleries in Melbourne until the 30 June.

Talia Lamp

I owe a great debt to Heidi Anne Heiner of Surlalune whose fantastic website has been a great help to me over the years and also to Ink Gypsy who keeps me up to date with the current fairytale world. Thank you.

Fairytale Landscapes - Aschenputtel

You're so welcome Spike! I'm thrilled to be of help; it truly is an honor. And it's now my aim to see some of your pieces in person. And we cannot wait to see the Selkie! Thank you for sharing your vision and talent with us all.

Fairytale Landscapes - Red

Fairytale Landscapes - Talia

Isn't she just amazing? As wonderful as these little images are on the web, I can only imagine how much more impact they have in person.

The Wolf I Knew Would Lead Me...

For my regular readers, I'm adding the Depths & Shallows show to the new Fairy Tale News Calendar, which is at the top of the page in the tab menu, in case there's a chance any of you are able to go.

There are many more pictures of Spike's work on her website, as well as a wealth of beautiful "in progress" photos on her blog (it's fascinating to see the creation of these pieces!).

Spike Deane's website is HERE, her blog is HERE, and her Twitter is HERE.