Realm of Froud

Around the bird feeder

2012-02-25T10:49:00.000-08:00

We feed the birds all winter – seeds and peanuts – breadcrumbs and suet. We have so many kinds of birds coming to the garden feeders that it’s hard to keep track of them all.

We had no idea that we were also feeding the faeries until I saw this small flock of them on the peanut feeder. Who knew they liked peanuts!

They are becoming quite bold. I caught this cheeky one staring in the kitchen window. She obviously saw me looking at her.

Finding the Cat Flap

2012-02-22T23:17:00.000-08:00

We had a busy weekend taking part in Animated Exeter. On Friday night Brian and I introduced a screening of Dark Crystal at the Exeter Picture House and then stayed for a question and Answer session afterward. It was a sold out event and just great to see so many people interested in the film. The weekend before that, we were in Plymouth for a screening with Q&A of Labyrinth. To witness the perennial life of these two films in both the U.S. and the U.K. is wonderful indeed.

Last Saturday morning I gave a two hour lecture/demonstration – again for Animated Exeter – in a wonderful, medieval building on Cathedral Green in Exeter. I was expecting around twenty five people, which is the number I usually suggest because it’s easy for everyone to see what I’m doing, so was rather surprised when fifty people filed into the very small, very old and rather dark room to watch me sculpt and fabricate a figure. We found seats for everyone eventually and I stood up for the whole demo so they all could see. It actually worked quite well and from the comments we’ve had both at the time and on the facebook page, I think everyone enjoyed it. I certainly did. I don’t always like my demonstration creatures at the end of a session - sometimes, because I’ve had so little time to develop them, they just don’t come together as well as I would like, but this time, I knew I needed to finish him at home.

I just completed him this afternoon. As soon as I was finished, he decided that he wanted to explore so I let him go and followed him to see what he would do. He found the cat flap in the kitchen door and climbed through it. Before he walked away, he turned back, looked through the flap and waved at me - then he was gone. I hope he doesn’t stay out too long. I hope he can find his way home again before dark. It’s raining and I can hear the neighbor’s dog barking!

I’ll be giving another demonstration in Glastonbury at the Avalon Faery Fayre on the 11th and 12th of March (I’m only giving the demo on the 11th). Brian will be giving a lecture as well on both days. We’re looking forward to that. I’m going to see if I can make the new creature ( I don’t even know his name yet) a friend to go adventuring with - that is -if he returns!

Archive Photos

2012-02-08T10:02:00.000-08:00

I was tidying my studio the other day ( rare indeed) and I came across a folder of photos that I hadn’t seen in years! Lots of Dark Crystal photos and some Labyrinth ones as well. Since we are going to be introducing both films in the next two weeks, I thought it might be a nice time to share some more of these archive photos with you all.

Jim Henson gave a huge masked ball in New York the Spring before we shot Labyrinth (which we shot in the U.K.). Brian and I got to test out two of the masks we were making for the ballroom scene and I’m wearing a dress I had made for this ball in particular. It’s turned up in Brian’s paintings since. So - this was pre-Labyrinth Ballroom, but with that scene in mind.

Here’s a picture of the two of us in the Dark Crystal workshop in Hampstead. Brian is looking really bemused but I have no idea of what we were looking at. I expect there were many moments like these!

These three photos are of some of the Dark Crystal creatures. It’s interesting to see them on a plain background, by themselves. They are so beautifully made and the detail is just astonishing. In the film, of course there is really no time to study any of the creatures that flash by so quickly. I don’t know for certain who made any of these - it wasn’t me!

I Heard a Little Noise

2012-02-02T20:43:00.000-08:00

I heard a little noise outside the kitchen door this morning and I looked out to see what it was. At first I couldn't see anything, but then I looking down I saw this little fellow on the doorstep. He climbed up to the window ( the very dirty window!) and knocked on it with his spoon. He obviously wanted to come in, so I opened the door and in he ran. I watched as he sniffed the air and then climbed on to the counter by the stove. He pushed and pulled cans and jars around to make steps for himself and then he climbed up and dipped his spoon into the soup I was making. It seems that this was all he wanted, and he left shortly after. The weather is SO cold right now, he probably just needed something to warm himself up. At least he brought his own spoon.

Little Trolls acting rather Strangely

2012-01-31T08:33:00.000-08:00

When I went outside yesterday, I found the little trolls acting rather strangely. They were looking up at the sky and then as quickly as they could, gathering up leaves and covering the flowers they had uncovered a few days before. I wondered what it meant until this morning when I woke and found snow covering the ground. This is really the first snowfall we have had and the trolls obviously knew it was coming. I think they can smell it in the air.

I went out later this morning and caught them playing in it. They work hard in the garden but they certainly like to have fun as well!

Lifting January

2012-01-28T10:44:00.000-08:00

As we come to the end of January it feels as though the heavy cloud of “what ever it was” is lifting. Maybe it’s because the days are really beginning to get longer and the light feels and looks different as well. The birds definitely think it’s Spring. Anyway … what ever it was isn’t as bad any more. Thank goodness! I should remember from year to year though. It always feels like this in January whether we’re snowed in or not.

I just ventured out into the garden and found these two small trolls busily at work, helping the spring flowers to shed their layers of dead leaves. I followed them for a few minutes as they went about their business. They seem to take great pleasure in what they do. They may be a bit like groundhogs. When they come out to help the flowers, then spring has truly come. Having said that, it will probably snow tomorrow! I don’t know if they have to see their shadows or not. They might have seen them today since it’s quite beautiful and sunny.

The January Doldrums

2012-01-20T23:20:00.000-08:00

I wish I had more to write about this week. It’s not often when it seems that nothing in particular has happened but this week there isn’t anything terribly exciting to report. It must be the January doldrums.

The weather has skipped January altogether and decided to step right into the end of February. I’m not complaining. It’s lovely to be able to see flowers everywhere - but it’s a bit weird, just waiting for winter to remember that it hasn’t finished its time here yet.

I’m having the problem that I would guess, all creative people have occasionally - that is, just not wanting to DO anything. I don’t want to sculpt -I don’t want to write. What I really want to do is sit in front of the TV and eat chocolate but there isn’t anything I want to watch on either. See? - doldrums. Until they pass, I’m just going to read murder mysteries and drink tea.

They will pass. I’ve promised myself that I’ll start working again next week, so I only have two more days to be grumpy and aimless. I think I can manage that. My studio is covered I drifts of things I haven’t put away yet -new clay, new paints and new brushes -all ready for the start of new projects. And I DO have new projects to be getting on with. Brian and I are both going to be busy next month, mostly in Exeter and Plymouth, doing things with Animated Exeter and the Peninsula Arts group. We are excited about that and I’ll tell you more in my next (exciting) post.

We did take a walk today and I looked for interesting things to photograph but even our wonderful landscape didn’t inspire. The sheep looked sinister and there were flocks of birds around that just heckled from the trees. No ponies or highland cattle. Terrible really.

I think the faeries are all still away doing something else. Or, more likely, I’m just not in the right mood to communicate with them.

Anyway - here are some four thousand year old ruins for you that we saw today - from the time of the “Beaker People”, and a really interesting tree and wall - sigh. I’ll have more next time, I promise!

New Year full of Great Expectations

2012-01-05T10:06:00.000-08:00

We begin this new year full of great expectations. We’ve decided that we are going to embrace what ever comes our way with open hearts and minds. There is much wonder to be experienced and much joy to spread as far as we can.

Toby, Sarah, Brian and I sat in our house on New Years Eve and thought about all of the new years we’ve shared there and all of the new years that the house has been witness to in the hundreds of years it stood and sheltered people before we arrived. The room seemed absolutely full of the spirits of the past and who knows -perhaps the future as well, both human and otherworldly, and we celebrated with them all. Our hope is that this house will continue to stand and be witness to many, many more years and hopefully centuries of people sharing and loving as we do -allowing this world and the Otherworld to co-exist happily and without too much mischief!

Happy New Year to you all.

This is a photo of the garland above the fireplace in our living room.

This is the traditional game of Monopoly ( Sarah won by a HUGE margin) and this is a New Years creature that we found enjoying the sunshine in the garden today.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T08:07:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from all the Frouds!

Solstice Greetings

2011-12-21T11:41:00.000-08:00

I’m writing this at sunset (or what would be if we could see the sun) on December 21st. Winter Solstice. The mist is rolling in off of the moor and drifting through the lanes and into our garden. On this longest night we are happy to be safe and warm by the fire in the living room, preparing for the holidays.

We have much to celebrate because Toby and Sarah are with us through the holidays and just into the New Year. We have been blessed with much more manageable weather this year -rain and mist but no snow or ice -but we are prepared to be snowed in with lots of firewood, wine, board games and chocolate. What more could anyone want at Christmas. Well, maybe a turkey.

We send Solstice greetings and blessings to everyone reading this. May we all be blessed with light and joy in the coming year.

I took this photo a few minutes ago, just before sunset. I thought it would be a perfect Solstice picture but when I got there it was even more perfect because someone had placed Holly at the base of the stone.

Here is how Buster prepares for Christmas. He is guarding all of the empty wine boxes we’re getting rid of. He can’t wait for wrapping paper.

It's Good to be Home!

2011-12-11T20:58:00.001-08:00

Well, we’re home at last after an absolutely wonderful five weeks away. We’ve done so many different things, most of which you will already know about if you have been following the facebook pages and the gallery and Henson sites as well. It truly touched our hearts to meet and talk to and with so many people in so many different situations. Thank you all for your support. It means the world to us.

On our first night in New York, staying with our wonderful friend Guy, we ordered in Chinese food that is our traditional treat after a long plane flight from England. It duly arrived and was consumed with gusto. We ended (as one does) with fortune cookies. As Brian read his, he burst out laughing and said ” well, this couldn’t be more appropriate!” It said “adopt an attitude of gratitude” -and that is just what we did, with such amazing results. Our trip was blessed in so many ways and we are truly grateful for it all.

But - it’s GOOD to be home! Our house was well taken care of as were Elfie and Buster, but the house missed us, the animals missed us and I think the house faeries did too. They haven’t played any tricks on us yet (I’m touching wood) and the house energy has been so welcoming -except for the boiler and radiators, all of which are making the house sound rather like a ghost ship creaking and groaning on the high seas. I woke this morning to the bedroom radiator sounding like an out of tune wind orchestra -interesting, but not appreciated at 6am.

We haven’t been out on the moor for a walk yet. We brought bad coughs and colds back with us so we’re staying warm by the fire and luxuriating in British TV. The weather isn’t cold but it’s very rainy and windy and isn’t the sort of thing you want to walk around in. So, we’ll stay in and get ready for Toby and Sarah to arrive for Christmas next week. We can’t wait! I may even do some dusting in their honour. Well -maybe not.

That’s it for now. But I’ll be writing regularly again now that I’m home.

Here are just a few photos from our time in New York.

1.This is obviously our preferred mode of transport. The wackiest stretch limo ride we’ve ever had -to the University of Connecticut and back, having visited the wonderful puppetry department there.

2.A moment of quiet before the gallery opening.

3.New York Magic - a beautiful carousel in Bryant Park

4. More New York Magic

5. My favorite view of the top of Grand Central Station

Writing while traveling

2011-11-13T15:50:00.001-08:00

Well, I’ve learned something. Writing while traveling isn’t as easy as I thought it would be - for me, that is. We’ve been in the states since the first of November, in New York, Baltimore and Michigan and the vagaries of internet connection, etc. have defeated me time and again. Never mind.

I did manage to take a few great pictures of festivities at FaerieCon that I’ll share with you. We had a wonderful gathering - meeting many old friends and making new ones as well. Our wonderful Gallery owner Heidi Leigh and her daughter Kristie, came as well, bringing catalogues for the exhibition and giving a talk on the show itself. We had such fun ushering them around the Bad Faery Ball and introducing them to the delights of the marketplace! Brian and I are always so happy to talk with people who come to the booth and the workshops.

My sculpting demonstration was a whirlwind of flying fingers and Fimo. Luckily, I had sculpted and cured a piece at home that I could continue working on so that in the end, a rather funny character emerged. I can’t wait to get her home and finish her. I might even finish her in New York if I have a day or two off.

We’re so excited about al of the events over the next few weeks. I’ll not talk too much about them here since you can now go to the Animazing Gallery website and facebook page and also our website (which is up and running again). Lots of info on all of these sites with links to everything going on.

http://www.facebook.com/RealmofFroud

http://www.animazing.com/

http://www.worldoffroud.com/

This is a week of rest for us after a few nightmare travel days. We’re spending time with family and friends in Northern Michigan. It’s wonderful. So very different form Dartmoor, but still, very beautiful with a special magic of its own. I’ve been spending time saying hello to the trees I grew up with. They’re getting ready to sleep for the Winter, but perhaps they know I’ve come to greet them anyway.

That’s it for now. We are jealously guarding our few days of vacation so it’s time to go and relax!

I’ll write again from New York – internet connections permitting.

Preparing for Our Travels

2011-10-31T23:02:00.000-07:00

This week has consisted of mainly getting ready to leave the house and come to the states. It’s always a struggle to go away. Buster and Elfie know what’s happening and they follow us from room to room looking worried.

But - even if it’s hard to leave, it’s exciting to think about everything we’ll be doing once we get there! (or “here”, depending on where you are and where we are,when you read this).

FaerieCon should be SO much fun. Please come and say hello if you see us there. Don’t be shy! I’ve stopped having anxiety dreams and am looking forward to the meditations, the demonstration and the presentations! Maybe it’s because I’ve packed everything up already and I know it all fits in my suitcase.

We took Elfie on his last treat walk on the moor today, so I’m afraid you get another photo of a stone hut circle. It’s again, a new one we hadn’t seen before, but yes, it does look just like a hut circle. . Sometimes I wonder if they were all very individual to look at when they were first built and in use, or if they were a bit like a modern housing development where everything looks alike. We’ll never know, but I like to speculate on how people thousands of years would have turned their dwelling place into something unique to themselves -if indeed they did.

I decided to make a Fizgig for Kira since she might be lonely. I’ve never made one before and to be honest, I had a harder time getting a ball of fur to look right than anything else I’ve done. Apologies to the original Fizgig - I think I’ve made a distant cousin. But perhaps Kira will like him anyway. Elfie liked him a bit too much and I had to rescue him after I took this photo.

I’ll try to keep up with this while we’re away. We’re doing SO much while we’re in the States this time. I’ll let you know where we are as we go through the month.

And just for you animal worriers - we have wonderful people house sitting for us so Buster and Elfie won’t be lonely and neither will any of the faeries that live in the house. I just had a thought - I wonder if outdoor faeries come in the house when the weather gets cold, like spiders do? Do the regular house faeries mind? So many questions -so few answers.

Happy Halloween, Samhain, Day Of The Dead, all souls, all saints and anything else you are celebrating this week!

I Promise I'll sculpt something in mashed potatoes or cheese

2011-10-24T22:18:00.000-07:00

I’ve been lying awake at night trying to remember everything I need to do before we leave for the States early next week. It’s sort of a nightmare waking or asleep and every time I think I’ve finally remembered everything and written it all down, something else pops into my head which sets off a whole new chain of things to remember! I woke this morning from a dream about FaerieCon in which I had forgotten to pack anything I needed for any of the things I’m going to be doing. It didn’t matter because I’d missed the workshops anyway! I haven’t had stress dreams like this in ages. If this is prophetic and I really DO forget everything, I promise I’ll sculpt something in mashed potatoes or cheese. (hmmmm-could be good!).

We drove down to Cornwall this past weekend. Bodmin Moor is very different from Dartmoor where we are. It’s (to me anyway) a much bleaker place but perhaps that’s because the wind was fierce and freezing. Actually, it can be very beautiful. There are some amazing prehistoric sites and evidence of tin mining everywhere. And ponies. There are always ponies.

Here is the ancient tree for this week. It’s in the gardens at Dartington Hall in South Devon and as far as we know, it’s one of the oldest yew trees in England. It is over 1500 years old -perhaps closer to 2000 years old. Standing under this tree is an experience that is almost impossible to put into words. It is SO very alive and watchful and absolutely “present” -if that makes sense. We were there this morning, standing under it, thinking about how many mornings this tree has seen. Staggering, when you think about it.

I was looking through some of Brian’s old sketchbooks and found two pages I’d never seen before. I wanted to share them because they’re charming and say a lot about how mischievous Toby was when he was two or three. Not that I’d forgotten, but it was fun to be reminded in sketch form!

And finally, a photo of Kira in our garden. It’s interesting to see her in scale with trees. She likes green!

That’s it. I’m going to go back to worrying about what to pack and what not to forget. That should keep me busy for the rest of the week!

Out on the Moor

2011-10-16T11:20:00.000-07:00

Well, thisweek galloped by -literally. I wasworking in my studio yesterday when I heard a strange crunching noise. Icouldn’t place it right away. I could tell that it was something coming up ourgravel drive, but it didn’t sound like a car and it didn’t sound like peoplewalking either. I looked out of my window just in time to see a heard of wildponies, about ten of them, walking up the drive and into the garden. They’requite light footed. It wasn’t a plodding sound like you would expect -more of a little tiptoe dancing sort ofsound.

I shoutedto Brian and we both ran out, arms spread wide, to try and chase them out thegate and back on to the lane. Luckily, we were in time to round them up beforethey had a chance to spread out and cause havoc. When we first moved to ourhouse, many years ago, I loved it when the ponies came in, but now, having seenwhat they can do, the charm has worn thin. The first time they came in, theyate all of the newly planted roses and left hoof prints and pony droppings allover the garden. They always look so very guilty, as if they know exactly whatthey’ve done wrong, when we chase them away. I wish I’d had time to photographthem, but it was far more important to get them out!

Here’s afine picture of Buster looking noble next to the stone lion creature. He knowshe’s handsome!

We’ve beenout on the moor again in the good weather. We came across this signpost. You’lljust have to imagine what goes on, on a “permissive” bridleway!

This picture is of a small stone circle thatis actually a ceremonial circle (as far as we 21^st century peopleknow) and not a hut circle where people lived. The stones are low andunimposing but it’s a strange place with strange energy. We always approach itwith caution because people still use it for various purposes. This looks like– well, I’m not sure really (but nothing bad as far as I can tell). Interestingpattern though. The stone trough in the middle is a focal point for much ofwhat ever goes on. I expect who ever put the coins there won’t mind a phototaken of them since they’re right out in the open. Hope it’s prosperity!

We havebeen meaning to visit Okehampton Castle for ages - since spring actually. Unfortunately, itcloses at the end of September and we’ll have to wait until spring again. Thiswas taken from the road just by the gate. It’s an interesting, very earlyNorman castle and it’s said to be haunted by Lady Howard who rides out in acoach with a headless coachman. Now that would be worth seeing. Or maybe NOT! Just a bit of ghoulish information for youall this week. I know it’s early for Halloween but why wait.

"My ladye hath a sable coach,

And horses two and four;

My ladye hath a black blood-hound

That runneth on before.

My ladye's coach hath nodding plumes,

The driver hath no head;

My ladye is an ashen white,

As one that long isdead.

"Now pray step in," my ladye saith,

"Now pray step in and ride."

I thank thee, I had rather walk

Than gather by thy side.

The wheels go round without a sound

Or tramp or turn of wheels;

As cloud at night, in pale moonlight,

Along the carriage steals.

I'd rather walk ahundred miles

And run by night and day

Than have the carriage halt for me

And hear the ladye say:

"Now pray step in, and make no din,

Step in with me and ride;

There's room I trow, by me for you,

And all the world beside.""

Dartmoor Archaeology

2011-10-09T22:08:00.000-07:00

OK - here’s your bit of Dartmoor archaeology for the week. I know, I know, these hut circles all sort of look alike in photos -but they really don’t at all. Each one is SO individual; the rocks chosen with such care and attention to shape and size. Walking among the remains of dwellings that are at least two to three thousand years old is a moving experience. It always gives me a sense of peace and hope; for if these circles have lasted that long, and weathered the storms both natural and man made that have swept this country for all that time, then maybe they’ll last a little bit longer. Long enough for my descendants to come and marvel at them as well. The pictures here are of hut circles in Fernworthy Reservoir that are usually below the water. They only are visible when the reservoir is low, as it is at the moment. My romantic soul loves the fact that they are hidden for so much of the time and then all of a sudden they just appear on the shoreline. There is another group of hut circles higher up the hillside that also come and go with the changing seasons. In the early spring, when Brian and I went walking there, the circles were absolutely bare and exposed, with only short grass around them. Now, at the beginning of autumn, they are completely hidden; covered in tall grass and bracken. If we hadn’t seen them early in the year, we would never have known that they were there at all. It just makes me wonder how many things there are; right under our noses that we just don’t see?

The single standing stones are also aspects of the landscape that seem to come and go, sometimes exposed and sometimes hidden in the yearly growth of bracken, brambles and grasses. The stone on the hillside is one that we see most of the time -it’s very exposed; but the one amongst the trees is a new discovery – for us anyway -I’m sure lots of people have always known about it. But that’s the fun of personal discovery - it doesn’t matter how many others have found something before you -it’s always amazing to discover something new for yourself.

On the way home, I saw what looks like a bit of prehistoric something -but really, it’s probably the last remnants of a medieval barn. Looking at the opening -gateway, doorway, what ever it is - makes me wonder what would happen if I stepped through. Of course you can see right through it, but -what if it’s really a doorway to another world? I may have to go back and find out.

We rearranged the furniture in the upstairs hallway, which meant moving all of the dolls and models to a new home. This is where they ended up for the moment. It’s a troll, role call. Most of these figures were photographed for the book.

I have the feeling I’m forgetting something important I wanted to tell you -hmmmm. Well - it can’t be helped. I was sidetracked by the standing stones and whatever it was will just have to wait until next time.

Clear Skies & Desk

2011-10-03T17:43:00.000-07:00

We’ve had a glorious week of sun and warmth! It’s been better than the whole summer. And the best part of it was that we really didn’t have that much work on so we were able to get out and enjoy it a bit.

I went out looking for “Amanita Muscaria” ( I think that’s how it’s spelled) mushrooms to photograph for you but they don’t seem to be around yet. They are the archetypal fairy toadstool - red capped with white spots. Usually we have loads of the down by the river, but apparently not yet this year. And no - we DON”T eat, smoke, ingest them in any way! We deal with faeries but we’re not crazy (well, we might be).

I took photos of these mushrooms that I liked the look of and thought were toadstools, but found out later were actually really good to eat. I’m not confident enough to pick mushrooms to eat.

Here’s Brian and Elfie out enjoying the sunshine, sitting on trees that form an old field border. They form into such wonderful shapes after so many years of hedging.

We’re coming to FaerieCon! You probably know that already. We really didn’t think we’d be able to attend this year, but it’s all working out really well. We’ll have lots of new things to share with everyone, about what we’ve been doing and will be doing in the coming year. The line up of artists and writers this year is wonderful. We’re looking forward to sharing panels and exchanging news ( and drinks in the bar after!) with everyone.

Nothing from my desk or worktable this week. It’s cleared and waiting for a new project. I’m going to have a little break now.

Letting Go & Moving onto the Next Stage

2011-09-27T08:37:00.000-07:00

Hello! Sorry I couldn’t write last week but I was delighted to leave you in the very capable hands of Toby. I think I’ll have to do more of that!

Things are finally slowing up a bit. We have the first draft of the Troll book in and we’ll see where we need to go from there. It feels good to have gotten it to this stage but letting go is always a real wrench. People often ask me if it’s hard to let a doll or figure go after I’ve made it, but usually, it’s a good feeling to know that it has a life somewhere other than our house. It’s the same with any project I suppose. Letting go and moving on to the next stage is always such a big step. I could change words, work on costumes, re-take photos forever and still never feel quite satisfied or ready to just say -OK, that’s enough now. It doesn’t get easier even though I feel like I’ve been working for about a hundred and ten years now!

Actually, I’m feeling pretty good. Brian and I went to a wedding this past weekend and danced into the early hours of the morning. Now, this isn’t something we do very often but every once in a while it’s just SO much fun! Paid for it the next day though.

I haven’t had the chance to wander on the moor at all recently so I don’t have many photos. It’s supposed to be lovely weather this coming week -better than anything we’ve had since spring, so Brian and I are planning to go out exploring somewhere tomorrow (If I can drag him away from the painting he’s trying to finish). The leaves are turning and the birds are gathering in huge flocks. As I think I said last time, it’s rather a relief to have autumn here now -and I DO love this time of year.

I’m showing you another very messy picture of my worktable. I wish I were neater. It would make things much easier at times, but I’m really NOT. And the worst thing is, it only takes about five minutes for my table to be in a complete state of chaos. No friendly elves ever come and tidy up for me in the night. I ask you -don’t I deserve a little help from an elf or two?

I’m not going to make this very long today. I’m in the middle of defrosting the freezer and so far I’ve uncovered a mammoth and a few ice age artifacts of unspecified origin. It’s always exciting and a little scary.

Just a bit of news. I’m going to be giving workshops in New York at the gallery for perhaps the two weekends before the exhibition opens. They will be one day workshops, sculpting a head (and hands probably) and finishing with painting, hair, detailing and what ever we can get done in that time. I’ll tell you more about it next week when I’ve worked out the details. I haven’t had the chance to do that yet. This is fun and not quite as hard or tiring as a three day workshop, but still with good results at the end.

I’m sending a picture of Buster dressed up. We have to make our own entertainment in the country. He didn’t like it very much so I don’t think I’ll try it again. He found it insulting, but he DID look pretty spiffy.

This is one of my favorite trees. It’s just up the lane and I’ve loved it for thirty years. It just gets more beautiful all the time.

That’s it. That’s me done for now. I hear the freezer calling.

Balance in Life - Toby

2011-09-20T14:19:00.000-07:00

After speaking with my parents, it’s become apparent that they are fully in the Land of Troll. My father was last seen wearing the troll hat in the garden again, holding a stick-like device, with three rocks strung underneath, moving in very odd patterns throughout the garden. My mother is currently trying to translate a very eager yet not quite coherent Troll. She's been trying to write his story down for many days but his language is very jumbled and he does tend to wander off topic very easily, and she’s had to make him 35 cups of tea with one sprig of rosemary, nettle, and just a dash of milk. He's settled himself in her wing back chair and is recounting his tail, so she may be there a while.

Therefore this week I will be writing instead of my parents. Oh, I’m sorry, Hello I'm Toby Froud, son of Brian and Wendy. I am writing to you from Portland OR, where my wife and I live. Even though Portland might be half a world away from England where I grew up, it certainly doesn't feel that far at times. The surrounding country side is beautiful with large old trees and moss covered rocks, mushrooms, berries, and an abundance of wildlife, and without a doubt Faeries.

I am currently working for a company called Laika, who created the film Coraline. I am working in their puppet department on the next feature Paranorman. My life has been lived out in miniature for quite a while. In addition to my work at Laika, I am currently working on pieces for the Animazing Gallery show this December in New York. I am extremely excited and honored to be a part of this show, it will be the first time my parents and I will have shown together.

With that in mind I’m going to put up a picture of a piece I call "Balance". Maybe for obvious reason he is named this; he takes a powerful spot on our mantle. Over the last year, he is the one creation I always come back to, look at, smile, an take a deep breathe. Balance is a very important thing in everyone’s life. We rush through life, through each day missing so much. He reminds me to stop for one moment and just look, maybe out the window or at the place around you and take it in. Believe me it doesn't matter if it’s a mess, mine usually is, but what matters is that you’re actually in it.

He stands in one place on top of a pillar up on one foot, but always ready to move with his arms out. There he stands smiling out at everything he sees, and he sees a lot. He is balance.

Here is the story for "Balance"

He started as a young thing, not quite knowing what to do or where he fit in. He could do a few things but none of them very well, and the things he could do very well, didn't seem too important. Everyone around him seemed to know they're path, and be able to walk, held high, knowing they're direction. He tried to be many things, moving quickly, which he was good at but not for very long, holding things up was pleasing but he would always try to hold too much and in the end drop everything. He tried to lay down and just be, but that wasn't for him, his fur got all matted, and his head got all damp. He wasn't sure what to do. So, he sat for a while, but was soon told to get up cause that’s what this guys job was already. He didn't know what to do, who to be, where to go, so he started walking. He walked and walked, first in circles then in lines, until he didn't want to walk any more. He found a stump and stood on it, as he looked he saw someone on another nearby stump standing proudly, but looking at him with scornful eyes. "Hey this is my job stop standing on that stump!" "But I like this" he replied. But he didn't want to move, he didn't want to have to leave. With that, he threw his right leg in the air and planted his left leg on the stump moved his arms in circular motions into the air and stopped, "There!" he said "now I am Balancing!, not standing", he stuck his tongue out, blew with all his mite, and then smiled. There he is to this day planted on one leg Balancing and smiling at the world, for he found his place, and the thing he was best at which no one could take from him.

-Toby Froud

Summer is Over

2011-09-12T08:19:00.000-07:00

Summer is over. I can’t say I’m sorry, since it’s been much of a nothing here. Brian and I feel better now that we don’t wake in anticipation of a bright, warm, sunny day, lazily stretching ahead of us, ending in a glorious sunset and balmy evening. Enough of that! It just never happened this year. So -here we are feeling Autumnal –and all the better for it.

We are still so busy working on the troll book that we haven’t had a chance to do much of anything else this week. The most exciting thing that happened was yesterday when Elfie caught a hedgehog. He’s done this before so you would think he’d remember -but no -he grabbed it and started running away with it before he realized that he had a mouth full of prickles. Brian and I spent the next fifteen minutes pulling them all out with tweezers. We now have a dog with a very sore mouth and a rather grumpy hedgehog somewhere in the garden.

We did recently grab an hour or two when the sun was shining to take a drive on the moor again. It changes so rapidly, from minute to minute, that there is always something new to see –or something familiar to see in a new way. These three photos are all different parts of the moor. The heather and gorse are in full bloom right now and the hills are covered in purple and gold. The little valley, hidden away near the base of a huge tor, is like a forgotten world in miniature -green and lush and secret. And finally -a road that goes right through what must have been a stone circle or hut circle at one time. I love the way the stones flank the road. It feels as though you are driving through a magical gateway when driving between these stones.

Brian’s sketch of the week is a small pixie like being. Sometimes the seemingly insignificant ones hold the most importance. I have the feeling he may be one of these and what ever it is that he holds behind his back is of great value -if only we knew what it was.

From my desk -just a photo of me sculpting hands. When I teach -the moment we get to hands is usually stressful for my students! Personally, I LOVE sculpting hands and feet. I always have. I try to pass this enthusiasm on to the class, but their reaction is usually to panic. Oh well.

That’s it. Back to work under grey skies and high winds. We’re getting the last of the hurricane wind -but it’s gentle compared to what it was on the other side of the Atlantic. So -Autumn, central heating, warm socks and hot tea. That’s my day.

Troll Spotting

2011-09-05T08:46:00.000-07:00

Happy Labor Day for those of you in the U.S. and happy Monday for therest of us.

I finally found the spotted ponies! They DO exist as you’ll see in thepictures. I came across this rather large group of ponies on Meldon Hill, nearour house. I know they’re just ponies, but I DO think they look quite magical!They weren't very cooperative when I asked them to pose for photos though. Ididn’t want to disturb them too much.

I spent the weekend teaching Armorel Hamilton, a doll maker friend of mine, to make hand puppets. Shehas taken doll classes with me and is a great “creature” maker but wanted tosee if she could turn them into puppets. We had a lot of fun and now have twonew crazy additions to our collections of creatures.

Brian has been busy as well. He discovered that if he wears this “TrollSpotting” hat, he has a much better chance of seeing trolls in the garden.Having said that -when ever he sees one,it’s pointing and laughing at him. Idon’t know - it seems like a perfectlyserious piece of troll spotting equipment to me.

This is the extent of our harvest of runner beans so far. It’s been alean year in the veg. department but we are expecting at least three more inthe near future. We also have about five ripe cherry tomatoes. All in all, just aboutenough to feed a group of not too hungry faeries.

Time to get to work. This is a piece I’m working on at the moment. It’snot for the book but I think it might be in the New York exhibition. I’ll knowmore about who he is as I get further along. I’m not quite sure what he’s doingyet!

Goblin or Tree?

2011-08-29T13:33:00.000-07:00

Just another little bit of writing here.

Every time I go out with Elfie for a walk -usually in the evening -I hope for something magical. Brian does too. I know this is just such an obvious thing, but for me, by expecting something strange or wonderful or beautiful to appear, I find myself seeing all of those things in places I wouldn’t ordinarily even think to look. Strange shapes and colors that are unexpected, a pattern of twigs on the road, a gnarled tree that looks just like some sort of creature - all of these things are either magical or not depending on your perspective. By magical, I don’t mean sparkle and “glamour” but I DO mean looking at things with an open mind and perhaps even more than that, an open imagination. Doorways to imagination are everywhere if we care to look. I really believe that nothing needs to be ordinary, overlooked or dismissed. So -here’s a photo of a really weird bit of tree that absolutely looked like a goblin when I took the photo. Looking at it now, I can either see a goblin or just a weird bit of tree. Really? I prefer to see a goblin. So there.

Here is Elfie looking exceptionally handsome. He sits in my chair, behind my back when I write at the computer. He was waiting for me to sit down and start writing as I took this photo.

And finally -a photo of Toby that’s got to be about 12 years old. This is from a dinner party with our great friends Todd and Carol and their children Lillian and David. Lillian is looking on as Toby puppeteers Filbert ( the Big, Dumb Orange Thing). Filbert was one of the first puppets Toby made. They’re quite a pair.

And from about the same time, a rather blurry photo of Toby on stilts with David.

No -Toby was never destined to be a brain surgeon.

We LOVE working together really! Upcoming Gallery Show

2011-08-24T14:01:00.000-07:00

I’m late in writing this week because I’m still recovering from falling “up” the stairs after tripping over Elfie (the dog) who was quietly lying in the dark on the landing, chewing on his squeaky shrimp. It was one of those falls that happen in slow motion but there really isn’t anything you can do about it. I’m still a bit bruised and limping now but carrying on never the less. The shrimp has been banished to the kitchen.

We are putting the pages of the Troll book together now and it’s been a true test of diplomacy and love -long periods of quiet, punctuated by shouts of “ you’re putting that WHERE??? - it’s a RITUAL object, NOT kitchen ware!!!” - along with -“What do you mean you haven’t photographed it yet!!!” and “ you TOLD me that was where it went!!!” and ending with “ aaagggghhhh”.

We love working together really!

We just took a short walk on to the moor this afternoon. It doesn’t matter how many times we go along the same roads -there’s always something new to discover. Today we found a hut circle that we had only seen from a distance before. Hut circles are such magical places. The idea that you can stand in the living space of people that were there two thousand years ago is always moving and quite humbling as well. These huts would have had stone walls and the steep, thatched roofs (rather like hats). I’ve been in a number of reconstructed huts both on Dartmoor and in Snodonia and they are wonderfully warm and cozy although I’m not sure I’d want to spend a harsh winter in one. It always amazes me that we can drive for less than a mile in some cases and find not only hut circle dwellings but ritual stone circles as well -right here. It makes it easier to bear a summer of cold and not much sun!

The picture of our roof shows what thatch looks like (and would have even a thousand years ago) and you can see the new patch on it that our valiant thatcher did in a huge rain shower the other day. Thatch is amazing and with a bit of care, can last even longer than a regular roof.

The roofs of the hut circles remind me of this drawing of Brian’s that I’ve found for this week. A conical hat (one of his favorite styles and very like the one he got at Faerieworlds ) that looks very like those roofs. The little guy on top has got to be one of those extremely annoying imps that hang around and do what ever damage they can before running away again. I think they lured Elfie and his shrimp onto the stairs -and they’ve been ruffling through the pages of the book as we try to make sense of it all. Very frustrating, but if you poke them, they bite. I’m sure that they are in cahoots with Buster (the cat). If that’s Brian in his hat (with imp) in the drawing, then I claim the lovely lady in the background.

This week’s picture of my desk is of a little troll that I’m just finishing for the book. He came together very quickly. Sometimes they just want to be born. I was working from a sketch that Brian handed me a few days ago and I could tell that he was ready to jump off of the page.

More news about late Autumn. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before but I’m going to be talking about it quite a bit from now on because we’re so excited about it. Brian, Toby and I are going to have a three -person show at the wonderful Animazing Gallery in New York this December - opening on December 1st (2011) and running until February 12th (2012).

We are going to be showing and selling original paintings and drawings by Brian and Toby and I will both have figures - dolls and puppets for sale as well. We are celebrating the 25th anniversary of Labyrinth (2011) and the 30th anniversary of Dark Crystal (2012) and all three of us will have work associated with those films in the show. We will also have other pieces and Brian will have paintings and drawings from many of his published books as well. It’s going to be a wonderful show! If you want to find out more about it, please go to the Animazing website for more info -it’s - http://www.animazing.com/gallery/pages/2011FROUD/index.html . I’ll tell you more about it and other events that we’ll be participating in around New York at that time as well. It’s going to be SO exciting!

That may be it for now. I’ll try to write more this weekend -depending on the state of the book, the house, our state of mind, etc!

Troll Team

2011-08-14T09:11:00.000-07:00

OK -revelation of the week. You have to hit the “return “ key to leave a facebook comment! Who knew? Obviously everyone except me. I’ve been blithely leaving comments on the site and wondering why they never show up. All I can say is thank goodness for Sarah who explained it all to me last night. I’ve begun to leave a few comments again with better luck this time -so if you were hoping for a comment and I didn’t respond -it’s very likely I did and just never sent it out into the realm that is facebook. As I said last week -I’m getting there slowly -I just didn’t realize quite HOW slowly! Oh well -I blame the faeries.

We’ve been extra busy working on the Troll book this week. Deadlines loom and we seem to progress by inches. I’m hoping that it only SEEMS like that. We must be making progress really! Brian has been photographing “troll artifacts” which has turned our kitchen table into something that looks like the aftermath of a strange but really interesting archaeological dig - If any of you know the program “Time Team (a favorite of ours) then this is ‘Troll Team”. Our neighbor came over to deliver some eggs (from the chickens we can see from our livingroom window) and she took one look at the table and backed out shaking her head -obviously not a fan of the strange and slightly worrying. Lovely eggs though.


We did have a day out. We try to take one day off a week and DO something apart from working. We are members of the National Trust, which allows us in to lots of Stately Homes, beautiful gardens, etc. and we’re determined to use our membership more often - so we’ve been exploring a bit. We chose Dunster Castle, which is in (aha) Dunster, near Exmoor and the North Devon-Somerset coast. It’s a beautiful, small town that those of you who watch Agatha Christie’s “Poirot” may recognize. Anyway -some pictures of Brian for you -even one that reminded us of Labyrinth. And palm trees -quite a surprise, considering it’s Exmoor (we do have them on the South Coast -hence the name “English Riviera”).

Here is the sketch of the week. We all know that children shouldn’t stick things in their ears - but that doesn’t seem to apply to Froudian creatures.


And some more nice Highland cows. I’m only showing you because I like them so much.



The sun just came out! This is quite an event. We haven’t seen it in a long time. Actually not seeing it makes having to stay in doors and work a bit easier -but, now that it’s here, I think I’ll take advantage of it and go for a walk with Elfie.

The Siren Song of the Studio

2011-08-07T09:34:00.000-07:00

Another week is ending and Brian and I have been working every day on the troll book. There are so many advantages to working at home but I think the biggest disadvantage is never really being able to walk away from work. The siren song of the studio is SO seductive (say that fast) and no matter where in the house we are, we can both hear it calling from our respective studios day and night. “Just one more bit of painting - just another adjustment on a costume” - and worst of all “-just one more look on the computer!”

When the weather permits, we take the car and drive out to the moor in the evening with Elfie (the dog) and just walk. It’s just about the only time that the call of the studio is silent. Having said that -we usually go right back and use what we’ve just seen and experienced in what ever piece it is we’re working on. I’m not complaining (no, really I’m not), I love being able to wander in to the studio at any time and pick up from where I left off earlier, without having to think about getting there or making time for it.

After talking about the spotted ponies I wanted to photograph, and not finding them again, I’ve been driving around, looking for interesting things to show you all. I went out by myself on a very misty early evening a few days ago and came across a herd of beautiful brown, shaggy, long horned cows. They just emerged from the mist at the side of the road. It’s always quite eerie to see animals walking through the mist. There are sheep everywhere too, but this one was nice enough to stand still while I took a photo from my car window - just before I almost drove into a stone wall as I was looking at the sheep. I did eventually find the spotted ponies again, but it was very late at night as I was returning from our monthly Faerie Godmothers evening in Chagford. It was far too dark to take photos of the ponies but at least now I know they DO exist.

If any of you remember a “Faerie Magazine” issue a few years ago that had six faery godmothers from Chagford in it - well, that’s us. We get together monthly to talk, eat, catch up on each other’s lives and send out healing energy. I highly recommend it! Every once in a while Brian gets to be an honorary faery godmother too -but then, he IS special!
Here’s a photo of Brian, taken this week when we went walking in the beautiful gardens of a stately home near us. The trees were absolutely enormous and the trunks beautifully twisted. They reminded me of the whomping willow from Harry Potter.

Brian took his troll sketchbook back to work from so I couldn’t steal a sketch from it this week. I scanned this drawing that I have pinned up near my computer instead. I’m never quite sure if this little creature is wearing a bathrobe and slippers or a trench coat. I’m inclined to think it’s a trench coat. Perhaps this is the Philip Marlowe of the faery world. I used to think he was the embodiment of my depression, (not Philip Marlow - this creature) but really - he’s much too cheerful (or perhaps I’m just not depressed). I now think of him as the faery detective. I haven’t actually asked Brian who he is. He’s probably something completely different, but I’ll just keep my illusions!

That’s it. Done. Here’s one more photo of Elfie sitting on a chair in our kitchen. He never sits on his haunches - he sits on his bottom with his legs stretched out in front. Cute but strange -but then what else would you expect from our household.

Time does Fly in the Country

2011-07-31T09:20:00.000-07:00

First of all I just want to apologize if I’m not answering questions or responding to everything. It’s all so new to me. I’m not really at all sure of what I’m doing. I have the feeling that every time I click on something I’m going to blow up my computer or wipe all the information. I know that wouldn't really happen but I’m still not confident. Sarah is doing a terrific job of helping me every step of the way and I’ll get there. I have no hope for Brian though.

Well -another week gone! Time does fly in the country. No -really it’s been taken up with just ordinary living -dentist, vet, puzzling out where the mysterious smell is coming from (a hidden dog bone) and trying to take walks on the moor in between rain showers. As I sit here, I can hear through the open window in my studio, the cawing of a raven. Looking out, I can see it wheeling over the trees. We’ve had a pair of them with a young one in the garden for the past six weeks or so. I don’t know how long they stay together but I think the young one is just about to go off on its own. We often see crows but these really are ravens. Quite exciting!

We’ve also had a large herd of ponies wandering the lanes recently. I’ve been trying to catch them on camera but they just seem to disappear when I go back looking for them. The reason I wanted to photograph them to show you is because there are three black spotted ones. Small black spots all over. They look like fairytale ponies. I know they’re out there somewhere and I’m determined to find them again! I couldn’t have imagined it now, could I!?

I have a few new photos for you as well.

First - a photo of my desk and the creature I’m working on at the moment. It’s a large troll woman for the new book we’re working on together. Her name is Mother Leap and sometimes she pricks up her ears and disguises herself as a hare in the meadow. There’s a reason for this but you’ll have to read what it is in the book. I find it so interesting and challenging to work on many different sizes of figures. She is about the size of a chimpanzee. Her head, hands and feet are sculpted in grey polymer clay, which is much more like plasticine in texture than flesh toned polymer clays. It’s quite brittle, which is the only drawback. I tend to mix it with translucent fimo just to give it more strength. The armature wire also has to be much heavier when working on such a large scale. I’d love to teach a class some day in fabricating large creatures. It’s SO different from the little ones!

We will be posing her in various ways for photos so she’ll have to be able to move freely and be strong enough to hold a pose. I think I’m almost there. I haven’t aged her down yet -she needs to look like she’s been around for a few hundred years so I’m going to have to spray her down with a mist of grey and some fullers earth -but she’s getting there. I wish I had a bigger desk!

Here’s Brian’s sketch of the week. He said it would be ok to use a troll sketch so here is one of the new troll sketches for the book. We think it’s going to be a wonderful combination of paintings, drawings and sculpted figures. A lot of work though -but fun.

The last one is a photo I took in our garden at night. There was a tiny garden light just shining on this flower. Looks like a faery to me!

Welcome to the Realm and Thank You to all who visit!

2011-07-23T15:58:00.000-07:00

Well, I have to say –we’re overwhelmed by the wonderful response to our facebook page! I know it sounds strange, but we really are always amazed (and incredibly grateful) that so many people believe in us. It’s kind of like believing in faeries. If you believe - we exist. We don’t fade away. So keep clapping and believing because we’re not finished yet!

I don’t really know what all we’ll be doing on this facebook and blog page but I DO know that I’ll write something for it every week. We’ll also be able to give you news of anything that happens from one week to the next. I think for the moment, I’ll just begin every weekend (I think we’ll post on Fridays or Saturdays) with a new sketchbook page from Brian and a few photos you all might like to see.

For all of Brian’s working life (about 150 years so far) he has kept sketchbooks that relate to whatever project he’s working on at the time. That means that right now, he is filling quite a few sketchbooks with pictures of troll and troll related things. I’ll probably have to ask his permission before I scan any of the troll sketches so I’m going to start with a sketch for one of the characters from “How To See Faeries”. Hats have always played a big part in Brian’s work. He loves them and owns quite a collection of them. They turn up in his paintings and photographs all the time. We’ve recently been reviewing some of the concept sketches of the Ballroom scene costumes from Labyrinth and again, hats are so important. So -here’s a “How To See Faeries” hat sketch. Brian was just given a wonderful molded leather hat at Faerieworlds that he absolutely loves and wears around the garden when the mood takes him. I’m sure the faeries enjoy seeing him wandering in the garden wearing it -and it’s useful because we are having a REALLY cold summer here! Even the faeries are shivering.

I know that some of you would like to see photos of where we live so I’m going to post some photos of bits of our house and garden as well from time to time. The long table that is covered with my dolls and models is in our downstairs hallway. The pieces I keep on it are almost all part of my permanent collection. Most of them have become a part of the family. They include Sneezle and Twig and some of the other characters from the Old Oak Wood series as well as others that I’m especially fond of. If any of you are familiar with that series of books or “The Art of Wendy Froud” you may be able to spot some of them here. The garden photos are just a glimpse of the garden in different seasons. The Bluebells in May are always wonderful and last winter the snow made the garden look completely enchanted (for the first few days - then it was a real pain). At the moment, it looks rather like a jungle -very green!

And lastly our dog Elfie and our cat Buster. The photos speak for themselves. I’ll just say that they are the same size and are best friends.

So - welcome to the realm! It’s just us, doing what we do and sharing a bit of it with you all.

One more thing - I know someone will ask -so - no new word on Dark Crystal two. At least if there IS any news, we don’t know about it yet!

I forgot - I just put two new pieces on the ESTY site. They are both little Sneezle cousins and they’re called “ Fishing for Bunnies”. If you go have a look, you’ll see why.
Froud Etsy Site

Ok - that’s it for now -back next weekend.
- Wendy