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The Wren and Fairy Painting

Zoe Elizabeth Norman

United Kingdom

Painting, Oil on Canvas

Size: 15.7 W x 19.7 H x 1.4 D in

Ships in a Box

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Originally listed for $3,110

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ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Contemporary Impressionism. My painting was inspired by the old legend of a fairy/witch transforming into a Wren to avoid persecution. It's a very old English legend later adopted by the early Christian's and my local village of Wreningham is named after her. The wren is also known as "fairy bird": a portent of fairy encounters, and sometimes a fairy in disguise. The wren was sacred to Celtic druids, and to the Welsh poet-magician Taliesin, thus it was unlucky to kill the wren at any time of year except during the ceremonial "Hunting of the Wren," around the winter solstice. In this curious custom (still practiced in some rural areas of the British Isles and France), "Wren Boys" dress in rag-tag costumes, bang on pots, pans and drums, and walk in procession behind a wren killed and mounted upon a pole decorated with oak leaves and mistletoe. In some areas, Wren Boys also appear on Michaelmas, 12th Night, or St. Stephen's Day carrying a live wren from cottage to cottage (in a small "Wren House" decorated with ribbons), collecting tributes of coins and mugs of beer wherever they stop. The wren is known as the king of the birds, an honorific explained in the following story: All the birds held a parliament and decided that whoever could fly the highest and fastest would be crowned king. The eagle easily outdistanced the others, but the clever wren hid under his wing until the eagle faltered -- then the wren jumped out and flew higher. The painting continues around the edges so framing is optional. Signed on the front and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Zoe Elizabeth Norman is an award winning artist and her paintings are in public and private collections around the world.

DETAILS AND DIMENSIONS
Painting:

Oil on Canvas

Original:

One-of-a-kind Artwork

Size:

15.7 W x 19.7 H x 1.4 D in

SHIPPING AND RETURNS
Delivery Time:

Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.

I have been painting for over twenty years and my first exhibition caught the eye of a renowned publishing house which set me off on a successful illustrating career. To date I have had more than a hundred pieces of artwork published as greeting cards, calendars and stationary and have worked with many publishers including the Medici Society, Gibson Greetings and Nigel Quiney. I have had three major one woman exhibitions; Norwich Cathedral, The Gallery Wymondham and The Assembly House Norwich. I have also had work selected for The National Exhibition Wildlife Art in Liverpool, Art in Nature Museum Gloucestershire, Laing and Patching. These days, you will find me painting at the bottom of the garden in my log cabin studio in the heart of Norfolk surrounded by agriculture and huge dramatic skies. My studio is full of art books, pots, tea cups and vases, jars of dead beetles, butterflies and bees (all found already deceased) many paintings finished or half completed and lots of reference photos, sketches and inspirational quotes and prints. There is always a vase of flowers on my painting table and a mug of tea. Paint tubes (sennelier is my favourite at the moment), paper, magnifiers and my I-pad tablet are always close at hand, I can get lost in a painting for hours, completely engrossed in the excitement of creating a new painting. I paint botanical and wildlife in watercolours building up layers and layers of rich colour and detail; I often leave the background white so as not to detract from the image. I have recently started plein air painting in the countryside using either watercolour or pastels and have some larger oil paintings on the easel. I am fascinated by colour and light in the landscape and have a passion for painting wildlife in their native habitat.

Artist Recognition
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