THE SECRETS OF THE WATER GARDEN
I complete my silver art award in the autumn of 2018, which was based around painting and i guess that spurned this collection into being. Before the art award i had dabbled a little with oil but nothing on this scale or with this amount of detail. I feel the collection marks my growth as an artist and a painter. It is my largest collection to date -part one was completed in the winter of 2018 while part two is on temporary hold, while i work on other ideas.
JOROGUMO
KOROMODAKO
OKIKU MUSHI
FURUTSBAKI NO REI
acrylic on canvas A4 2018
acrylic on canvas A4 2018
acrylic on canvas A4 2018
acrylic on canvas A4 2018
A type of yokai of Japanese folklore that has the form of a spider that can shapeshift into a beautiful woman. Once reaching 400 years old, she feeds on attractive young men, who are her favourite prey.
A frightening octopus type yokai that lives between Kyoto and Fukui, in Japanese folklore, they grow to large sizes if they feel threatened and engulf large ships and their crew. Once finished feeding it shrinks back down to a small size.
A caterpillar type yokai with features of a human woman, in Japanese folkelore. It is believed they are born from the vengence of Okiku's ghost from the story Bancho Sarayahiki. Okiku was a servent girl who was tortured and murdered by her lover.
In japanese folklore almost anything upon reaching old age can develope a spirit and become a yokai. When a camellia japonica tree reaches old age, its spirit can seperate itself from the host tree, which it uses to bewitch and trick humans.
AOI A BAKEMONO
ONRYO
HONE ONNA
SANSEI
acrylic on canvas A4 2018
acrylic on canvas A4 2018
acrylic on canvas A4 2018
acrylic on canvas A4 2018
A shapeshifting yokai who's true form maybe an animal or the spirit of a plant. It disguises itself as human.
A yurei (female ghost) in Japanese folklore that dwells in the physical world seeking vengence, after being neglected by her lover.
A female yokai in Japanese folklore, who kills men by removing their lifeforce or by holding theor hand until the victim becomes a skeleton himself.
A humanoid sprite that lives deep in the mountains, traditionally a male that steals salt to flavour its diet of crabs, not known to be aggressive but sometimes attacks humans.
YAMAHIME
IKIRYO
AMANOJAKU
MAITAKE
acrylic on canvas A4 2019
acrylic on canvas A4 2019
acrylic on canvas A4 2019
acrylic on canvas A4 2019
A type of yokai that lives in the mountains of the Shizuoka Prefecture, appearing as a beautiful young woman, who sings with a lovely voice. When hunters fire at her she can repel the bullets.
She is the soul of still living people, who has temporararily left their host body. She haunts other people and places, sometimes travelling over great distances and appears because of tense emotion and trauma, the owner of the soul is usually unaware of Ikiryo's existence.
In Japanese folklore, amanojaku is traditionally male, a wicked monster described as an evil kami, minor oni or yokai, who causes mischief and evil deeds, known to provoke humans into acting on their hearts darkest desire.
based on a japanese medieval tale about woodcutters from Kyoto who were lost in the mountains, rather than dying after endless wandering they ate numerous mushrooms, after eating they laughted and danced and when the effects wore off they found there way home.
