For a month Johann Rohl and I worked together in the studio at Ty Isaf, while we created artworks at the behest of Sarah ‘The Curious One’ Parvin for her forthcoming website. It was a challenge to produce collaborative images, as we work in different ways and we have different styles. Nevertheless, in time we aligned ourselves, and the process became second nature to us. We both got a lot out of it.
The image of a walled garden was produced in oil pastels. Some elements within it are ‘changeable’ so that the scene can be altered according to Sarah’s requirements, and it can also be augmented with animation. It would be hard for anyone to know which of us did what here, so I won’t explain. Moreover the ideas in the image were developed between both of us, and so it’s not possible to untangle the joint nature of the process.
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Below is a Curious One ‘Avatar’ created specially for the website. I made the maquette and Johann collaged the screen against which she stands. In the finished website it’s likely that some of the figures will be assembled from elements made by both of us.
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Johann is currently constructing The Curious One website, and I shall post updates as and when they come.
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Clive Hicks-Jenkins' Artlog: 
A revelation you and Johann are making for Sarah. Alive as she has been to me, I love the world you have created for The Curious One to transport us on her visitations and wonders. Looking forward to the website and making my own poetic contribution to it!
Jeffery, Clive and Johann have been busy creating visions of enchantment for me, much to my delight, and your words will make my imaginary world complete. I can definitely see the Artlog’s troubadour resting in this garden for a while. (-:
Magical playset!!!! Love it!
Sent from my iPhone
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The Curious One is all about my own exploration of the British imagination and you have both given me a toybox packed full of wonders with which I can play!
Medieval writers used to describe the ancient myths and legends of this land as originating deep in a “time out of mind” and this is the feeling I get when I see the world you and Johann have created for me.
There’s a wonderful quote from Peter Ackroyd, which perfectly describes the ‘Albion’ that has captured the imaginations of artists, poets and writers throughout the centuries:
“In England the reverence for the past and the affinity with the natural landscape join together in a mutual embrace, to which we owe much to the ground on which we dwell. It is the landscape and the dreamscape. It encourages a sense of longing and belonging. It is Albion.”
My heartfelt thanks go to you both. I couldn’t have wished for two better people to turn my dreams into reality. My imagination is now eager to take residence in The Curious One’s Albion! (-:
This looks great.
Can’t wait for the website
Congratulations to Sarah, to Johann, and to You!!!
Love from Madrid
M
Stunning – especially the garden, which manages to look medieval, timeless and other-wordly all at once.
Thank you. I think that some of strangeness undoubtedly came from the slight unease that accompanied the processes of Johann and I creating an image together. It’s that bit of grit that irritates, but becomes the pearl!
It certainly has!