Narnia and Neil
A friend posted a link to this on Facebook, and I had to pass it on ... and also muse about it.
On Neil Gaiman's blog, he relates about how he has a lamppost in his woods, because he thinks they look Narnian in winter.
The pictures are delightful and definitely do capture the sense he writes about (in his usual engaging prose!). And I'm sure you will all enjoy reading his post.
One of the things I love about it is his matter-of-fact presentation of why he indulged the whimsey of planting a lamppost in the middle of his woods. How often do we shy away as adults from admitting that we do still like to have objects around us that invoke cherished experiences of our childhood? And yet, so often our imaginations are stimulated and energized by those very connections.
I like it that I do know people who do not care about being "dignified" and having only "adult" works of art around themselves. I'm not trying to downplay the power of Fine Art - I myself have a great love of Van Gogh, and in the last few years a growing appreciation of Monet. But I also have about me what I call "desk toys". In October, I added a figure of the Creature from the Black Lagoon - my favorite of the classic Movie Monsters. Batman on a motorcycle sits near photos of my parents taken when they were young and newly wed (I think).
My only criteria for "visual literary reference" is that it be aesthetically pleasing to me (no, really, I don't care if it IS a Batman figure, if it is just plain ugly) and that it refers to something I have enjoyed and been inspired by.
And I envy Neil for having woods in which to plant a lamppost. What a lovely thing to have.
On Neil Gaiman's blog, he relates about how he has a lamppost in his woods, because he thinks they look Narnian in winter.
The pictures are delightful and definitely do capture the sense he writes about (in his usual engaging prose!). And I'm sure you will all enjoy reading his post.
One of the things I love about it is his matter-of-fact presentation of why he indulged the whimsey of planting a lamppost in the middle of his woods. How often do we shy away as adults from admitting that we do still like to have objects around us that invoke cherished experiences of our childhood? And yet, so often our imaginations are stimulated and energized by those very connections.
I like it that I do know people who do not care about being "dignified" and having only "adult" works of art around themselves. I'm not trying to downplay the power of Fine Art - I myself have a great love of Van Gogh, and in the last few years a growing appreciation of Monet. But I also have about me what I call "desk toys". In October, I added a figure of the Creature from the Black Lagoon - my favorite of the classic Movie Monsters. Batman on a motorcycle sits near photos of my parents taken when they were young and newly wed (I think).
My only criteria for "visual literary reference" is that it be aesthetically pleasing to me (no, really, I don't care if it IS a Batman figure, if it is just plain ugly) and that it refers to something I have enjoyed and been inspired by.
And I envy Neil for having woods in which to plant a lamppost. What a lovely thing to have.