Archives for December 2015

Robin Lancaster created a stunning piece for the International Fairy Tale Challenge. She beautifully describes her experience, the details of the tale, the inspiration she took from it, and her techniques. “For years I have wanted to participate in a challenge but never had the confidence to do so. When the fairy tale challenge came […]

Br’er Rabbit is a figure from both the southern US and African folklore. He is a trickster who uses his wits to extricate himself from difficult situations. In the tale that I know, Br’er Fox forms a doll out of a piece of tar and dresses it with clothing. When Br’er Rabbit passes by he […]

The “Town Musicians of Bremen” is a well-known tale in the US. It was one of my favorites from childhood. I’ve always loved animals and was the tale I asked to create if my first choice was taken. While there is more than one version, here’s the one I know recall. Four older animals–a donkey, […]

Artist Diane English created a scene from the Japanese tale “Momotaro.” She says, “I wanted to work with a story I was not familiar with so chose Momotaro. It was fascinating to read that it was used to rally the Japanese troops during World War II. The river carrying the peach is just the beginning […]

Writer-director Michel Ocelot spent his childhood in the African nation of Guinea, where he became enamored of tales in neighboring Senegal. He drew on a collection of folk tales from West Africa and wrote Kirikou et la Sorcière, an award-winning animated feature film. In the film, Kirikou, a newborn who comes into the world already […]