Last year I painted a well received Jackalope and I made sure to tell everyone he was the first in a new series. Then I had one commission after another and the series was put on hold. Until now!! Say hello to The Alchemist. Yes, I know he’s a fox but he’s an alchemist too. He’s part of an ever evolving series of paintings called the Mystics.
Detail of the ear and goggles.
The idea came about last year when I was planning my painting for the EBSQ Mythological Creatures Exhibit. Gatsoh Elder, or The Elder, was the result. In my head the jackalope was the elder of a jackrabbit warren (gatsoh is the Navajo word for jackrabbit). It’s a, you become an elder when you get your horns, sort of deal. Afterward, I thought what a fun idea for a series of portraits.
While The Elder hails from the American Southwest, The Alchemist’s home is Victorian England. Once I came to that conclusion, adding a steampunk element was inevitable. Prints for Mr Fox will be available starting next week in my Shop.
What’s next in the Mystics series?
The Seer – A blind owl from Asia (where in Asia remains a mystery for the moment).
The Warrior – ??? I’ve been playing with some ideas here, still working it out. I thought the warrior would be a Bear, but she could be a Lion too. My daughter’s vote is a Tiger.
What do you think?
Whether you do the warrior as a tiger or not, I’d love to see a bear for something… maybe tied into the Norse myths?
I’ve been thinking about bears a lot, there’s definitely something on the horizon. I’ll keep the Norse idea in mind. Time to do some research!