Who says Victorian art consists predominantly of still life fruitbowls, flowers
spilling over Greco-Roman urns and paintings of fox hunts? I remember when I first
considered featuring artists here on the EVGA blog, I got a lot of responses asking
"How are fruit and flowers Gothic?" and "What's so Goth about fox hunts unless the
riders are headless or it shows the dogs taking down the fox?"
Ok, I have to admit, the second one made me smile just a bit, so I do hope one day I
will find an artist with that same vision. I would most definitely need to feature
their work, then ring up my friend and politely say "SEEE???"
But I digress. When it comes to Victorian Gothic artwork, be it wall art, statuary or
the occasional desktop trinket, I find that everything from upcycled goodies with a
dark shabby chic flair, to folk art with a darker skew can be perfectly Victorian,
especially when the figures are standing next to gas lamps or wearing lovely long
black gowns. It is never about mimicking the style of artwork turned out during the
Victorian period, although I have seen some brilliant attempts. In my eyes, it is
about artists expressing their own style with a Victorian influence, whether it is in
the characters, the imagery or includes influence from Victorian period literature,
just about anything can fit the bill nicely with just a bit of imagination and a love
for the genre.
In this feature, I am thrilled to present the work of the lovely Charlene and her
Rustic Goth artwork. As always, it took me forever to narrow down the number of
pieces to include on the EVGA blog. I prefer to let visitors go enjoy the artists'
original Etsy shops and websites, perusing at their own speed and having the same bit
of fun I have.
So to begin...one of the many reasons why I requested her permission to feature
Rustic Goth was because of the story Charlene tells on her Etsy site. I will leave
that bit of reading to her visitors, but in reading it for myself, it showed me a
beautifully creative use of inspiration that came from a very special place in her
heart. No doubt it has reached the hearts of many admirers of her work, much as it
did mine.
In keeping with my love of Victorian imagery, I wish to start off with three lovely
ladies in Victorian gowns of my favourite hue: black. As if you had to ask. Each has
her own mournful gaze, but is far from alone, accompanied by adorable friends such as
dragonflies, a sweet little owl and a somber raven on a stack of books. These ladies
are perfect company themselves for any Gothic Victorian home that requires the softer
side of haunting and a lovely friend to ponder and reflect with.
The next dear lady I came across is perfect companionship for getting lost in the
imagination, creativity and boundlessness of the steampunk movement (clockwork and
otherwise). Eyes closed, she drifts in a bit of a dream state that invites the viewer
to join in the journey for a while.
Of course I would be remiss in my duties to the EVGA blog if I did not include a bit
of the romance we all envision in our windswept, shadowed, black lacy world. This
beautiful couple with their somber countenance and dark feathered friends would make
a wonderful gift for that perfect pair as a reminder of how timeless and infinite
love can be.
And finally, I absolutely had to include a whimsical bunch that stole my heart at
first glance. With a reminiscent sigh I was taken back to my lovely sleep-deprived
youth and those grand evenings clutching a tattered and terrified teddy bear while
sitting up 'til all hours talking with a smiling reaper and a somewhat disturbingly
happy clown. Ahhh memories...
On that happy note, I give you Rustic Goth, the whimsically dark artwork of Charlene Murray Zatloukal.
I hope you will take some time to visit her Etsy shop and her website, both listed
below, wander through the images and see what strikes your fancy. I have featured
only a small portion of her lovely works, so I assure you many sweet surprises once
you get there.
Etsy Shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/RusticGoth
Website:
www.RusticGoth.com
Have a wonderful evening and may you hear only friendly snarls and growls from the
big plants by the striped wallpaper. =)
Until next,
Raven
