Sometimes I do a drawing and know there is a story there, but I don’t know what it is, until something happens and light dawns, and the story develops. Without a story there is no title. This small drawing was done as a result of an exercise, and I loved its strangeness, but didn’t know what the story was. Then an exhibition cropped up with the theme of Bull in a China Shop, to be interpreted in any way you wish. This was the ah ha moment. There is horror in the wide eye, disaster has happened somewhere and maybe even created this strange creature. So the title became ‘After the China Shop Incident’. What that incident was is now in the hands (and imagination) of the viewer.
Some technical info – this is miniature size, 8 x 9 cm, but does not strictly qualify as a miniature as the head is too big, it should be no more than 38 mm from chin to crown. It is drawn in graphite pencil on hot pressed Arches paper. It is a ‘found’ image in a way. I cut a profile shape out of a piece of paper, then used it as a mask randomly on magazine pictures. The actual image underneath was an ivory Chinese dog, upside down. The drawing shares the dog’s eye, but the other way up. The background developed from shapes in the head. I liked the rather creepy inside-out look.
anna warren portfolio 
Well this is quite different Anna !
I hoped I might glean a clue if I zoomed in on her EYE as to what was apparently horrifying said woman …
I’m still thinking … and wondering …
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She is strange isn’t she? I think the fact she is tiny somehow adds to that. I am going to have to work out the rest of her story I think!
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I wouldn’t like to meet this drawing on a dark night. It is a bit like old fashioned children’s books where there is some sort of moral tale and generally a person meets a dark fate because they didn’t listen to wise words. It is the eye which is disquieting. It also makes the drawing action-packed. Did you ever read “Cold Comfort Farm”? If you did, you’ll understand when I say that this person saw ‘something nasty in the woodshed’.
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You are right Julie! I had forgotten those moral tales, and yes, I think she fits exactly into that scenario. I loved Cold Comfort Farm, it was one of our family favourite books (I read it again recently and still laughed out loud at parts). Definitely something nasty in the woodshed here!
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We sure do like and know a lot of the same things, Anna. Somehow I knew you’d know Cold Comfort Farm. I have also read it several times plus we have the dvd which we also love.
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There are a lot of coincidences – I saw a comment you made on Karen (Occasional Artist)’s blog about being allergic to grevillea – would you believe I am too! I think it is just Robyn Gordon, but I keep well away from them all now, just in case!
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Wow, Anna. That’s a great story. It is an interesting piece, indeed!
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Thanks Patsy!
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You’re welcome, Anna. 🙂
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I know what you mean about a story evolving. I like this very much!!
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Thanks Elena! I have a soft spot for this one not sure why. I appreciate your comment.
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Oh, this is very cool! The making of it sounds like a very interesting process and I like the unexpected result. Definitely stories to be told.
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Thanks Karen – it was a really interesting process, something I will do again, but maybe in a different form. So many ideas, so little time!
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