Dancing with Fairies

the fantasy images of Charlotte Bird

Come fairies take me out of this dull world for I would ride with you upon the wind and dance upon the mountains like a flame”

This feature arose from a chance meeting at the Spring Fair 2006. Your editor was attracted to one of the stands, decorated with images of fairies. Venturing onto the stand itself we were surprised and delighted to find fellow SWPP member, Charlotte Bird, doing a roaring trade in fine art prints and licencing rights for giftware, such as jigsaws. It never ceases to amaze, just where the niche markets lie! Fairies are big business. Having experienced very considerable interest from a number of influential agents, Charlotte has been busy in the following weeks and even while we were interviewing her for the article she sold a few dozen prints and fielded an international call from an agent seeking a licence for her work. It seems that the chance meeting at NEC (bearing in mind that Charlotte and your editor have been Wirral neighbours for more years than either is going to admit) has a fairytale ending after all – and that is the last pun you are going to get by the way! Ferries

Charlotte’s father served in the RAF and she grew up initially in Norfolk. Her father used to read her fairy stories and poetry at bedtime; a love of both has endured until the present day. He also introduced her to photography when she was seven. These experiences lay partly dormant while she had sons, Daniel and Jacob, but once they had grown up she took herself off to gain a diploma in photography (with seven distinctions). Her work takes inspiration from things Victorian and especially the Pre-Raphaelites but she has gradually migrated into the digital world, creating fantasy from a combination of her child photography business, weddings and Photoshop (although she is itching to get into Painter!). The little people seem to have taken over her life at present, all brides get a fairy somewhere in their album, (Charlotte’s secret little trade mark?). Along with partner Brian, they have even done fairy weddings recently and not just the little bridesmaids, the brides are joining in the fantasy as well!

It was at Cottingley (in the Aire Valley between Shipley and Bingley) the fairies really became embedded in the adult population’s consciousness. Two cousins, Elsie Wright and Francis Griffiths, photographed some fairies at the bottom of their garden and caused an uproar (that was still being debated in the seventies – I’m sure Geoffrey Crawley wrote something in BJP around that time – Ed.). We are not going to say we think they were fakes and bring the damnation of the elves upon us – McNamee already seems to have close connections to the leprechauns – just take a look next time.

Faerie Lore

Firstly the spelling – Fairy, Faery, Faerie, Fae, Faye, Fayette, Faerydae, pharie, fairye are all spellings and meanings associated with fairies. The word is derived from the latin “fata” which means “the fates” or from the Latin word ‘fatum’ which means enchantment and destiny. We take much of this section from Margaret Dean, the artist who tends the fairyphotography website. Amongst the Irish, fairies come from a race of gods – the Tuatha de Dannan. In Australia they also identify wit ferries h Celtic faeries, but the Aborigines have their own faerie beliefs. Among the Deiri people it was believed that whirlwinds of dust were created by marching armies of faeries called “Kutchi”. The Maoris of New Zealand refer to the patupaiarehe, who inhabited the dark lonely places.

There were many methods for entering faerieland, but to cross a body of water was a well-known method and dates back to archaic times. Wells and streams were said to be gateways to the other world. Archaeologists have found faerie offerings at the bottom of wells and springs, and in certain notable streams. Alice in Wonderland, of course starts her adventures falling down a well.

The Scottish fairies have always been considered a bad lot, flying around looking for situations to employ evil deeds but never any mention of wings. Wings however are stock accessories for fairies usually cobbled together from insect wings, butterfly wings or handily shaped leaves. The heads of the bellflower family (in particular the harebell) are frequently brought into service to keep the rain off the silken tresses. All handy mushrooms are used either for shelter, seats or for dancing around.

Fairies have a number of allies such as nymphs, enchantresses, sylphs, nature spirits, sprites, pixies and elves (we’re not too sure where gnomes fit into the scheme of things). Nymphs have generally had a bad press, luring nice young men to watery deaths and other such evil deeds. Some of the imagery on the websites w ferries e visited crosses into the land of fantasy for more than children!

The Fairy Marketplace

As we said earlier, fairies are big business! Researching this feature led us into countless websites, most of which seem to have things to sell – you can even buy CDs of wings for goodness sake! Limited edition prints and illustrations are big sellers, especially in the USA and (strangely) Germany. While there are children (and adults) who believe in them, fairies are always going to sell. Photographers who specialise in children have a way of up-selling to a fine art print, keep hold of your bride for when she has a daughter and get the godparents to buy the child a personalised fairy picture to pass on to her own daughter – oh the possibilities are endless!

Find a Fairy

Seven of Charlotte’s naughty little tinkerbells have escaped from the page and are hiding all over the magazine. You might find them under type, behind adverts, between diagrams or embedded in images. Fairy photographs (like the ones on these pages) do not count. Find where all seven Tinkerbells are, then write the page numbers on a postcard and send it in to Head Office along with your address. Correct entries will go into a hat and the winner will get a signed Charlotte Bird, Limited Edition print. If you get bored, get your own little fairies to search for you, their young eyes are sharper. The entry is open to all members’ children and grandchildren as well.

Links with the underworld
www.fairiesworld.com
www.fairyphotographs.co.uk
www.fairyphotographs.com

ferries

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Photo Quote: Everything went together perfectly, and this is what I mean by knowing. I didn't have to analyze anything. I just recognized what was in front of me. All I had to do was set up and take the picture. - Wynn Bullock