Holly Dean Mixed Media Paintings | Peruse, read about and collect pieces from my Medieval Journey series.

Page last updated: 12-02-22

Mythical Honour & Magical Beauty

Essence of metal,
Hue of jewel,
Pattern of diamond,
Chivalrous rule.

I share a vision with William Morris in at least two concerns: an interest in creating visually pleasing images and a fascination with the Medieval and Gothic. I feel that same connection to "the mythical honour and magical beauty that he associated with Gothic architecture and medieval literature. Like Malory and Tennyson before him, Morris became captivated by the historical resonance and dramatic potential of the Arthurian myths."*

As long as I can remember, my mind has been filled with dreams of Merlin, Arthur and ancient Britain. As a child, I roamed the countryside surrounding my old house on horseback, my imagination fueled by tales of magic and chivalry. I saw wizards in the shapes of gnarled trees and heard knights carefully picking their way through the thickening woods. I suppose I was the fair maiden in my story although I rather considered myself to be a female knight, being a very capable horsewoman.

When I was 15, I travelled to England for the first time. This age-old, mythical land imprinted itself on my soul. I felt the deep connection to my ancestry; the familiarity of coming home. Since then, I have returned twice. Each time I fill my creative well with images of abbey and castle ruins, gothic architecture and soaring cathedrals. I wander primeval landscapes, soaking up the quixotic atmosphere where legends were born.

The Medieval Journey series grew out of my desire to explore this underlying vision more fully. I began these paintings by working on many canvases at once, placing them next to each other while writing calligraphy, drawing lines and stamping. Each canvas was then treated individually. Collage and transfer elements, acrylic paint and mediums, fabrics, and more calligraphic text was added, mainly in Latin.

I built reliquary niches in the shape of gothic arches and embedded them into the canvas supports. Old game pieces and ornaments became the relics placed within. I affixed medieval drawings to tiny raised platforms, or daises, and attached these to the mixed media canvases.

The result of my journey was a series of over 40 paintings of various sizes, most of which you see on this page. Although many of them have found homes with like-minded collectors, those paintings nearest the top are still available for purchase.

My fascination with the Medieval through architecture, landscape and story has remained a driving force behind my art. You will recognize this underlying theme in my recent work.

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*from The Pursuit Of The Ideal: The Life And Art Of William Morris, An Exhibition at the University of Michigan Special Collections Library, Sep 9 - Nov 2, 1996

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If you are interested in William Morris, click here

mixed media paintings, book art, sculpture & altered images

"Artists don't make objects. Artists make mythologies." ~Anish Kapoor

MEDIEVAL JOURNEY