"Fear makes the wolf bigger that he is." - German Proverb
This image is from Sarah Moons book Little Red Riding Hood
I have been looking at dysfunctional behaviors and how that effects family relationships. I have been intently looking at anxiety and fear and the role that fairy tales, scary movies and psychological thrillers play in providing comfort and support for a child in an unstable family life. I began to look at other artists who are creating images in narrative form based on stories. After my eggshell series my friend Cheryl commented on Arthur Tress, specifically his Dream Collector series. His process is recreating children's dreams with them that are often full of dread. I also read about Anna Gaskell and have recently purchased a few of her books. All three of these artists have utilized story and myth, used props, set the stage, and creates an environment of anxiety, fear, and apprehension.
A favorite story I came across as an adult is The Monster That Grew Small by Joan Grant. It is a tale of a boy in a village who is afraid of everything. One day he helps our a rabbits and the rabbit grants him a wish. He wishes for courage and with the aid of the rabbit sets out on his journey to defeat the great dragon that lives above them high in the mountains. The closer the boy is to this dragon the smaller the dragon gets. Finally the boy takes the dragon home as a pet, more importantly the boy conquers his fears.