just exquisite

Here’s an appropriate image for these shockingly frigid days, painted by the amazingly talented Virginia Lee. Isn’t this snow maiden so beautiful? It’s a lovely thing, to be able to hibernate under such a peaceful-looking blanket of snow until spring’s arrival. I would love to do that — I’m not a big fan of winter, to say the least.

I first meet Virginia when she was a little girl. She is the daughter of Alan Lee, the English book illustrator whose work has influenced me profoundly. It’s amazing to see how Virginia has grown as an artist over the years. Her work is just breathtaking in the best possible sense of the word. (Meaning not in the Seinfeldian sense.)

More information about Virginia Lee: She worked as a model maker on the Lord of the Rings trilogy with her father, who was one of the Academy Award-winning creative directors. Her upcoming books include The Frog Bride, to be published by Frances Lincoln in the UK. I hope it will be printed also in the US, so I can obtain a copy here. She also shares the same birthday as my daughter, which I view as a fortuitous coincidence — I know several other people with Thea’s birthday, and they’re all wonderful and talented.

An entire gallery of Virginia’s work has just been posted on the Endicott Studio website. I urge you to pay a visit, if you’re at all interested in mythic arts and things of beauty.

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