Thursday, November 30, 2006

A Multitude of the Heavenly Host

Just in time for your holiday shopping, Ruth Thompson releases her first book! The Book of Angels includes not just Ms. Thompson’s exceptional art, but also the art of L.A. Williams (whose "Stone Cold" has long been a Trollwife favorite) and Renae Taylor. The writing is supplied by Todd Jordan.

Ms. Thompson has had angels in her repertoire for years, ever since I can first remember seeing her work. Her figures have a heroic, elongated elegance to them, and her cool, translucent watercolors give them a pale, luminosity that feels celestial. Her pairing of unearthly heroes (and anti-heroes) with realistic backgrounds and animals gives her fantasy work a wonderfully dream-like quality. While some of her early work was a bit too comic-book for my tastes, her style has matured into something entirely her own. Even her black-and-white work, like her starkly arresting “Beauty”, is stunning in its textures and shadows.

If you get the chance to see her work in person, either at a faire or con, take the time to check it out. The web doesn’t do her skills justice. And congrats to all involved in making this book.

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