Brian Froud and His World of Faeries

Brian Froud has been engaged in an ongoing and intimate relationship with the worlds of Faerie for more than thirty years now. While many painters and writers of the same subject treat it as a matter of whimsy, Froud has always been adamant about his belief in the spiritual reality of Faeries and just how crucial it is for humans to acknowledge and connect with them. He described Faeries as personifications of hidden realities, of the world's underpinnings; they are the souls of the trees, rocks, and rivers. The artist has, throughout his career, endeavored to portray tham not as innocent and airy but rather with all the unpredictability and moral ambiguity that we can expect from beings that are, essentially, forces of nature.

His early anthology, The Land of Froud, was published by Ian Ballantine. Thereafter, Brian Froud collaborated with longtime friend Alan Lee, who would later illustrate a premiere edition of The Lord of the Rings and contribute artwork to Peter Jackson's cinematic version of Tolkien's classic trilogy. Froud and Lee together produced Faeries. Published in 1978, it remains the most widely embraced work by these two artists who have gone on to achieve spectacular success in other areas.

Faeries presented denizens of an otherworld (or unseen dimension of our own world) that are as often mischievous as they are helpful, as much darkness as they are light. The authors strove to portray Faeries honestly, and drew upon original source material and folklore from Scottland, England, Ireland and Wales primarily. The success of Faeries opened creative doors for Brian Froud, and soon he found himself working with Jim Henson on the design of two films steeped in fantasy and Faerie magic: The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth.

Arguably his finest masterpiece, Good Faeries/ Bad Faeries, was ten years in the creating. During this time, Brian Froud departed from the wealth of Faerie lore from Old World sources and began to deepen his own personal relationship with these spiritual beings as they exist in the here and now. What emerged was a more personal document. The introduction of the book also served as Froud's mission statement, as well, as he candidly expressed his belief in the Faerie realm and described some of the ways in which its denizens had altered the very trajectory of his life. Because of these experiences, he came to view Faeries as sources of wisdom and inspiration - not merely impish creatures that provoke consternation. He also pointed out that the title of the book was somewhat misleading, as "good" and "bad" are human moral judgments that aren't relevant when applied to beings that exist beyond our world of duality.

The Faerie's Oracle continued to chronicle Brian Froud's personal quest with more breathtaking artwork and profound insights. The Faerieworlds Festival that the artist initiated with his wife, Wendy Froud (the two met while working on The Dark Crystal) allowed people to come that much closer to the land of enchantment with its weekend extravaganza of art, music and activities all inspired by the realm of Faeries. Also, it enabled many (like this author) to walk away with a copy of Faeries signed by Brian Froud himself.