Fantastical
Dream, Legends & the Imagination
Along side her portraiture, book illustration and graphic design work Tara Joy has created a substantial body of work exploring the subjects of dream, mystical realms, legends and the imagination. These make up some of her brightest and most playful and experimental works of art.
Inspired by mystical places
It is likely that growing up in the infamous town of Glastonbury, surrounded by so many myths and legends about the magical realms of Avalon has been an inspiration for much of this work. However along side this, extensive travel throughout India since childhood has undoubtedly increased her love of vibrant colours, rich texture and profoundly influenced her fascination with myths, the imagination and subtle levels of perception and experience.
From the mundane to the profound
Here is a selection of Tara’s work that explore the themes of dream, legend, myth, the imagination and subtle levels of perception. They are notably varied in style and mood, subtlety and boldness yet all explore these themes and hint that the distance between the mundane and the imagination may not be so great as it sometimes seems.
As through the eyes of a child
Many of these pieces have pictures within pictures and hidden aspects waiting to be discovered. Through them Tara playfully invites the viewers to, for a moment, look at the world a child does, still filled with wonder and a belief in the magical, unpredictable sides of life.
More to life than meets the eye
Tara aims to awaken the exploring and adventurous nature of the viewers and to inspire them to look a little closer at the seemingly mundane world around them and to see that there is always more to life than meets the eye.
The Power of Words and Images to Inspire
Tara Joy has a deep respect for the cultural importance of art, storytelling, myths and legends
“ I feel that art, poetry, stories and legends have played a significant role in the preservation of knowledge and experience in all cultures around the world. Even today when we are considering ways to educate and inspire interest in pertinent social and environmental issues, art and storytelling could be more influential than one might imagine.”
The fantastical in the natural world
Tara Joy’s art brings with it a reminder that there is a lot of possibility and wonder just waiting to be discovered if we let our imaginations free to explore. Most of her artwork also brings with it a gentle reminder of the beauty of nature and that nature is full of complexity and infinite detail and that it is well worth taking a closer look next time we take a trip out in nature.
