First Recharging, then Coffee and Snacks, and now Plotting Twitcher all within the last year or so. We obviously love working with Emily Carew Woodard! As we do with many of our multiple-puzzle artists, we were able to ask Woodard some questions about her craft:
All kids draw and dream of being an artist, when did you get serious about painting and your art? Although art had always been my strength in school, my teachers never encouraged it as a viable career path. As a result, I didn't seriously consider art school until I was 19 years old. One day, as I sat on the beach, I had a revelation - I didn't want to attend a notable university in London to study English, I wanted to go to art school. So that's exactly what I did.
One thing that really drew us to your artwork for puzzles is your elaborate textiles and wallpapers, how did you get into that? I'm deeply passionate about interior design. I often fantasize about having an alter-ego who could professionally explore this interest as an interior designer. The fabrics I depict in my artwork are ones I wish I could own, but their high cost puts them out of my reach. As a result, painting them has become a creative outlet that allows me to indulge this design aesthetic.
We hear you grew up in a 17th century cottage in Cornwall, what’s an example of that unique experience? The 17th-century house was teeming with history, not just in the speculative sense of ghosts, but in the tangible evidence of its past. Perched atop a hill, the house overlooked a river that flowed out to the sea, and local lore spoke of an old smugglers' tunnel connecting the riverbank to the house itself. My siblings and I were captivated by this mystery, constantly searching for the tunnel's hidden entrance. Even the strange, out-of-place bookshelf and the telltale discoloration of the summer grass hinted at the house's secrets. For a child's imagination, a dwelling so rich in history was an immersive wellspring of countless stories waiting to be told.
Most Americans who know Cornwall know it because of the British show Poldark. Is that your Cornwall? The Poldark television series provides an incredibly accurate portrayal of ‘my’ Cornwall. Poldark's cottage has many similarities to the home I grew up in, and the scenes filmed in Charlestown, (that they depicted as Truro), just minutes from my house, feature the same picturesque tall ships I spent much of my childhood around. Having a ship captain for a father, I spent countless hours on the water, so the series' nautical elements ring true to my personal experiences as well. Poldark captures the essence of historic Cornwall remarkably well.
Your art has been sold at auction by Christie’s, many great artists never get that kind of recognition in their lifetime, how did that make you feel? I was a relatively young artist in my mid-twenties when I sold my first piece with Christie's, so I did not fully appreciate the prestige of having a piece auctioned there at the time. However, I now deeply understand the gravitas that this achievement carries.
Christie’s describes your illustrations as “informed by the gothic fairy tale.” Tell us more. The artists of the Golden Age of Illustration - including Arthur Rackham, Edmund Dulac, Sir John Tenniel, and Beatrix Potter - had a profound influence on my work. Their wondrously captivating illustrations evoked a deep sense of curiosity and inspiration, motivating me to try to emulate these magical qualities I experienced when looking at their work.
Do you have a favorite gothic fairytale, and have you painted it? My favorite gothic fairy tale is a haunting ghost story by the Brothers Grimm called "The Lost Farthings." It's about a child's ghost that appears at the same time each day until it's realized the child needs help completing an earthly task before it can rest. I'm currently illustrating this story, and my dream is to one day illustrate an entire ghost story book.
You ever read the short stories of Saki (pen name of the British humorist H. H. Munro?) To quote wikipedia, his “witty, mischievous and sometimes macabre stories satirize Edwardian society and culture.” I feel like you’re his artistic niece. This is a huge compliment. I feel like I was born in the era of H.H. Munro and I’m longing to find a way back to it. I love his short stories and his satire.
“That’s what the mother of the gardener’s boy said,” remarked Teresa; “she wanted me to have it destroyed, but I pointed out to her that she had eleven children and I had only one elk. ” ―
Are the dogs you painted in Recharging (above) based on real dogs? The dogs in 'Recharging' are fictional, but inspired by the real-life dogs I aspire to own someday. The hound lounging on the floor, for instance, is loosely based on a wolfhound or lurcher - a breed I have romanticized about housing on expansive land in the future.
Your animals run skinny, comment? The animals in my paintings have typically been quite slender. In fact, I've found that skinny, almost gothic-looking creatures tend to have a certain spooky quality about them. However, my artistic focus has shifted of late - I've begun painting animals that are extremely overweight, which may represent my latest creative phase.
Felicity Dahl (widow of Roald Dahl) has hired you to do a few illustrations for the Roald Dahl Marvellous Children’s Charity. What’s your favorite artwork you’ve done for them and why?
A favorite job given to me was when the Roald Dahl estate commissioned me to redesign the costumes and stage set for the operatic production of Fantastic Mr. Fox, which was performed in San Antonio, Texas and Boston - a project I thoroughly enjoyed and I’m very proud of.
We saw you did some artwork for the new Roald Dahl recipe book, “Marvellously Revolting Recipes,” yum! Which recipe from that book is your favorite?
Well, it’s got to be ‘Bean’s Cider’, a revolting (actually delicious) concoction of fruit juices and spices, that makes it look like pond water. I loved illustrating this one because I had to draw a revolting rat with a dripping nose.
What's the best way for people to discover more of your art?
Instagram is currently the best place to discover my artwork as I update it the most.
And here's a link to our three delightful Emily C. Woodard puzzles!