Choosing Hope…

Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up: Art fosters Human connection, nurtures eager curiosity, rewards endless questioning, whispers soothing healing, and allows us to get lost in wonderment. 

We are extraordinarily lucky to have a GM committed to creating gorgeous minis and bespoke terrain to enrich our table. But even with all of these delightful physical trappings, so much of our campaign unfolds in our minds. And the more – well, let’s face it –  obsessed we become with our beloved characters and NPCs, the more we crave visual representations of them. We want them to step out of our imaginations and into tangible form larger than 5cm tall ;). A form that we can share with each other, coo over, argue about – all those entirely normal and healthy behaviors…

I have long been enviously admiring of the talented artists who do this work. Who translate a completely abstract idea, or a clumsy series of words, or a turmoil of emotions, into an unforgettable image (or sculpture, or song). And I have been excited to devote a section of the blog to their creativity. Specifically, to sending thanks and love to the artists who help us bring our mental landscape of the Realms to vivid life (or, at least, the tiny part, and our own particular version, of this vast world that we are currently playing in). Whether searching for inspiration for a setting or pondering over the perfect weapon for a character, it has been so much fun to explore what these amazing artists create. Your skills and dedication are humbling and very much appreciated.  

Being talked-up on a tiny, non-commercial, happy-hobby blog will not bring much exposure or business to the featured artists. But it makes me glad to share their lovely work with those who do read this. It is important to build a community that supports and celebrates those gifted folks who labor to bring us beauty and joy. And, hopefully, every little nudge of positivity (and proper credit!) helps…

It has taken me longer than planned to populate this part of the blog. Partly this is because I got very involved in the story and recipe sections. Mostly it is because I very much wanted the first artist that I featured/thanked here, to be Grey, a.k.a Guttertongue. And I wanted the post to include the stunning image that she created for my sister.

Please check out Gutter:

https://www.guttertongue.art/about

Within the myriad different mediums and styles in the visual arts world, we have all encountered pieces that have had a lasting impression on us. Within the sphere of art that is fantasy-focused, I find myself shaken in this way with happy regularity. At times with the thrill of comfortable recognition – of something being “just the way I imagined it”. At other times with surprise or frustration or intrigued confusion – my calm preconceptions disturbed as I am forced to think about something in an entirely new way. And – and these are the best times- -with simple awe. So that I suspend thought and helplessly, silently feel – grief, horror, attraction, scorn, sympathy, joy… 

(Yes, I can do silent fairly well. It is only when I am writing that there are so many words and then I use all the words and then sentences get away from me…)

Gutter’s work has impacted me in all of those different ways. As a non-artist, non-critic, enthusiastic layperson, I will try to describe why. More articulately than just “Oooh – awesome! Beautiful, sexy, strong monster women!”. Yes, that was indeed my first attempt at an art review.  While touching on many vital points, it could use a little polish ;). 

I was straightaway captivated by Gutter’s color choices in the pieces that I saw. How her palette tends towards darker shades (but still very deep and rich and, often, warm). And then, when there is vivid color, frequently combined with a light/glow effect, it just jumps out at you. It is so beautifully done: defining and drawing your focus to particular parts of the image. And creating a whole play of shadows and light that add another layer of textured richness. 

I also really, really love how dynamic so much of her work is. There is so much of action and movement in these pieces. But, at the same time, the lines are so meticulous and the detail is incredible. Skin/scales, musculature, armor, tattoos, weapons, jewelry, clothing design – there is so much to look at. And so much attention lavished on all of it. 

Finally, there are the expressions on the faces of the characters that Gutter is portraying. She is able to bring so much emotion, often to the features of totally alien and frightening beings. Every picture is like a doorway into a very intriguing story and the artist hurls you right through it. And I love that. 

So I really like all of those things about Gutter’s work. Plus, you know, awesome, strong, monster women :). 

I first came across Gutter’s art while looking at images of Half-Orc fighters, as one does. And a picture of Gutter’s Raega came up. I was Elodie-level dazzled. Because there was Yaghra on my screen – perfect, no notes.

It was very intimidating to reach out to a complete stranger and tell her that I like her art. And slightly awkward to explain that the reason I discovered that I like it is because a picture she made looks like my mind-image of a D&D NPC that I adore. But I am glad that I did. Because Gutter was very kind. And very helpful when I asked her to create a piece as a gift for my sister. 

Patrycja, my sister, was going through an overwhelmingly difficult time. My husband suggested GMing a fantasy one-shot session for her while she was staying with us. It was intended to be a light-hearted way to pass time with family and friends. And distract Patrycja with the project of creating her first ever OC and participating in her first ttrpg.  The gaming session was great fun and, in what was a historic achievement for our group of players, we actually finished up the “one-shot” in a single sitting ;). But Patrycja made Kintsugi. And she is much more than a one-shot character. She is unexpected and heart-breaking and special. And I really wanted to celebrate that.

This is Kintsugi’s description and story, from the original commission description that I sent to Gutter:

Kintsugi is an Eladrin female artificer. She carries a cast iron frying pan in one hand. She is mostly in her Spring variant wearing a yellow-green gown and spring flowers in her long hair. But she has been injured or partially trapped in her Winter aspect. There is a strand of white hair on the left side of her head, running into a monochrome frosted-over lesion that includes part of her forehead and the left side of her face and neck. Her left eye is a milky color, unlike the vibrant green of her right, healthy eye. The frozen white/monochrome spreads partly over her raiment on her left side.

She is standing upright and turned just a little away/not looking directly out of the painting. No specific details of landscape are visible behind her but I envision part of the background being more dim/cold/dark/gloomy and part of the background, the direction she is turning slightly towards, being warmer and filled with light. So the overall feeling is that she is turning towards hope.

I would like to include a small animal companion. He would be sitting at Kintsugi’s feet and looking up at her with loyalty and devotion (perhaps to her, perhaps to the treats he is begging for…) His general frame and face should be recognizably French bull-doggish but it would be fun if he had some fantastical components like little bat wings.

My incredible sister, Patrycja, created Kintsugi for the first ever ttrpg she played, in the spring of 2023. She named her after the Japanese practice of including something precious and lustrous, like gold filament, in the repair of a fragile broken thing. Resulting in the fractured and restored item having even more beauty than before it was damaged.

In December 2022, Patrycja was in a terrible accident. The small plane her husband was piloting went down in Labrador, Canada. He did not survive but Patrycja, despite her serious injuries, has defied everyone’s expectations to fight her way back to an independent life. Even though she lost her left eye and her sense of smell and had many other injuries, she made it back to us. The neurosurgeon who repaired her broken back was astounded when he saw her marching around the ortho ward ten days after her surgery!

Patrycja’s beloved companion, both before and during this difficult time, was a little Frenchie named Lewis. A gas-bag of bad smells, strange grunting noises, and an endless appetite for french fries. This past winter Lewis developed a brain tumor and, even though palliative care gave them a really good three months together, Patrycja ultimately lost him too. On the 13th of this March. 

My sister is the strongest person I know, and my absolute hero. But this latest loss feels so excruciatingly unfair. Patrycja is a life-long fantasy and sci-fi fan and I know she will love your art as much as I do. 

So, no pressure, right? 😉

Gutter graciously shouldered all of the emotional baggage that I handed off to her along with the commission. And I could not be more touched by and delighted with the resulting piece :). 

Thank you for your wonderful work!