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SOUL IN THEIR OWN WORDS
KEITH HARROP
You know that small door in the ceiling ? Yes , that one . It ’ s up there , but you always just walk past it — forgetting it ’ s there . It ’ s probably just filled with old insulation and wooden rafters . Well , let ’ s go on a little adventure . Find a small ladder , prop it up , and pry the door open . It creaks . It resists . But you can open it . It is then that it reveals a dimly lit attic , one whose door has remained mysteriously closed throughout the dim and distant years .
The half-light illuminates framed portraits , hanging crooked on the walls . There is an old gramophone player . Its needle lies still , longing to dance across the waxen record — wanting to fill the room with music , just like it did in times past . The musty smell , the serene and patient silence , waiting all these years to be disturbed .
You kneel down , and blow the dust off a large , brown chest . Tiny particles , dormant , now joyfully released , dance in the air . Opening it slowly , you see a collection of small
and large portraits . May I introduce my family of curious , rakish , jaunty and aristocratic characters ? Some are happy , some stoic , others contemplative ; each with a story .
I started the “ Anicurio ” series during the COVID lockdown period of 2020 . It began with a drawing of my cat , Harvey , complete with a little suit . I stained it in a coffee wash to achieve that old , degraded vintage photo effect . After I finished , I thought , that ’ s interesting . I wonder what ’ ll happen if I keep going ? And so , one “ Horse ” in a dapper suit and tie later , and I realized I ’ d found my style — and I just kept going and going . Now here I am , with my extended family of stags , badgers , mice , elephants , toads and yes , more cats .
The “ Anicurio ” collection is all hand drawn with graphite and charcoal pencil . I then hand stain each with a mixture of ingredients , giving them the look and feel of old , vintage photographs , complete with scratches and chemical stains .
I guess I ’ m world building . All my characters have a background . They have names and biographies . All of which I plan to include at some point in a coffee table book .
” Oh , that bear just reminds me of my husband ,” and “ My sister loves swans ; she will adore this .” Smiles and giggles . I even get the occasional hug — art for hugs — I ’ ll take that .
I try to draw out the personality of the animals , resisting the temptation to exaggerate their features . They are not cartoons . I want to retain their natural grace and dignity .
Why Victorian ? I just think it was a time when people still took the trouble to communicate . They would speak in full sentences , taking great care to use their full linguistic skills , no matter how limited . It showed respect to the person they were talking to . They would write letters in their most careful handwriting — cursives and flourishes , because they wanted to present themselves as the best version they could be . Yes , of course , I ’ m romanticizing it . I know that . But in my world these things still count .
So , please come along and open that chest . Blow away the dust of the years , spin the record , and dance with my family of anthropomorphic friends .
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78 ART CHOWDER MAGAZINE