“It was my first time there and hopefully not my last!” children's book illustrator
Bats Langley said of visiting Belcastel, France. “It was beautiful, magical and enchanting. Words and photos can’t describe the beauty that is Belcastel… Butterflies and bountiful flowers lining the stone streets as you climb up the hill to the castle, simply magical.”
As friends of Heidi Leigh and her family, the owners of the chateau at Belcastel, Bats had seen pictures of this magical hamlet and castle before, but discovered that its beauty was beyond pictures. “I guess the phrase ‘have to see it for yourself’ applies,” he said.
Bats was very interested to see how faerie artist Brian Froud
planned to tackle the challenge of teaching to students of
varying artistic backgrounds. As soon as class began, however, it was
clear that Brian was teaching far more than technical skills.
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| "Slow Move" |
“What Brian taught were new ways of seeing, and that is the most important lesson one can learn and experience,” Bats said. “Brian’s thought process and ways of organizing thoughts into a sketchbook were really eyeopening. He wasn't just telling you how to think but more how to expand your own thoughts through a variety of exercises. It was really interesting seeing everyone push themselves and their comforts.”
As with everyone who had attended the Froud’s classes, and Bats’ life changed after returning home.
“I have to admit, leaving Belcastel was an adjustment. It took me two weeks to really process all I had learned from Brian, and also all the beauty of Belcastel....hard to return to the gray that is sometimes NYC.”
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| "We Lost Something" |
Immediately, Bats applied Brian’s sketching processes into his work. Some techniques were new, and some had simply been forgotten or were applied in new ways.
“I know in art school there are great teachers who couldn't make art and there are great artists who can't teach,” Bats said. “Brian is both an incredible artist and teacher, a true rarity.”
Since returning to New York City, Bats has had work published in both “Spider” and “Ladybug” magazines, and he has continued showing his work in Los Angeles & New York, specifically at Gallery Nucleus. He has written and illustrated projects for publication and is represented by Brianne Johnson at Writer’s House.
Find Bats at
www.batslangley.com and
www.writershouseart.com/bats-langley
This week's Blog Roll:
Soso Erlenkamp
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