Step into Strangehollow: Emily Hare's enchanted forest is back with a brand-new bestiary

Come. Cross the road, follow the wall and duck through where the stones have fallen. Take the path past the brook and into the shade of the trees. See, the trail leads into the woods… Feeling apprehensive? Maybe you should.

You’ve stepped into the enchanted forest of Strangehollow, painted softly yet lavishly by watercolour artist Emily Hare. Her fourth book in the series is due to launch in February, funded by Emily’s fans on Kickstarter. Part art book, part guide, it tells you where you’ll find the creatures, what they eat, how they live and plenty more peculiar details. A veritable bestiary of folklore, 100 per cent concocted by the artist herself.

“Pretty much every creature in the forest is dangerous, so with this book, it’s not blood and gore and terrifying beasties, just sharing even more creatures that you’ll find in this wild place,” she says.

There’s nothing here that would give you a nightmare. I mean, not compared to watching the nightly news. But it’s a chance to escape from all that and let the imagination take over, while marvelling at the artist’s wonderful watercolour skills. Take a closer look, and you’ll see the fine brushwork and layering at work, lending a soft, calming tone to each image. Like any forest, Strangehollow is a tranquil place.

One of Emily’s favourite paintings in the new book is The Chase, which involves a colony of red dragons. “It’s fun as it depicts a red dragon known as The Red Death, the largest and most fearsome of the dragons. However, every few years, the mountains where it lives are visited by this enormous, winged horror, which thins out the red dragon population before moving on,” she explains.

There are forest unicorns which, if you get close enough without scaring them, will protect you with their magic. The swamp troll Emily has painted is full of verdant texturing – perfectly benign, just don’t get sat on.

She continues: “The odious snarf is a little more troublesome since it will transfer the worst stink you have ever sniffed when touched. The trouble is the little chap smells delicious – a genius trick! You’d not want to accidentally step on or touch one of these little guys, no matter the temptation to.”

The genesis of Strangehollow is an object lesson in how, as an artist, you can overcome uncertainty and cut your own furrow in an industry that often dazzles and distracts. Emily had painted pet portraits, taken freelance illustration commissions from small publishers, and done a bit of photo editing to supplement her income. But she needed something to put her own creativity into, something to help her discover her style.

“I struggled for years with consistency in my style and work, so towards the end of 2016, I planned to illustrate the inhabitants of a vast enchanted forest. That was my brief to myself, and that is how Strangehollow was born,” she says. “The first book, Strangehollow, was launched in 2017 on Kickstarter, and I had no idea how successful it would be. It was quite a moment!”

Secrets of Strangehollow and Seas of Strangehollow followed, and she branched out to explore new ideas beyond the borders of the forest. One project, entitled WANTED – Cosmic Outlaws, Space Pirates & Intergalactic Scallywags, didn’t go down so well. Her audience just didn’t expect aliens. However, her Mini Boom of Monsters 1 and 2 have been both fun and successful. Book three in that series is due late spring. She’s recently finished an exciting client project, currently under NDA, so watch for that too.

“I have really loved forging my own path and making things that really entertain me. I resisted my natural silly streak for years, but Strangehollow really taught me that I’m not here to make edgy or challenging art, I’m here to weave a bit of magic, nostalgia, and hopefully also put some smiles on faces and giggles in tummies,” she concludes.