Test Valley Artwork 3/6 The Deadman's Plack

Title: ‘Vanity’
Artist: Maija Liepins

This artwork for The Deadman's Plack of Harewood Forest in Test Valley Tales, depicts a monument you can still visit today.

Storyteller Amanda Kane Smith, possibly with some encouragement from my fellow artist collaborator Susan Merrick, has retold the very famous story of Elfrida and The King from the point of view of Elfrida herself.

Similarly, I didn’t want to draw a classic battle scene and instead opted to describe the story that lingers in the air, a tale of blood spilled, of a fight, of a woman in the middle of it all.

I found some photos of the type of clothes they would have worn and noticed the distinctive bands around the women's heads. When we visited the location of the story I was able to get photos to inform my drawing.

Work in progress for Deadmans Plack, a Test Valley Tale location visit

Work in progress for The Deadmans Plack Andover Test Valley Tale 2021

​further info.
Project Website: www.merry-go-roundstorytelling.co.uk/testvalleytales - go here for book and podcast
Instagram: @testvalleytales @maijaliepins
My Test Valley Tales Artwork: thedreamforest.maija.co.uk/testvalleytales