It's no surprise that Larry Johnson's surreal artwork was influenced by Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and John Tenniel's ornate illustrations for such. As a homage to these creative catalysts, Johnson puts his own spin on their timeless collaboration.
For Alice in Wonderland: A Tribute to Tenniel, we're served a series of inner-world glimpses that not only lift from the Victorian illustrator's imagery, but sway with the easy-going hues of Johnson's Horseman, Fantasy Sketchbook and Dream Diary.
As such, the affectionate Tribute to Tenniel offers a personal exploration, as Johnson's ethereal aura dominates the book's 22, pencil drawings, fortified further by his appreciative insights on the beloved originals, along with veritable passages from Carroll's text. This makes Johnson's entries more than mere recreations, but respectful salutes to Tenniel's intricate stylings, which were made to please the often hard-to-please Carroll. In other words, each example exudes a cheerful, careful dreaminess that epitomizes the best of old and new: a feat that many artists would struggle to achieve.
Johnson's 7" x 10", 27-page paperback is a must-have for any Carroll/Tenniel connoisseur and would make a lovely gift for any classic-fantasy fan. However, it strikes me that children would enjoy Johnson's homage above all, for it presents an irretractable draw to Wonderland, which in its own right, constitutes a exuberant right of passage within any youngster's formative years.
Order Larry Johnson's Alice in Wonderland: A Tribute to Tenniel at
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DYNRGCHL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
hey Michael, thanks so much for the wonderful review. here's the link to a listing of all my Amazon books, including the Alice book.
ReplyDeletehttps://sites.google.com/view/larryjohnsoncomics/amazon-books
You're very welcome, Larry. Thanks, too, for the link. BTW: The above review (the text of it) has been submitted to Amazon for all to see.
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