Midsummer Eve | Paper & 3D Resin Editions | Kerry Darlington

There are gardens that exist only in our imagination, places where nature seems touched by magic and every creature has a story to tell. In Midsummer Eve, Kerry Darlington creates just such a world, weaving together the enchantment of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, the idyllic beauty of the Garden of Eden and her lifelong fascination with fantastical storytelling.

A young woman sits at the heart of this extraordinary garden, surrounded by a delicate gathering of woodland companions. Butterflies flutter amongst the flowers, a white bird takes flight, a squirrel ventures down from the branches and a curious white creature watches from above. Every detail contributes to the sense of a secret world, alive with colour, movement and possibility.

Amongst the creatures is a pine marten, a subtle literary reference to Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials and the extraordinary bond between Lyra Belacqua and her dæmon, Pantalaimon. Its presence connects the painting to the wider themes of Kerry's Menagerie collection, where animal companions become inseparable from the stories and characters we love.

The title Midsummer Eve offers a playful meeting of two familiar worlds; the enchanted atmosphere of a Shakespearean midsummer and the innocence and curiosity associated with Eve in an idyllic paradise.Presented as a hand-embellished mixed media edition on fine art paper, this interpretation preserves the remarkable intricacy of Kerry's original composition. Delicate layers of colour, individually applied embellishments and a protective varnish finish celebrate the richness of the woodland setting and the extraordinary craftsmanship behind the imagery.