The Fantastical Photography of Kirsty Mitchell: A Tribute to Her Mother

Kirsty Mitchell has been working on a project four years in the making, where she photographs fantastical, wildly radiant scenes of fairy-tail women in elaborate costumes. These story-book images are a tribute to the artist’s mother, who died in November 2008 of a brain tumor. To deal with the grief of her loss, Kirsty immersed herself in art — inventing a rich narrative of characters and places that mimicked the stories her mother read to her as a child. In doing so, Kirsty reflects on the woman who was such an inspiration to her, “My mother was an English teacher who spent over thirty years inspiring generations of children with her stories and plays. She was rarely seen without her head in a book, or writing in her own vast diaries, which she had kept since I was young.”

Her mother’s literary interests inspired Kirsty to delve into an imaginary world to alleviate her grief. Photography became a therapeutic outlet where Kirsty could channel her ineffable emotions into an artistic expression. “In the months that followed real life became a difficult place to deal with, and I found myself retreating further into an alternative existence through the portal of my camera. This escapism grew into the concept of creating an unexplained storybook without words, dedicated to her, that would echo the fragments of the fairytales she read to me constantly as a child.” Kirsty spearheaded this considerable undertaking while still working full time; she collaborated with make-up artists, costumiers and anyone who donated material, resources and time to the project.

Recognizing the tragic origin of the Wonderland series, Kirsty also acknowledges the silver-lining of being inspired by the loss of a loved one: “It is true to say that in losing my mother I lost so much, but this new, unexpected path has changed my life forever. So, no matter how sad the origins are, I am so very grateful for what has happened, and the precious friends I have gained. At present I still don’t know what the future holds, but the day I see my mother’s name printed on the inside cover of the Wonderland book… it will feel like I have finally fulfilled my promise to myself… and her precious memory. I miss her so much… This is for you mum…”

Visit Kirsty Mitchell’s website here.

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• Amazing Photography by Kirsty Mitchell (dogondesigns.org)
• Grief and Mother’s Day: National Grief Expert’s 10 Tips to Remember Mom with Peace (prweb.com)
• Wonderland, Photographer Makes Fairy Tale Photo Series Inspired by the Memory of Her Mother (laughingsquid.com)