The History of
Postles Lodge
Ever since I was really young I loved to draw and paint. Below you see a six-year-old Estelle painting in a colouring book on our balcony in the Black Forest of Germany. I had a huge fascination with Disney animation, Barbie films, Victorian fashion, and illustrators I discovered through books borrowed from the library. Accompanying my creative endeavors was either the Nutcracker Suite, recorded radio programmes from my grandma, or narrations of The Chronicles of Narnia on my tape player.
I would sit at this little black desk in our home in Switzerland, drawing these portraits from the laptop while my mother read a book aloud, or listening to a BBC radio drama or an epic film soundtrack. I would complete a drawing in one month. These were some of the best drawing days, and I loved carrying around my portfolio everywhere I went to show people what I had made.
For my senior thesis at North Greenville University I wanted to create a special body of work which reflected much of what my art was inspired by through these years. My series is made up of portraits of people as characters from children’s literature. To the right I am standing with Abe Stratton who modeled for my drawing of Robin Hood after giving my presentation. You can read more on the backstory of each piece found throughout my portraits category. With my love for characters, stories, and worlds, I hope to get closer to working on more illustration projects that embody these things in a far greater capacity and scope for the imagination.
It all began when I was born on November 29th, 1994, and first lived in a little house called Postles Lodge in the Hertfordshire country town of Knebworth. “Postles” is a Middle English nickname for apostles meaning messenger, specifically yet subtly named after the 12 Apostles from the New Testament in the Bible. Seeing as this is where my life formed its roots and that I would go out to travel and reside in other lands carrying the testimony of God’s hand through my work, it seemed only fitting to call my brand after this humble abode.
When I was twelve years old, I went from drawing Disney princesses and depictions from my imagination to looking at a photograph and trying to copy it from observation. Suddenly, I realised that by looking at a picture, I could make my drawings appear more realistic. This excited me and I embarked on a new chapter in my art that would change my work into what it has become today. I started drawing primarily portraits, the famous four pieces being favourite characters from BBC period dramas I loved watching: Jane Eyre, John Thornton, David Copperfield, and Miss Matty. Ten years later I began to create replicas of the very same references in coloured pencil to commemorate this turning point.
The first time I properly had my work displayed was at the Black Forest Academy where later I would become an art teacher myself. Alongside my BBC characters were several of the Pevensie portraits, save for the one I drew of Lucy which I had mailed to the actress, Georgie Henley. A few years afterwards I drew a replica to complete the set of siblings once again.
It all began when I was born on November 29th, 1994, and first lived in a little house called Postles Lodge in the Hertfordshire country town of Knebworth. “Postles” is a Middle English nickname for apostles meaning messenger, specifically yet subtly named after the 12 Apostles from the New Testament in the Bible. Seeing as this is where my life formed its roots and that I would go out to travel and reside in other lands carrying the testimony of God’s hand through my work, it seemed only fitting to call my brand after this humble abode.
Ever since I was really young I loved to draw and paint. Below you see a six-year-old Estelle painting in a colouring book on our balcony in the Black Forest of Germany. I had a huge fascination with Disney animation, Barbie films, Victorian fashion, and illustrators I discovered through books borrowed from the library. Accompanying my creative endeavors was either the Nutcracker Suite, recorded radio programmes from my grandma, or narrations of The Chronicles of Narnia on my tape player.
I would sit at this little black desk in our home in Switzerland, drawing these portraits from the laptop while my mother read a book aloud, or listening to a BBC radio drama or an epic film soundtrack. I would complete a drawing in one month. These were some of the best drawing days, and I loved carrying around my portfolio everywhere I went to show people what I had made.
When I was twelve years old, I went from drawing Disney princesses and depictions from my imagination to looking at a photograph and trying to copy it from observation. Suddenly, I realised that by looking at a picture, I could make my drawings appear more realistic. This excited me and I embarked on a new chapter in my art that would change my work into what it has become today. I started drawing primarily portraits, the famous four pieces being favourite characters from BBC period dramas I loved watching: Jane Eyre, John Thornton, David Copperfield, and Miss Matty. Ten years later I began to create replicas of the very same references in coloured pencil to commemorate this turning point.
The first time I properly had my work displayed was at the Black Forest Academy where later I would become an art teacher myself. Alongside my BBC characters were several of the Pevensie portraits, save for the one I drew of Lucy which I had mailed to the actress, Georgie Henley. A few years afterwards I drew a replica to complete the set of siblings once again.
For my senior thesis at North Greenville University I wanted to create a special body of work which reflected much of what my art was inspired by through these years. My series is made up of portraits of people as characters from children’s literature. To the right I am standing with Abe Stratton who modeled for my drawing of Robin Hood after giving my presentation. You can read more on the backstory of each piece found throughout my portraits category.
With my love for characters, stories, and worlds, I hope to get closer to working on more illustration projects that embody these things in a far greater capacity and scope for the imagination.