There have been attempts to understand the rules of structure in the fairy tale as well as efforts to assemble an index of archetypes within folk tales. However, I have found that my area of focus, the visual archetype, has been previously overlooked by scholars and folklorists. 

I believe that the illustrations that often accompany these stories should be given the same attention and analysis as the written word. Images are often in conversation with the stories that we tell and can add their own value and meaning. It is often the illustrations within fairy tale anthologies that stick in the mind long after we close the book. My work proposes that in theory, a visual index of symbols that are present within fairy tales could and should exist and would be a valuable contribution to the conversation around folk tales and fairy stories.

My practice has involved reading fairy stories and identifying strong visual symbolism within the writing that I can then translate into painted illustrations. I have also been playing with the concept of telling a story through symbols, using the medium of tarot cards to explore narratives. I wish to cultivate strong feelings of nostalgia with my work and hope that it transports the viewer to the land of the faerie.