Welcome
This new(ish) site is an expression of my devotion to those enchanting beings of the sea – merfolk, sirens, selkies, ocean spirits and all the wondrous creatures, energies and histories in the water.
I’m going to be using this site to share my own artwork, fiction and creative projects, and to discuss sea and mer-themed myths, legends, history, movies, shows, books, music, conservation and news. I especially want to shine light on experiences and expressions of people of colour and contributions from the post-colonial world.
I hope you enjoy what you find here and please do get in touch if you want to discuss any of it xxx
Latest Posts
New Merren Character Art
Here’s some new merren Artwork. Another character this time. On this one I’ve used real skin textures wrapped around them and I’m really happy with how it looks – getting closer to the image I want. I’ve tried to give them a hypnotic look this time as this is a character who is very skilled … Continue reading New Merren Character Art
New Merren Art – Margate Harbour
Some new artwork for Merren. I had a lot of fun making this, and actually had to get in the water to model for it myself because I had no volunteers on this beautiful evening when high tide and dusk matched up just how I wanted. It was as cold as it looks and I … Continue reading New Merren Art – Margate Harbour
Kitesurfers in Merren
Last weekend I took a walk on Minnis Bay with my camera and I shot some of the local kitesurfers. Anyone from – or visiting – the isle of Thanet will recognise these surfers with their colourful kites as a prominent feature of our sea views and members of our coastal community. Just like the … Continue reading Kitesurfers in Merren
The Mermaid of Black Conch: Fantastical romance, Taino myth, post-colonial Caribbean
This was a mermaid book that I was excited to read just from the setting and themes alone. When I did I really enjoyed the story, the writing in a Caribbean-English was beautiful, and the themes definitely engaged me, as did some of the discussions/debates that surround the book – I’ve been inspired by a … Continue reading The Mermaid of Black Conch: Fantastical romance, Taino myth, post-colonial Caribbean
Drawing a Water Face
Over the last few months I’ve slowly been sketching this face in the water. Writing my novel I’m always describing characters emerging, submerging, swimming, drowning, hair floating in water etc and my mind has been obsessing over the imagery of it all. So this is what’s coming out of me. Below are some progress shots … Continue reading Drawing a Water Face
The Mermaid the Witch and the Sea
By Maggie Tokuda-Hall, 2020 This is a mer book that I absolutely loved, one with a totally original lore that comes to life in a parallel historical-fantasy world of colonialism, witchcraft and piracy. The Mermaid the Witch and the Sea was one of my favourite recently published mer novels, and another rare book which centralises … Continue reading The Mermaid the Witch and the Sea
Seaspiracy
If you haven’t yet seen or heard of Seaspiracy, it’s a documentary just released on Netflix that gets to the bottom of what is really harming our oceans, the enormous scale of devastation and how it’s being ignored by the biggest environmental groups and our governments in a worldwide network of vested interests against doing … Continue reading Seaspiracy
New Character Artwork – Niah (and writing extract)
Here’s some new artwork for Merren showing one of the central POV characters – Niah. I made it with photoshop using a mixture of photo editing and digital drawing with a Wacom tablet (and sometimes just my mouse). In recent imaginings the merren have taken on a slightly more human appearance than they had originally. … Continue reading New Character Artwork – Niah (and writing extract)
Seals Rescued on Thanet Beaches
Recently the Isle of Thanet has seen a high number of seals in need of help along its shores. I’m sharing a few photos of recent rescues and some info on what you can do if you spot a seal that might need help. While it’s normal for seals to come to shore to rest, … Continue reading Seals Rescued on Thanet Beaches
The Deep by Rivers Solomon – A New Dimension in Aquatic Afrofuturist Mythology
. Writers have for a long time exploited the idea that mer-stories have the ability to raise important questions – ones about the limits of humanity and its porous boundaries, our relationships with the ‘other’, nature, the past, and our sense of who we are. What’s so special about The Deep by Rivers Solomon is … Continue reading The Deep by Rivers Solomon – A New Dimension in Aquatic Afrofuturist Mythology
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