Blog: September 2015

Having recently curated an exhibition of Tolkien-inspired art in Sheffield, South Yorkshire featuring a number of artists well-known to the society, and with many people unable to undertake the travel to see the show, I’ve put together this short video. It provides a general overview of the exhibition but also reveals something of the curation choices linked to the title Evil in the Shining Light by combining readings from Tolkien’s source text in combination with images of the exhibition.

It sometimes comes as a surprise to people online that the Tolkien Society isn’t just a Twitter account and a Facebook group, but a real charity you can join and support just like the National Trust or the Boy Scouts.

The Tolkien Society has well over 1,000 members in over 30 different countries, many of whom play a full and active role in the Society. So, as the world comes together to celebrate Hobbit Day, here are some of the reasons why you should join the Tolkien Society today. (more…)

Next time you’re listening to the 1981 BBC radio adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, with its music in the English classical tradition written by Stephen Oliver, contemplate the bizarre but interesting fact that the composer was the uncle of John Oliver, of Last Week Tonight.

August 2015

This month started with the very sad news of the sudden and unexpected death at 55 of Jef Murray, artist and writer of mythopoeic art, not least drawings and paintings inspired by Tolkien’s work, and very generously allowing me to use his Tolkien-inspired works to illustrate my posts on this blog.

(more…)