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- Seven Fables | Exmoor | England
Seven Fables is a beautiful emporium for book and art lovers situated in the heart of Exmoor National Park. Home of the Walking Book Club and principal outlet for originals and prints by Jackie Morris. Log In SEVEN FABLES . . . a haven of inspiration on Exmoor WINTER VIEWING HOURS Tuesday to Saturday 10am - 5pm Portfolio Seven Fables is honoured to represent some of the finest, most skilled professional artists, writers and makers that are currently creating in the UK today. Deliveries of delight are always arriving and the best way to select and choose an item for your home is of course in person. We understand that this is not possible for everyone, so a selection is featured here on our website. Jackie Morris We are the principal UK outlet representing renowned artist & author Jackie Morris, winner of The CILIP 2019 Kate Greenaway Medal for The Lost Words created in partnership with Robert Macfarlane. To discover originals and prints that are currently available to purchase view here A selection of her work is displayed in the gallery but do book ahead if there are specific pieces you wish to view in person. Journal A celebration of the creativity at Seven Fables... Here you will find films, poems, articles and past antics! Books Storytelling has always been part of our lives. We delight in curating the book selection at Seven Fables and the response from our customers is always very positive! We stock a range of books in keeping with our ethos which is a love of nature, art, poetry, fairytale & folklore. We are always happy to offer advice on your purchase. New books arrive fresh from the publisher's press daily - some signed which will make your gift that little extra special. Walking Book Club If you love reading and enjoy walking then this could be just the book club you have been seeking. . . Seven Fables is ideally situated to take advantage of the many beautiful woodland & riverside footpaths that are within strides of our doorstep. Our Walking Book Club is taking a well-earned fallow year following ten years of inspiring walk & talks. Forthcoming Events We regularly welcome artists and authors to Seven Fables. Our newsletter will keep you informed of future events, so do subscribe if you would like to join like minded 'Fable Folk' celebrating nature and the arts. You'll also find us out in the wild! This coming February & March we are partnering with Libraries Unlimited in Barnstaple, curating an exhibition with Jackie Morris. Full details HERE Mid winter and the musicians and their companions are on the move once more... A short film by Seven Fables featuring Jackie Morris and her 2024 artwork for Help Musicians. Original watercolour and limited edition prints now available, discover and read more below... Where the White Bears Dance 'Dear Seven Fables, Just received your latest email and, on impulse, wanted to tell you how much joy your communications bring to me. Everything is just soooo beautiful, I feel such a glow as I read them.' Join fellow 'Fable Folk' and receive our newsletter from Exmoor First Name Last Name Email I agree to the terms & conditions View terms of use Subscribe Thank you for subscribing!
- Wild Folk Charms | Seven Fables | Exmoor
Wild Folk Charms - Spells evoked by Jackie Morris, cast in silver by Eva John… Wild Folk Charms Wild Folk Charms - Spells evoked by Jackie Morris, cast in silver by Eva John… The realm of Wild Folk has expanded beyond the much-anticipated publication from Jackie Morris and Tamsin Abbott. The shape shifting incantations evoked by Jackie have now been cast in silver by Eva John. The words conjure elements encountered first hand by Jackie, walks taken on Exmoor to isolated standing stones , the sound of bird and stag call heard whilst staying at Northmoor. Other charms are heightened snippets of wildlife found closer to Jackie’s home on the wild sea edge of Pembrokeshire. You'll soon discover that rook & raven call favours both… Current Availability Each piece is unique and individually handmade in silver and hallmarked in Edinburgh All jewellery is posted via Royal Mail Special Delivery which costs just £8.00 within the UK Delivery overseas sent tracked and charged at cost. If you would like to know when the next collection of Wild Folk Charms arrives at Seven Fables simply subscribe to receive our regular newsletter via the home page Wild Folk Quick View Limited Edition - Moor Born Price £600.00 Shipping info Wild Folk Quick View Peace Between Us Price £400.00 Shipping info Wild Folk Quick View Pale Wings Price £300.00 Shipping info Wild Folk Quick View Kestrel Hangs Price £300.00 Shipping info Wild Folk Quick View Carry Peace . . . Price £325.00 Shipping info Silver Bear Quick View Silver Bear... Price £175.00 Shipping info
- 404 Error Page | Seven Fables
Oops! Looks like this isn't the right path to Seven Fables! Perhaps you were looking for our Walking Book Club? Or an object of beauty by one of our artisans? The button below will guide you back to the right path... Seven Fables Homepage
Events (27)
- 29 March 2025 | 11:00Tuly Street Barnstaple Devon EX31 1EL
- 9 May 2025 | 09:00Winsford Minehead Exmoor Somerset TA24 7JE, UK
- 8 June 2025 | 09:00Exeter Devon EX1 1HS
Blog Posts (65)
- LONDON BOUND
From the River Barle to the Banks of the Thames All rivers are one... Is A River Alive? Endpapers - Daniel Co We recently returned to Exmoor tired yet inspired following an exhilarating trip to London. Hamish Hamilton and Penguin Random House UK generously invited a select band of independent bookshops to The River Room, for supper with Robert Macfarlane to celebrate the imminent publication of Is A River Alive? This is Robert’s most political book to date and questions how we should address our rivers, for they are not 'its,' they are alive and have been since deep time. They should garner our respect and care, yet shockingly we continue to abuse how we treat our life source, and our rivers are dying - even those we may consider healthy. This is not purely an industrial urban issue but widespread, reaching the pockets of Britain we consider to be 'wild.' Is A River Alive? is a ‘Force’ of a book, both Christopher and I had read it before meeting with Robert, it was only polite to finish our homework! We can assure you it is astounding, strictly embargoed, we are unable to share any reviews with you at this time, but it will certainly not disappoint his readers. Throughout the evening Robert was incredibly generous with his time, ensuring he spoke with everyone. When we departed the Thames was swollen, gun metal grey reflecting the lights of the city in the cool night air, a powerful presence that has shaped the capital - a confined beast. Naturally we would love to host an event for River but are realistic when it comes to the demands on Robert's time, however when talking with him and David of Stanford’s those of you living in the Southwest will be delighted to know that Robert will be making an appearance in Bristol. In the meantime, you may enjoy his recent conversation with Peter Florence at St Martin’s in the Fields. The following morning, along with our fellow booksellers, we visited the new HQ of Penguin Random House UK. The team made us so very welcome, and it was a delight to finally meet with Simon Prosser, Anna Ridley and Hermione Thompson, all of whom we have worked closely with having been commissioned to make the promotional films for The Lost Spells – it was lovely to finally put faces to names and feel valued by the wider book industry. We heard tell also of progress on The Book of Birds which is now in the design stage and looking rather fine! The Lost Spells | Red Fox Our time with Robert and reading Is A River Alive? has certainly made us consider how we may highlight the welfare of our local Exmoor rivers, we’ve always delighted in their allure but what impact as individuals do we have on their future? Is A River Alive? Proof Copies at Seven Fables Hamish Hamilton have refined the special edition since we last brought pre-orders of Is A River Alive? to your attentionvia Tour newsletter. hey are now signed and stamped by the author, with exclusive end papers designed by Daniel Co, a ribbon marker, plus additional content - an extra page at the end of the book containing a Riversong, the broadsheet poem written by Robert Macfarlane and illustrated by Nick Hayes. Quite the collector’s edition! Riversong, for all our rivers - Words Robert Macfarlane - Illustration Nick Hayes
- 'Where the White Bears Dance'
A Musical Christmas Procession... Throughout her career, Jackie Morris has been creating dreamlike images for the Help Musicians Christmas card, and this year the white bears take centre stage, dancing on the back of an elephant as they parade across a winter landscape. It has in recent years become part of the festive tradition, for Jackie to invite a musician to compose a short piece of music to accompany the artwork. This year she invited Molly Howell, a young musician living in Wales to respond to the colourful, serene winter procession. Molly has worked previously with Jackie, creating the haunting soundscape for Feather, Leaf, Bark & Stone and welcomed this new commission. Christopher and I were not expecting to make a film for the artwork this year as Jackie's time has been focused on completing The Book of Lost Birds, her head in paint, brush and feathers, and yet we unexpectedly found ourselves staying together at Northmoor House and never ones to miss a creative opportunity spent an afternoon at the piano... A visual delight... On returning home we spent a day by the fireside editing a short film to convey the spirit of this year's artwork, highlighting the colourful details that link the stories, the musicians and their companions across Jackie's imaginative winter realms. We hope you enjoy visiting their world for a brief, relaxing moment in time... If you are enchanted by this year's imagery you will be delighted to know that limited edition prints are available to order directly from Seven Fables, the original also. Delivery is available throughout the UK and overseas - please do enquire info@sevenfables.co.uk or view via the link below THE JACKIE MORRIS PRINT COLLECTION The Christmas cards are for sale exclusively from the Help Musicians website HELP MUSICIANS 'We love music and want a world where musicians thrive.' Help Musicians is a charity for professional musicians of all genres, both in work and in retirement. They offer support at times of crisis, but also at times of opportunity, giving people the help they need at the crucial stages that could make or break their career. Discover more by Molly Howell on Bandcamp... BANDCAMP: MOLLY HOWELL
- 'Fox and Hare and Great White Bear
...tell me the names of the sea' The story of a painting, a song of the sea and a film by Seven Fables For almost twenty years, if not more, Jackie Morris has been creating dreamlike images for the Help Musicians Christmas card, this year is the story of the Fox and Hare and Great White Bear, and the painting is accompanied by a haunting melody written and performed by Kerry Andrew - You Are Wolf . Jackie asked Christopher, and myself, if we would make a film to capture the beauty and vibrancy of her work, and highlight Kerry's music. We naturally said yes - Jackie is a joy to work with and having the luxury of a ready-made soundtrack was a gift, so while staying at Northmoor House , we set up a temporary studio in the scullery where the colour and gold shone in the October light. Before you continue reading, listening, watching, we suggest that you light a candle or two, make yourself comfortable, relax and enjoy... Fox and Hare and Great White Bear A story by Jackie Morris In every image there are as many stories as there are people who look. Each begins with a curiosity. Who is the woman in blue? Does the drummer summon the fish with the rhythm of her music? Does the boat follow the fish as they wander the world’s winds, or do the fish follow the boat, drawn by the music? Where are they going? What are they leaving? The fox and the hare and the great white bear had seen this before. On days like this when the sea was a palette of colours; green and slate green and silver and blue, paynes grey and smalt, and glass green. They knew how the fish would rise when colours sang in the water, and they knew how each fish pulled the snow into the sky with their great fan tails, searching for dreams, carried a sliver of the old moon in their eyes, keeping the moon safe until she grew in her power to fulness again. They knew that on days like this it would seem as if the whole world were made of music and this would be where answers could be found. For a year they had been walking, together over the white, footfall after footfall, through snow, in new moon and full moon, and each of the moons with its own name, its own story. She carried her question to the edge, to ask the fish for an answer. “What,” she asked, “would have the power to call all of the birds to make a bridge of their wings to stretch across the universe?” And the fish answered, as always, with a story. It was said that he was born to the song of the nightingales, and their thrilling notes were the first music he heard. And so, from his birth, he understood the language of birds. And if some are born rich and some are born poor there are those who understand the nature of true wealth does not lie in gold, but somewhere more precious. As a babe he would lie in his cradle as his mother worked, watch the light in the leaves dance patterns across his crib and listen to the language of birds. When she worked the fields he was strapped to her back and would watch the wild geese, an autumn arrow across the sky. In spring he thrilled to the voices of oriels. And as he grew he began to help his mother, clearing the fields of stones, bending to plant rice, standing to watch the cranes dance to their own music, in the turning world. His father was often away, caring for sheep on the mountain pastures, but one day, home for a while, he took down a painted box from a high shelf. In the box, wrapped in golden silk, an intricately carved bamboo flute. He handed it to his son, who admired the object, intrigued, then gave it back to his father. And when his father raised the instrument to his lips and played the first note the boy knew he could never be a farmer. His life belonged to the flute, to music. He learned how to make his own instrument. He learned to play. Everywhere he went he carried the flute, every spare moment he practiced. And he made new flutes, from bamboo, from wood, from the bones of a swan. And with every new making the sound became richer, wilder, deeper. Now when he played the nightingales would come to listen, thread their music through his, thrilling and filling the starlight hours. When he went with his father to watch over the sheep it was said the wolves would gather to listen. There was a wild haunting ache to the young man’s music, which left within it space for the wild song of the world to enter, the voices of others, the river, the wind, the colours of butterflies and moths, wild flowers and always birdsong. It was said that his music could heal even the most broken of hearts or minds. People would gather to hear him play and it wasn’t long before musicians made pilgrimage to his door to request that he make them a flute. And so he began to make flutes for others. He would look at the person, listen closely to their colours, and know exactly how to make the best instrument to fit them perfectly. His fame spread, tales of a shepherd boy troubadour. By now he was a young man, restless in the world, spending most of his time in the mountains, charming the wolves, making laments powerful enough that the moon would stop in her tracks to listen. And this was how he came to the attention of the Emperor. The Emperor sent a summons. He wanted the boy to come and play to his daughter, struck down by a melancholy so deep she hardly ate, spending her days locked in a tall tower, refusing food, sleeping and sighing and wasting away. He offered wealth. The boy thanked him, but said he could not leave the mountains. He did not need money. The Emperor sent again, this time a command. The boy said he could not come as he was learning from the birds. The Emperor was angry. But he was also measured. He knew that a songbird in a cage does not sing as sweet as one who flies free. He commissioned a portrait of his beloved child, and sent this to the young man. The boy left the mountains, travelled over the sea, learned the music of waves, came to the Emperor’s door. Every night for seven nights he sat at the foot of the princess’ tower and played. In moonlight and starlight, as shooting stars fell he played. As the rain added a rhythm to his music he played. As the lights of the aurora danced in the sky, he played. Night birds came and added a chorus and the wind threaded through the leaves of the forest. His music became a current that was one with the river and on the seventh night the princess rose from her bed and went to the window. Notes from the flute lifted skyward, a simple, dark love song, out from the mind of the boy and into her heart. Did she fall in love from the first note that entered her dreaming mind? Probably. Was the Emperor pleased to witness the revival of his child? Yes. But....... she was betrothed to the King in the North, a treaty of great trade and power. And if that king was 60 years old, well, such was the ways of power. And if now she had fallen in love with this peasant musician, well, that had not been a part of his plan. On the eighth night there was silence. The boy had been exiled. Far away to the other side of the universe, where his music could never again reach the ears of the princess. But the Emperor, who understood wealth and the power of politics, failed to comprehend the power of music and wild magic. Far away the boy began to play. Each note summoned a bird. Each bird spread wide their wings, all the colours of a rainbow of feathers, blackbird and starling, thrush and oriel, eagle and wren, flamingo and crane, nightingale and owl, sparrow and finch, turtle dove and collared dove, gannet and heron, parrot and plover and curlew and pintail, songbird and hawk, sea bird and river bird, hummingbird and toucan. All the birds of the air sent someone, and together they made a bridge of their wings that spanned the universe, from the boy to the tower. On one side he began to walk, even as she stepped out of her window onto the wings of the dancing cranes. One wing, one step at a time, and still he played, lending the wings of the birds strength through his music, until they met at the apex of the arch, where they danced to the music of the spheres. The woman in blue thought for a while. She could hear, distant, yet clear, the music of a flute threading through the waves. She gathered the threads of the answer, thanked the fish, and began a new journey. In every story there are as many images as people who have ears to listen and hearts to hold it. If you are captivated by the story, song and imagery you may be delighted to know that limited edition prints are available to order directly from Seven Fables - the originals have recently made their swift fluid flight to an admirer and collector of Jackie's work in America. However, the prints that you see being delicately hand finished by Jackie with 'shell gold' in the film are available, marked as artist proof, AP, and signed. Delivery is available throughout the UK and overseas - please do enquire info@sevenfables.co.uk or view via the link below THE JACKIE MORRIS PRINT COLLECTION The Christmas cards are for sale exclusively from the Help Musicians website HELP MUSICIANS 'We love music and want a world where musicians thrive.' Help Musicians is a charity for professional musicians of all genres, both in work and in retirement. They offer support at times of crisis, but also at times of opportunity, giving people the help they need at the crucial stages that could make or break their career. Kerry Andrew’s latest album was published on the 3rd of November and was funded in part by Help Musicians. Entitled 'hare // hunter // moth // ghost' it comprises eleven tracks about transformation, populated by queer ghosts and magicians, storm kelpies, shapeshifting hares and foxes, pansexual kings, iconic stag-men and vengeful wolf-girls. It features lyrics by Robert Macfarlane, guest vocals from Sam Lee a nd Ben See, with words by two wonderful writers, Nick Hayes and Kerri ní Dochartaigh. To discover more and purchase the album do head over to Bandcamp. BANDCAMP: KERRY ANDREW - YOU ARE WOLF