A Charm of Books Help us gift seven beautiful books to seven schools... ​ Jackie Morris has kindly donated her artist proof of A Charm of Goldfinches to raise funds to place books within school libraries. Published by Aquarelle, the limited edition of 45 gold foiled prints quickly sold out, so this is a unique opportunity to purchase the artist's proof. The Print Help us gift seven beautiful books to seven schools... A Charm of Goldfinches Artist Proof, signed by Jackie Morris £800* SOLD - thank you! x free delivery within the UK Giclée Print with hand applied gold' leaf. Edition of 45 on 300gsm Canson Moulin du Roy 100% cotton rag Image size: 70 cm x 50.5 cm Mount size: 92 cm x 75.5 cm *All funds raised from the sale of this print will go towards placing books in schools How to Order. . . E-mail info@sevenfables.co.uk with your name and delivery address Payment is securely and easily made with your card via Worldpay invoicing Delivery overseas available, please do enquire for shipping quote Alternatively you may sponsor your local school by purchasing A Charm of Books for £100 A Charm of Books . . Each school will receive: 2 x The Song That Sings Us by Nicola Davies 2 x The Lost Spells by Robert Macfarlane & Jackie Morris 1 x The Wild Swans by Jackie Morris 1 x East of the Sun West of the Moon by Jackie Morris 1 x Letters to the Earth ​ We'll also add a few extra goodies including ​ 1 x Audio CD of The Lost Spells 1 x The Wild Cards 100 postcards featuring artwork by Jackie Morris ​ Value £127.00 Delivery free of charge If your school would like to receive this wonderful collection of books simply send your contact details to info@sevenfables.co.uk *Only one collection of books per school Age range 5years to Teen & YA Your school must be located in the UK

Log In SEVEN FABLES . . . a haven of inspiration on Exmoor VIEWING HOURS Monday to Saturday 10am - 5pm Dulverton by Starlight | Sunday 3rd December 11am - 7pm Afternoon book signing with writer & harpist Hazel Prior 2pm - 5pm CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR Closed Christmas Eve | Re-opening Thursday 28th December 10am - 5pm | Closed New Year's Day 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 its annual winter break and will resume on Saturday 10th February 2024. 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. ​ Hazel Prior will be at Seven Fables on Sunday 3rd December as part of Dulverton by Starlight - full details here . We look forward to seeing you in your finest winter coat! ​ Pictured: Author & harpist Hazel Prior Fox and Hare and Great White: The artwork for this year's Help Musicians Christmas card is accompanied by a haunting song written and performed by award winning British composer, vocalist and author Kerry Andrew - You Are Wolf. Please do relax and enjoy the film we made to capture the beauty and vi brancy of Jackies' artwork. Limited edition prints are available from Seven Fables , and the Christmas cards from Help Musicians. The Jackie Morris Print Collection '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!

Our Story Seven Fables, originally known as Number Seven Dulverton, evolved from a shared passion for art, storytelling and the changing seasons. ​ Since opening in 2002 we have gained a reputation for selling a carefully curated collection of British craft including ceramics, jewellery, stained glass, prints and paintings. We are the principal gallery representing the work of illustrator and writer Jackie Morris. Our bookshelves offer new publications alongside classic fiction, and we are known for our extensive collection of nature writing. Customers also travel from far and wide for our range of art cards. We hold regular events and if you love reading and walking then our book club could be just what you are seeking. We hope you enjoy browsing our website but nothing beats a relaxing visit to the shop in person, and Exmoor is just such an inspiring landscape to explore. . . Discover Us! 'We have just returned from a brief camping trip in Somerset & discovered Seven Fables quite by chance on an unscheduled visit to Dulverton that was so nearly thwarted by roadworks. The split second decision to drive past the 'Road Closed' signs regardless, rendering us a bit lost, meant we really did stumble across Seven Fables by a series of errors & wrong turns! Perhaps we were meant to find you! At night on closing time, on a dank & dreary day, the welcome couldn't have been warmer. And the treasures within instantly turned us in to 2 children in a sweet shop. Evocative, magical & poignant. Goodies for young and old alike. We could have happily moved in! We fed our souls, exchanged gold & silver coins for a bag full of wonders and left with full hearts. Utterly delightful, brimming with thought & care. A place where dark fairy tales & exquisite art all hold hands round the campfire whilst their songs drift away to touch a spirit with something beautiful.' Who are Seven Fables? Davina and Christopher Jelley are the creative energy that propels Seven Fables. They met at art college, with Christopher winning Davina's heart by telling her a story the first night they met, she then challenged him to learn Christina Rossetti's Goblin Market by heart, which he did! ​ Jan Jan is also very much part of the team, her vibrancy is infectious and she is loved by many. She studied at Central St Martins' in the late 1950s, winning a scholarship at the tender age of 15. She has a dramatic sense for colour and has brought Davina up to follow her artistic heart. ​ Seven Fables has become a creative hub and the perfect outlet for Davina and Christopher's writing, Poetry Pin , photography and film making - discover what they are up to via the Seven Fables' Journal !

...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 pronof, 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 and 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

An atmospheric walk with Tamsin Abbott and Jackie Morris... Earlier this month we had the most fabulous, wet wet walk in the rain making plans for the launch event and exhibition of Wild Folk that we are to host in the summer of 2025. I wanted to show Tamsin Abbott and Jackie Morris the standing stone on our dear friend Jilly's farm as I felt it to be a fitting location for a reading and summer event to celebrate this exciting collaboration. We had gathered at Northmoor House once again, and it was such a joy to return, to be where Wild Folk was conceived a year earlier. To mark the anniversary, Unbound broadcast a live zoom from 'the kitchen' at Seven Fables with John Mitchinson, Jackie Morris and Tamsin Abbott in conversation, sharing the writing and illustrating process as they work towards publishing Wild Folk. The conversation was filmed with plans to make it available to Wild Folk supporters who were unable to tune in live. Do visit the Unbound website to discover more, the funding tipped at 200% that week which was also cause for celebration! Suffice to say, Jackie and Tamsin of course appreciated the setting, even the weather, with Jackie leaving the gift of a gilded labyrinth. The standing stone is quite unique for Exmoor due to its height, as many in the moorland landscape are so low lying, they can barely be spotted above the cotton grass. Despite the rain creatures were abound as we walked the landscape, a hare leapt from its warm form, a heron rose above the river, a fox crept along the tree line while in the distance a stag bellowed revealing himself on the horizon, all called by a little summoning perhaps? On our return to the farmhouse we warmed ourselves in Jilly's kitchen with delicious hot soup and chocolate cake before heading 'home' to Northmoor House via Tarr Steps, which I feel is always best visited on a rainy day. Jackie and Tamsin were thrilled with our proposed event and Seven Fables' newsletter subscribers will of course be the first to be notified of our plans for June 2025, and when tickets are made available, there is of course still much to pull together at this midpoint of the project. Thank you, Jilly, for making us all so welcome, we look forward to returning, and just to let you all know we did get a little sunshine during our stay at Northmoor!

Saturday 7th October 2023 A joyful, wonderful, smile filled, busy, busy day... Such a memorable day, thank you to the 'Fable Folk' who were able to join us to celebrate in the October sunshine, and those who sent well wishes from near and far. The bunting looked fabulous and certainly set the scene, one of colour, exuberance and creativity. It was lovely to see our customers connect with one another, sharing their appreciation of Seven Fables - we couldn't wish for a more vibrant community of customers whose on-going support is cause for celebration - thank you. Our thanks, and love to Jackie Morris who was kept busy in the kitchen, gilding labyrinth stones, signing books and creating a little magic with her own inimitable style. Our visitors certainly departed inspired, many with the unexpected gift of a gilded stone clasped tightly... 'An acorn fell to the ground, a seed full of hope and possibilities, it put out roots, then a shoot and leaves slowly unfurled. Twenty one years later it is a magnificent oak that is known as Seven Fables. Thank you for creating such a haven of joy, magic and inspiration with a hint of mischief. Congratulations.' FJ 'So beautiful, so magical, a wonderful day filled with love and creativity…thank you with the whole of my heart Seven Fables and Jackie Morris…' LLB 'To everyone at Seven Fables, I just wanted to say a big thank you for the warm welcome I received yesterday when I attended your 21st celebration, it meant a lot. I wish I could bottle the atmosphere that you have on these occasions because it is truly special, I am still feeling the warm afterglow. Wishing you all many more happy birthdays and thank you again.' LK We look forward to celebrating our 25th birthday with you in 2027! XXXXXXX