9 | From the Editor
About the Interior Art by Nigel Suckling
It is really quite interesting how Nigel’s beautiful artwork honoring St. Brigid came to be in this issue of the magazine. I was doing some research online and one link led to another and before you knew it, I was adventuring about, clicking here and there on things that interested me, with no particular aim in mind. At some point during my various clickings, I happened upon an article about St. Brigid, and at that very moment it occurred to me to dedicate this issue of the magazine to her. I now feel quite strongly that she has guided this entire publishing venture from the start (although, in all honesty, I had not given it any thought previously, but I have come to realize that the universe reveals itself in its own good time) and this issue in particular, what with the riotously exciting inclusion of Bruce’s amazing art — and this very important part, that I’m about to share with you.
Remember that I had made the very conscious decision to dedicate this issue to St. Brigid. That set in motion a process, something beyond my ken. Within a couple of days, as I was meandering about Nigel’s website (having already been in contact with him about Bruce’s art), a vast and absorbing archive detailing his decades of wonderful work, I stumbled upon the art piece of St. Brigid that now graces the interior of this magazine — with a link to its Dropbox! If that wasn’t a sign, I really don’t know what is. I knew instantly that it belonged in this issue, more so, that it was meant to be in this issue. I immediately wrote to Nigel, at around 2:30 AM (Central Standard, my time in the US), asking for permission to use the piece. Later that morning, upon awaking, and to my great delight, Nigel had already responded, happily agreeing!
In Nigel’s communication, he mentioned his family’s deep connection to St. Brigid and to this work of art. In fact, Nigel was working on this piece when he received some very special news, and so, his daughter’s middle name is Bridie, in her honor.
Publishing this artwork was most definitely meant to be. I put less stock in coincidence with each passing year spent on this strange and exquisite planet that we inhabit, so permeated with the energies and belief systems of our electric and imaginative species. I’m no longer the skeptic that I used to be. This art piece by Nigel and the story surrounding it, have only served to strengthen this sense of the profound.
Nigel is both a highly accomplished writer and artist, having got his start in student magazines and then hitting it big with a series of psychedelic art posters for London-based Big O Posters, an off-shoot of independently published Oz, a magazine of the international counterculture, that began publication in Sydney, Australia.
Nigel has collaborated with some of the greatest artistic talents working in science fiction and fantasy, including Bruce Pennington, Rodney Matthews, Boris Vallejo, Julie Bell, and Bob Eggleton — with whom he shared a Hugo Award.
Nigel’s art immerses you in a realm of legend, folk and fairy tales, mythology, classical imagery, psychedelia, and fantasy.
I enjoyed every moment of artistic discovery on Nigel’s website. I highly recommend touring his wonderful work.
Thank you, St. Brigid.
And thanks again, Nigel.
The Editor