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Fantasy Art by Jo Hards

I always wanted to believe there were faeries living at the bottom of my garden … I never found them, so I began creating my own.

Welcome to my strange little world! My name is Jo Hards. I am a UK based, self representing artist and EBSQ member. Here you will find beautiful Gothic portraits, paintings and drawings featuring faeries, mermaids and vampires, alongside Gothic, bohemian and fairy art dolls. You can purchase fine art originals and art dolls from the Strange Little Girls online store – Buy original artwork direct from the artist.

Acrylic paintings

I love working in acrylics. The vibrant colours and rich texture are perfect for fantasy art, from fairy wings and mermaid tails to dark, atmospheric Gothic scenes. Most of my acrylic paintings are rendered on stretched canvas, or canvas board, although I sometimes use primed wooden or hardboard panels.

Coloured Pencil

Drawing was my first love as I was growing up. During my teens, I spent many hours curled up in a corner with my coloured pencils and graphite. These days, I use artist quality coloured pencils, both wet and dry, and sometimes accented with pigment ink, to produce magical storybook-like images, which will stand the test of time. All work in coloured pencil is finished with UV resistant fixative to prevent fading. However, it is recommended that these pieces are framed behind glass.

Art Dolls

I love making art dolls. My textile based art includes Gothic, alternative, bohemian, fairy and fantasy cloth dolls. Dolls range from cute and creepy, to feminine and ethereal. Some have button eyes, while others have hand drawn faces. Many have tattoos or mehndi design.

ACEO (Art Card Editions & Originals)

ACEO, or art card editions and originals are highly collectible, miniature works of art. Each of these tiny originals measures just 2.5 x 3.5 inches. I use various media, including coloured pencil, ultra fine pigment ink pens, and acrylic paints applied with a tiny brush on watercolour paper, or canvas. Working so small can be challenging, but creating and collecting ACEO can also be extremely addictive. You can display them in a frame or collector album, or trade them with friends, but you can never just have one!