GBP
Cuddlewood Grove - The Original
- Who would ever think that I could create such a beautifully cute scene such as this when you have seen my interpretations of ‘The Shining’ for example!
‘Cuddlewood Grove’ is unbelievably sweet and takes you to a clearing within an enchanting forest where the homes of ‘Barbie’, ‘Treetots’, ‘The Smurfs’, ‘Sylvanian Families’, ‘Strawberry Shortcake’ and ‘The Carebears’ all live amongst the trees. As the title suggests, this image gives you exactly that, a cuddle on canvas for example. I think even those who loved their action figures will have a soft spot for these little beauties, even if it’s simply remembering stripping all the clothes off the Otter family to wind your sibling up!
Judging by the sales numbers, it’s clear that you guys adore my pieces that showcase the childhood toys from our youth. The likes of ‘The Memory Remains’ and ‘Skool’s Out!’ series are both cracking examples of this! When we really used our imagination, without limits, what wonders filled our little minds eh, back then toys were absolutely amazing, no social media, barely any gadgets, it was all about the action figures and dolls. What did we then dream of every time we flicked through the catalogues? The playsets! It was that scene that the toy company always created that showed them all positioned next to each other for the figures to come to life. They opened our minds, and purses and piggy banks so easily!
‘Cuddlewood Grove’ was born from planning its crazy brother ‘Battle Street!’ as I wanted to create a pair that would complement and contrast. It was funny to move straight from fireballs, lasers and crashes to something so whimsical and beautiful as what you see here! If you know my work and my mind you will know that I often struggle to keep my pieces light, even the tiniest dark detail can often find its way into a pretty scene. I had to really fight the urge with this one. It’s funny, on writing this I just had to double check the image to make sure there was nothing naughty hiding amongst the leaves and love hearts. All good, all clear, well I guess a little ogling in the woods doesn’t count!
For me personally there was the need to focus on creating nostalgia-fuelled ‘happy place’ art, so starting this piece immediately after ‘Battle Street!’ was so good as I was still buzzing! Like I mentioned earlier, it certainly demonstrates my ability to move from the darkest of dark narratives to utter beautiful cuteness. If you haven’t seen pieces from my Horror collection, then it might shock you! There’s two sides to me for sure! My art has always been my outlet for my emotions and is always influenced by events and experiences outside of the studio. Sadly, since starting this crazy career there has been absolute horrors to deal with and still are. Having my art as such a wonderful outlet is everything and has without doubt saved my mind from breaking.
I guess the reason ‘Cuddlewood Grove’ is so bloody adorable and wonderful is that I was desperate to immerse myself into this surreal world where the only shadows where created by the sunshine that broke through the trees, lighting up the magic that lived within the grove. Honestly, it was like a comfort blanket from start to finish, I often found myself shaking my head and laughing as each little character came to life. I’m not claiming to have collected all the toys that you see here but it brings back great memories of what my sister loved/loves! Thinking about it, I’m sure my younger brother collected ‘Sylvanian Families’! Come on, who didn’t sabotage their siblings collection of these, stripping them bare and introducing them to action man! Just me then?! Let’s move on!
There is a huge amount to seek out here and I hope it really makes those of you who collected these toys and dolls feel really good, I really went for it to make it as cute and pretty as possible, just look at all those faces! There were moments of stress, whilst creating the frog couple wading through the water, there were multiple power cuts from storms overhead which caused me to have to redo that part several times. I certainly turned the air blue as well as the water! So maybe there is a dark element to this piece after all! Whoopsie!
- Released: 2026
- Collection: Playbours
- Edition Size: 1 of 1 original
- Specification: Custom frame, diamond dusted and micro glitter embellished canvas, hand signed by artist.
- Image Size: 58” x 36"
- Framed Size (Approx): 64” x 41"
- Get in touch for overseas delivery
- Please allow approximately 14 days for delivery, should you need delivery sooner please let us know.
Customizations Total: £0.00
If you fancy something truly unique instead of the black or white frame choices, you can upgrade to a stunning hand painted frame by Mark. You can either specify your choice of style and colours or leave it to Mark to work his magic. Simply add your comments at point of ordering.
A global collector base has seen hundreds of original works sold, making him a respected and successful artist within the contemporary art world.
Mixed Media British Artist Mark Davies was born in Bedfordshire in 1978 and studied Fine Art within the region with his early works being inspired by the compositional qualities of Piero Della Francesca and Giuseppe Arcimboldo whilst finding inspiration in the surrealism of Salvador Dali. Now living in St Neots Mark works full-time as a professional artist as part of the MD Studios set up from his beautiful, converted brick barn studio within the Cambridgeshire countryside.
Mark’s signature ‘Storyteller’ and 'Lost in Hollywood' collections showcase his ability to conceive and implement his own narrative to cherished fairy tales, classic fictional stories, and iconic movies to stunning effect. Inspired by the eloquence of Hans Christian Andersen and ingenuity of the Grimm Brothers, a whole host of much-loved stories have been turned on their head with each chapter being re-written as Mark embraces the often much more sinister plot and motives of the original authors that most don’t know exists as these classics are re-told to generation after generation.
As well as creating mesmerizing imagery full of detail there has always been a subtle and genuine moral quality to the work created to make you think a little deeper. Mark’s original works have created such a wonderful interaction between artist and audience as each searches out the detail and pieces together the plot with the hope that they can get an insight into Mark’s thinking whilst being encouraged to offer their own interpretation of what they see or often don’t see within the image. This genuine engagement has played a significant part in Mark’s gallery shows and appearances being so successful and truly special events.
As the body of work has grown so has Mark’s reputation for creating art with genuine meaning, art that stands on its own and that is driven by a fascinating multi-layered narrative like no other. His skill of storytelling has expanded across other areas including stage and screen as he delivers his signature style across a broad range of subjects and genres that continue to pull on the heart strings and embrace nostalgia and the memories that we all hold so fondly. In addition to building a solid gallery presence, Mark’s success has seen his work proudly displayed and selling within iconic venues that include the London Playhouse and Fortune Theatre within the iconic West End along with the highly respected Mall Galleries in London.
2023 has been another incredible year for Mark as his career continues to evolve. Most noticeably has seen the creation of 'The Hive' - a stunning creative gallery space within his studio that now proudly displays his artwork in a striking and engaging environment that allows his collectors to get up close to a diverse range of artworks. In addition to this, Mark's presence in America has strengthened as the result of a wonderful charity event that saw him create a special original piece that sold for more than $16,000, raising much needed funds and awareness in the fight against Alzheimer's.
With an incredible work ethic and a genuine respect and appreciation for his collectors, combined with a solid platform that the MD Studios brand offers, the future continues to look exciting for Mark. A growing list of celebrity clients and commercial projects along with an established gallery presence has led to Mark being a highly collectable and hugely respected British artist.
