‘the brontës and the art of ë-design’:
A blogpost detailing the design process of my ‘new’ Brontë inclusive Website Header —— inspired by a Sketch, a Song, a Room, a View, a ‘Postcard’, some Overhead Power Lines —— a Master Mason and his Three Sisters —— ‘The Three Graces’ of Haworth, West Yorkshire. As represented in my new ‘Triple Goddess’ design derived from three original ‘lost’ portraits all by the recognisable hand of the Eldest of The Sisters —— One Charlotte Brontë.
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A brief ë-history:
I started my website in 2013 but it was only following the arrival of ‘The Bonnet portrait’ in 2016 – that things went off at a tangent – away from Dartmoor and the West-Country —— up North to Haworth! The sisters’ takeover was imperceptible at first but it would be fair to say that takeover is more or less complete now – indeed, they even wanted to takeover my header —— as well as my head!!!
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On my radar:
left: Anne, aka ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ appeared in 2008.
centre: Emily aka the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ appeared in 2016.
right: ‘Charlotte Brontë’ appeared in 2020.
Charlotte’s portrait plainly says on the back “Charlotte Brontë drawn by. M Héger” ——— written in black ink by an old hand; the ink shines and sits proud of the paper. Seen here as it is written on the back of the portrait —— only photographed in three sections so as to illustrate the shininess. Best appreciated in a new window —— by clicking on this image: 
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The view and the overhead power lines:
It’s impossible for me not to be reminded daily of the ‘lost’ portrait of Emily Brontë aka ‘The Bonnet Portrait’ —— because as soon as I lift my eyes skywards —— over and above my computer screen and the backyard fence, there it is —— a huge reversed ‘E’ suspended in midair —— framed in the image below by open french windows. I think the ‘E’ is called a ‘cable stay’?
Whatever the correct terminology for it is —— its constant presence in my field of vision has certainly Ëmpowered my thought processes; daily, I focus on the big ‘E’ when I’m in search of some ë-inspiration!
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The Room:
On Monday 2nd December 2019 — I was given a rare glimpse into another world —— the world of Freemasonry. I still can’t quite believe that there is an extraordinary meeting place that exists in the middle of a market town in rural North Devon; one would never guess its wondrous interior from its plain grey facade. One minute I was walking along the pavement in the bright morning sunshine, and the next minute I was stood at the centre of the Universe — that was how it felt. Daylight never comes in at the windows because they are kept permanently shuttered yet it was one of the most light-filled rooms I have ever been inside. I feel honoured to have been given the opportunity to stand under a ceiling full of stars. I put my heightened awareness of the three portraits down to the power of transferred touch – and on Monday, the 2nd of December 2019 – it felt like Branwell was somehow instrumental in arranging my pass! My private viewing opened my eyes to an aspect of Branwell’s world that I could not have imagined otherwise. The room —— ‘The Temple’ —— that’s around the corner of this door was truly jaw-dropping – and even though I was given permission to take some photographs, it’s not for me to give its secrets away any further than beyond this point:
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The Sketch:
On Monday morning, 4th. May 2020 —— whilst looking for a piece of material to complete another Brontë related project – I came upon this wonderful sketch of ‘The Man In The Moon’ that was oddly in my airing cupboard on top of a pile of material. I don’t know how it got there or even who drew it – but it certainly shone a light on the rest of my day; suddenly the ‘Triple Goddess’ design started to wax!
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The Postcard:
I love Jocelyn Horner’s 360° bronze sculpture of the three sisters; seen in the flesh —— it is as beautiful from the back as it is the front. The thing I love about it too is that the three figures don’t conform to preconceived ideas of what the Brontë Sisters supposedly looked like by those that never met them – there’s nothing prettified about Jocelyn’s interpretation of Charlotte, Emily and Anne. Instead, the sculptress has captured them in the raw so to speak —— their inner essence is what’s particularly outstanding.
In the spirit of Jocelyn Horner’s sculpture – I created an alternative header using only the three portraits; it was an exercise in image manipulation rather than any serious intention of supplanting my original header without an image of Dartmoor —— let alone my website name! The Sisters may have taken over my head but not my header!
I must confess I like the crookedness of their features —— their enhancement is rather beautiful I think. However I must try harder to appeal to the sensitivities of the Brontë community rather than contorting three portraits that already aren’t believed to be genuine —— apart by a judicious few.
I’m reminded of the so-called expert that saw ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ and ‘The Bonnet Portrait’ in April 2019 – who commented that the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ of Emily was “grotesque”; so unjust —— ‘unforgivable’! However, when I use the word ‘saw’ – I mean, quickly scanned them from a distance of at least a metre away —— in’t dark-side o’t room! Indeed, said ‘expert’ never once touched either ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ or ‘The Bonnet’ —— which in view of MY sensitivities to both —— was a very good thing in hindsight.
My Jocelyn Horner inspired header can be enlarged in a new window by simply clicking on the image. 
‘There Is Not Room For Death’ —— the ë-version of ‘The Bonnet’ portrait of Emily Brontë at the top of this blogpost – is inspired by Jocelyn’s sculpture too.
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The original header: 
The ‘hill’ on the horizon is ‘Fur Tor’ – or ‘Far Tor’ —— Dartmoor’s wildest and remotest tor. There are no paths that lead to it – only open moorland —— much of which is bog! The ‘bird’ in my hand is made from Ganite that has been naturally hewn by the elements —— probably over several millennia —— into the shape of a Raven; my favourite wild bird. The stone is a foundling that along with my watch strap represents Time imperceptibly shifting and shaping a landscape that has essentially remained unaltered since it was heaved from the Earth’s core. Dartmoor’s granite peaks are called ‘Tors’.
Rather like Dartmoor’s landscape my website header was not for changing – only twëaking!!!
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The new ‘Brontë Inclusive’ header:
Apart from all the outer influences – the portraits naturally lent themselves to the ‘Triple Goddess’ design; they determined each and every click of my mouse! Once I had cropped thëm, formatted thëm and circled thëm…
I noticed that the outline of the space created by the contours of both Emily’s and Anne’s faces – was roughly crescent-shaped.
Charlotte being the creator of all three portraits —— and the elder; I naturally saw ‘The Whole of the Moon’ in her beautiful, luminous —— translucent face:
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How ‘they’ The Brontës —— appear to me:
The meeting room Bronte Parsonage.
It’s my experience that the Brontës make their presence felt in many shapes and forms —— and places; as in they’re not limited to their former residence and the streets of Haworth only!
The Research Library window as pictured above —— didn’t exist in the Brontë’s day – indeed the very room itself didn’t exist. The tall gable end of the Parsonage where the Research Library is located was built in 1872. Relics of their lives are showcased throughout the Parsonage —— but are only accessible up to a point; as far as the ropes and glass barriers allow you to get close enough. I understand from the offers I get sent as a Brontë Society member that the the museum offers by arrangement —— opportunities to look at chosen items in the collection more closely —— with gloves on and for a price that is.
There is nothing that compares to having the real thing in one’s own possession though; no barrier not even the thickness of a thin cotton glove to come between oneself and the hand of Charlotte Brontë. There’s an energy attached —— a transmittable essence still on the paper that’s impossible to put into actual words —— but take my word for it, it’s there.
Below is an an ë-image I created from my original photograph of the Research Library window. It was inside this room where the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ of Emily was denied on Monday, the 15th April 2019 —— along with ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ and three others.
My digital artwork represents the free-spirits of Charlotte, Branwell, Emily and Anne exiting the Research Library window in concurrence with my own feelings that day! I found the atmosphere inside closeted; one speaks as one finds. After the meeting —— I couldn’t be asked to go in the souvenir shop —— let alone around the museum itself, I’d seen enough! Instead, I found solace in the graveyard and the church of St Micheal and All Angels; the museum itself felt dead to me that day.
The Ë-Research Library Window is in the gothic style of Charlotte’s and Emily’s novels, ‘Jane Eyre’ and ‘Wuthering Heights’ respectively. It was inspired by the scene in ‘Wuthering Heights’ when Catherine Earnshaw’s ghost comes a-tapping at the window —— only in my version the spirits are scrëaming to get out in an act of solidarity!!!
My ë-artwork is called, ‘Get Me Out Of Here!’ 
And the colourised ‘Moorland’ hues version:
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The song:
This is where shared videos from YouTube go on this website – always last but by no means least. No prize either for guessing which song helped in the making of my new Brontë inclusive header ——
‘The Whole of the Moon’ by The Waterboys!
I’ve loved this song ever since it was first released in 1985; I could never have dreamt back then how it would become a soundtrack for my ‘imaginings’ —— imagings —— ë-maginings!!!
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