A Bend in the River by V. S. Naipaul

The finest living writer of English prose. This is his masterpiece: edgily reminiscent of Heart of Darkness. ...more info on wikipedia

About the artist: Donna Huntrissfrom Australia

Donna Huntriss is an Australian artist living on the South Coast of New South Wales on the Shoalhaven River. “I am self taught and have been drawing since I can remember and was able to hold a pencil as a child” she tells us. Donna works in a variety of media, from drawing, painting and collage. She draws and paints on paper, card and plastic table cloth, and makes her own collages with her own inkjet prints. “Themes I work with are illustration (my “Oscar the Dragon” is one of my favourites), Druid and Wiccan symbols (I have published an number of books on Blurb.com) and Formal garden scenes (Topiary Trees are my passion) as collages” she says. She also has dabbled in Cartooning and fine art.

Why this work

“Why I chose A Bend in the River by V.S. Naipaul: Many popular titles were already chosen but this book intrigued me. I read the reviews and extracts of how a man who had just acquired a little shop in the upheaval fight of independence in the Congo. The characters and the battle of day to day of running the shop in the remote community was quite a vivid scene. I chose the painting of a colourful lush jungle where a winding river is so peaceful and serene. I added a Tribal Mask (had to research that one) that is quite graphic and stark against the lush greenery, which is quite a contrast. The environment is a constant while the community itself (the Mask) is in an upheaval.”