.    

            
Anna Tambour's Note:
 

Robert Louis Stevenson is dead, so he wasn't asked his opinion,

when Ian Boyter wrote only to me. Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes is a favourite of his, and then he came upon a different side of the story with my by-line, on infinityplus.

 

Ian's idea was to show not only what Stevenson thought that 'Modestine', the donkey, thought of him, but to incorporate in her expression, what she thought he thought that she thought and what she thought. Complicated enough in words, but . . .

After explaining his goals, Ian asked for some sort of permission, as if he needed it. There was, of course, nothing to mull over on my part as I contemplated the fiendishly difficult job he had ahead of him, and thought of the cruel enjoyment I would soon have as I felt his artist's pain. 
 

So with the reputation of 'Modestine' breathing down my neck, I graciously acceded to Boyter's wish. He proceeded, and sent rivetting pics of the sculpture as it took form and developed quirkiness. I admit to getting disgusting tied up in wanting these characters to come to life in a new way, under Ian's fingertips. Or maybe it was their egos whispering in my ears -- Boyter better get this right! His donkey models were a certain 'Pearl' and 'Periwinkle', who do bear a strong resemblance to the real 'Modestine'. And as for Robert Louis Stevenson, it was an exciting state when his head was deemed inaccurate and received radical and probably painful surgery, to end up as he his: the spitting image of the man himself, and as alive as any other author should be. As for their expressions, I can vouch for the satisfaction of at least one of these immortals.

As to this Ian Boyter character, he is a visual artist and designer with an intimidatingly upmarket clientele, such as the Scottish National Trust. His paintings and sculptures are in leading Scottish galleries - and the man's also a professional jazz musician who plays around the world - sax, no less, which means that he could make his living making music with hot air, unlike Bill Clinton or that other failed muso, Tony Mr Third Way (was the second as an angry young artist?) B.

Find him Playing that sax at

Jazz Band Central

Swing Supreme

and now you can listen and watch on You Tube, where he goes by the name of BOPPPPER.

Well, that's enough about Ian Boyter.

As to this now invitingly touchable moment, I think that Boyter did it – he captured the feelings of both characters in one of literature's most charming, or otherwise, journeys.
 

---

Whah?

Yes, it's
Good For You
The Antidote to Literary Snobbism
"Yes, it's cool, isn't it? Who? No, I didn't know. I bought it for
the donkey, the saddlery, those retro boots - and that sensitive face."
 

Cold-cast resin with a bronze finish
Dimensions: 35cm x 35cm, weight 9 kilos
or 25  37 13.80 x 13.80 inches, 769.891 19.9 pounds, if you work at NASA