1-Minute read: When art heals

Representative Image

As the world stepped into unfamiliar terrain with the pandemic, many discovered insightful avenues that offered respite, often, in the form of beautiful distractions.

Early in the lockdown, while browsing on Twitter, we stumbled upon the eye-catching artworks that Charlie Mackesy, a British illustrator and author had shared on his handle. Four characters - the boy, the mole, the fox and the horse - became our virtual friends, and their wisdom, built around adventures in a forested setting, were our go-to sanctuary. He won fans in India after he created a special artwork in the darkest days of the pandemic.

Pic/David Loftus

In October 2019, the cartoonist released The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. It reads like an easygoing travel buddy - you will find yourself soaking in the gorgeously illustrated bite-sized life lessons with the calm that you experience while watching a sunset. Don't expect sagely advice or heavy-duty self-help wisdom. It is more like a silent friend who checks on you every now and then if you need a feel-good pill. And yes, there is no ‘End' in this book; instead, Mackesy signs off with: ‘Look how far we've come.' His art can be seen across the United Kingdom, at NHS hospital screensavers, apart from women's safe houses, prison wards and school classrooms.

TITLE: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
AUTHOR: Charlie Mackesy
GENRE: Visual storytelling
PUBLISHER: Penguin Random House
COST: Rs 799
Log on to @charliemackesy