Hello everyone!
I usually go by Grey. I'm 28 years old and I'm from the Netherlands.
I've always loved medieval history, even as a kid. No doubt all that was fuelled by the annual festival themed around our town's medieval history, and by reading many books about brave knights and cruel priests. :>
My interest in monastic history started some 10 years ago, I think. My art history class focussed on churches, and after seeing The Name of the Rose I immediately picked up the book. I like to visit churches, monasteries and cathedrals. I'm very open to suggestions for places to visit and books to read that feature monastic orders (fiction and non-fiction).
I write and draw, but I am very shy about sharing stuff. I hope to gather enough courage to share things about my monks someday! I think part is that I'm very aware I lack certain knowledge to portray them as authentically as I'd like.
I'm looking forward to reading (and posting) about this niche interest!
Hi Grey!!! Welcome to the club!
The festival sounds cool :O Can you tell me more about it?
Quote from: aCloudyBlue on Mar 17, 2026, 05:50 PMI'm very open to suggestions for places to visit and books to read that feature monastic orders (fiction and non-fiction).
I don't remember if I already told you about this. Its only monk adjacent, but there's a fantasy-horror novel called "Between Two Fires" by Christopher Buehlman that blew my mind last year. It follows a girl who can talk to angels, a sad sack ex-knight, and a pathetic little gay priest through the hellish landscape of a plague stricken France. It was so scary I kept having to put it down!! But also the end was so bittersweet I cried. 10/10 would recommend!
I hope someday you feel confident to share your art here! I really like what you have shown me and I am greedy for more. I think of your choirmonk often........
Quote from: aCloudyBlue on Mar 17, 2026, 05:50 PMI'm very aware I lack certain knowledge to portray them as authentically as I'd like.
As for this I think that that feeling is not something you can get away from, especially when portraying something so old and mixed up with pop culture myths. Every time I write something I'm like "But is this really accurate?" It feels impossible to fully understand the thoughts of people who lived so long ago, but its really fun to try!
Thanks for joining :) i hope i'll see you around
Hi Grey! I'm excited to see your art and even though I have a degree in medieval studies, I'm also always asking myself, "Am I portraying this correctly?"
I recommend visiting the Norwich Cathedral! It has the largest surviving monastic cloister in England. I visited it last year and it is such a cool place! (Norwich the city did get bombed pretty badly in WWII, so outside of the cathedral close, the city isn't really as pretty.)