A new Painting and story of a character in my Animal series: Silas Acorn, Gamekeeper.

Silas Acorn was a proud Man; being head Game Keeper and Ghillie on Lady Tabby's estates made him so.

He'd come up under his father's tutelage and had hoped his own son, Enoch, would follow in the family traditions. He had not. Instead his son Enoch saw fit to become a lowly porter at the Village train station and pushing carts and luggage about.

"You're giving up on tradition, you foolish child, for what?

A few coins as meagre compensation for toting and lolly-gagging after a lot of riff faff?", Silas had told his son one evening by their little fire in the snug.

"How are you any better than a servant,"

argued Enoch, raising the hackles on his Father's neck, "Don't you tote about after the gentleman of the house on shooting days?"

Silas would not dignify that with a response. His son was foolhardy, like most young people, so he'd simply slip back into his study and mend the wicker cages for the pheasant eggs that'd hatch and be chicks soon enough.

Silas Acorn thought outsiders could be a lot of riff-raff. Having been raised on the Tabby Estate, he did NOT consider himself a "lowly servant" as his son, Enoch, had seen fit to call him.

He lived in this rather fine cottage, that he was born in, on the estate. They had their own garden, kept well tidy by his lovely wife, and was not scampering about after folk like a lowly train porter; no he could not account for young people today.

"There is no accounting for young people today," He harrumphed as he poked at the cosy fire in his snug, mending the phesant cages.

"I suppose a fool boy like Enoch can't tell the difference between working in the tradition of his ancestors for the Gentry and faffing about after a lot of riff-raff at train stations."

Silas Acorn was a proud man and was honored to be Game Keeper and Ghillie. If only his son had some sense.

The sketch before color is added of Silas Acorn.

I hope you enjoyed the little story that goes with my new character Silas. I'm having fun creating the characters that I find I discover as I'm making a previous character sketch and fleshing out their story. As they mention a character, I know find it fun to imagine them, draw them up and write their story next.

A GIF of the piece with layers added.

If you enjoyed this piece and would like to see the piece which preceded it, of Sila's Son, Enogh, then Click here to see and read it. I hope you enjoy it as well, if you've not done so already.

Thank you for stopping by and hopefully enjoying my little characters and their stories. I hope you have a wonderful day, find a moment to indulge in your own passions and remember to stay creative.