There was Eru, the One, who in Arda is called Ilúvatar; and he made first the Ainur, the Holy Ones, that were the offspring of his thought, and they were with him before aught else was made. And he spoke to them, propounding to them themes of music; and they sang before him, and he was glad.
- Ainulindalë, The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkein
I was probably 13 when I first read the opening passages of The Silmarillion, and I was absolutely not ready for the magic it would bring into my life. Even now, these opening words bring me chills, though I know the stories of Tolkein's mythology well (after about 15 re-reads over the years!).
My goal for this collection was to evoke the power, majesty, and magic of the Ainur themselves in a fun format. The Ainur, or Valar, are the gods of Tolkein's elaborate mythos, from the great lord of the skies Manwë, to Sauron's master Melkor himself.
Something like this has been a dream of mine, and I am so grateful to Crow & Pebble and Karen for helping me make this dream come to life. I hope that you love these colors, and stories, as much as I have loved helping create them for you. With
Love, AmberXenon / Cosmochromatica