Clytie

According to mythology, Clytie was a water nymph who fell in love with Apollo who was embodied by the sun. She spent hours gazing at the sun and following its course through the sky. Nine days she sat and watched the sun, until eventually she became brown and rooted to the soil, her face transforming into the sunflower which to this day continues to follow the course of the sun. The sunflower remains a symbol of constancy.

Thus, you have my imaging of this event. And who in their day hasn't been dazzled by the sun.....

Take the Step....

Well, let me say that this holiday season has not been the best, house fires and all day hospital visits and various unluckiness has proven to make this holiday very blah, blah, blah, blah, blaaahh........

BUT, I think you still have to close your eyes, lean forward and let the wind carry you........carry you away from it all, otherwise, you become landlocked and brittle and you begin to crumble.......

The wells of depression run deep in my family and every once in awhile I have to remind myself to let go, lean forward and fly away.....

I think that's why wings, hearts, fly-away hair and general escapism imagery pops up again and again in my more recent art......I'm trying to remember to let go....

Sail Away! Sail Away!

I absolutely love those books and movies that take you away, show you new worlds and sights you would never see otherwise. The authors and artists that create these worlds are absolute magicians. It is these people that I look to for inspiration and wonder and guidance. And it is my desire to attempt what these artists have already achieved, to follow in the paths that they have laid out before us. I want my art to transport if not our bodies, then our minds to new places, new sights. I want my art to tell stories that speak to different people in different walks of life. Perhaps this is a bit ambitious, but what is life all about but trying to raise yourself up and set out to accomplish those goals and dreams that map out our paths........

I suppose these are deep thoughts for Christmas, but sometimes I think the greatest gift is the freedom to follow our dreams....

And so I say Thank you, to those who have gone on before, to those following and to those just tagging along for the ride. Thank you to everyone and everything!

And not least of all..............

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

New Pictures!

I recently watched the movie "Vincent and Theo" and it reignited my love of Van Gogh so.... here a few pictures that were drawn during that time.

Books!

Here are two books that were commissioned for Christmas presents. The black one was my first attempt at using leather and I think it came out rather good. And I promptly made another one right after I finished this one.

The other book is just a plain hardback book. Both have 100 pages, but the black one has thicker, artist paper.

Making these reminded me of how much I enjoy making books and how long it's been since making soon....so more bookmaking projects are on the horizon for me. Enjoy!

Crochet!

So I've recently learned to crochet and here are my early attempts at.....stuff. I really don't know what these things are, but they're fun to make.

Note: Please excuse the messy painting table.

Christmas is Coming!

Christmas is right around the corner. Over the past year so many wonderful things have happened. I've taught book art classes, starting selling my own art at open air markets, met new and inspiring new friends. Ended and started jobs. Experimented with new art forms/techniques. This year so far has been quite an adventure. And I carry hope in my heart for the remaining days and the start of a new year.