Bastille Day

This piece began with a key that I found in a bag of trinkets from the craft store. It made me think of the key to the Bastille that my family and I saw at Mt. Vernon many years ago. That key had been given to Washington by Lafayette after the French Revolution. It's meant to symbolize freedom over tyranny. I didn't think too much about it at the time- just thought how cool that was. To me, Bastille Day was kind of a fun, quasi-patriotic occasion. I knew the outline of the events as I knew the events of the American Revolution; a pristine collection of dates, facts and iconic characters. The pageant of history is bloodless. The reality is elusive and indefinable.
It's so easy to see historical events in terms of right and wrong- good and evil. The ends are said to justify the means. So often we find that what we thought was true was just so much nationalistic propaganda. Who was right? Who can say?

I tried to bring these thoughts together in this piece called "Bastille Day". The key represents the "key to freedom from tyranny". The grille is ornate but rusted- evoking the decay of the dissipated aristocracy. A red ribbon twines about the key like a fasces, a symbol of ancient Rome adopted by the Revolution. It is suspended from the grille as if from a neck- to signify the red ribbons allegedly worn by the relatives of guillotined victims. The grille is set in what appears to be a stone casement, but looking closely the "stones" are made of newspaper. Ephemeral and - subjective. Through the grille we see a brilliant red and orange light- is it the dawn of freedom or the mouth of hell that is about to be unleashed?

Arachne

This was a fun project to work on. This winter I've been mining the rich imagery of Roman and Greek myths for ideas in my work. Arachne's story is a cautionary tale. It seems that Arachne boasted that no one could weave as well as she, not even the patron goddess of craft Minerva (Athena). She had forgotten that her skill was due in part to the muse of the craft. At any rate, she challenged Minerva to a 'weave off" and won! Unfortunately, Minerva was a sore loser and turned her into a spider, like you do, and that is why the spider spins webs to this day!

This is my weaving, made with copper, canvas and fiber. I like the rusty plate in the center with the copper thread woven to look like a spider.

Elysium

I've been thinking about Heaven, the afterlife and the ways different cultures perceive it to be. The Greeks of antiquity had a vision of heaven they called The Elysian Fields or Elysium. It was located at the western edge of the earth, by the banks of the river Oceanus. It was a paradise where the worthiest humans had their final rest. Lesser mortals lived out a monotonous eternity in the fields of Asphodel where they would feel neither pain nor bliss. It's interesting to think that so many cultures have different levels of reward in the afterlife according to ones virtue.

So here is my vision of Elysium- The earth swims in the stream of Oceanus, and on the walls of the niche is a ship making its way west. Overall I just wanted to show the peace of the experience of leaving this world for another. The pictures we've seen of Earth from space always astound me. It is so quiet and pure. It's like looking at the city from a very tall building, the noise and confusion and pollution is smoothed over and there is only silence.

The Hare

I've had this neat frame for a long time, but I couldn't decide what to put in it. I was inspired to put this together by some of the things I've seen by the wonderful late 19th early 20th century artist William Morris. I've cropped one of the prints I'm offering at my etsy shop. I love that waxing moon charm!

Psyche (inside view)

A little hard to see, but this is what is under the glass butterfly.

Psyche

Psyche- from the Greek word meaning breath or soul. The story of Psyche's journey to wholeness is a lovely myth that has often been depicted in art. In short, Psyche is a human woman who has to go through seemingly impossible tasks, assigned by Venus, the jealous mother of her beloved Cupid. She is aided all along the way by creatures of the earth and at her most desperate hour by the true love of Cupid. In the end she is made immortal by Zeus.
So here are the elements of my "altar" to Psyche-I think of birds and butterflies as the embodiment of the human soul. In ancient days it was believed that the soul was a bird that flew to the heavens in the ship that was the crescent moon. This "moon boat" journeyed through it's progressive phases, to the sun.
I was delighted to find these little arrows that had the shape of a crescent moon on them. Arrows of course being the chief symbol of Cupid himself. The number three is also significant, because of Psyche's association with the number three ( Body, mind and soul). I lined them up to indicate that her path was lined up for her. When the soul is weary and confused there is always help. If you look for signs , they are there and help is always at hand in our darkest times. The map further underlines this point. Half the canvas is covered with what I hope reads as water- specifically waves, a reminder that she was sent on this mission by the one who was born of the seafoam. Water is the element that most describes our soul.

I wanted to use glass in this piece- we so often hear the phrase "window to the soul". I guess that's mostly in association with the eyes- but the idea that a soul can be glimpsed, even sensed, though not really seen intrigues me. Glass- fragile yet strong, it can be destroyed in seconds if handled carelessly or endure for millenia. It isn't the stuff of the soul, which though as numinous as the seafoam, is eternal. I made a window in the canvas- the beautiful blue-green glass hides a secret. Beneath the drawing is nestled a little golden butterfly. Gold, I believe (chemists, please advise...) is the only element that doesn't decay. At any rate, it's meant that when the illusion of life is gone- when all the beauty of the flesh has ceased (and Psyche was the most beautiful mortal ) The soul lives forever.

Vesta

Here is my little homage to Vesta, the Roman goddess of the hearth. Apparently she was never depicted as a human- as many of the gods were, but by fire itself. Her temple was round and circles are associated with her. The Vestal Virgins tended her sacred flame.
She was honored by all Romans, but especially by women, those who tended their own sacred hearths.

Queen of Heaven

Here is a piece I will be showing at the Bezazian Library in Chicago beginning next week. It is to be a gift for my lovely friend, Cathy

My first entry

Here is my first attempt to transcend my fear of technology- let's see how this goes!

Hoping to find a place on the web to show some of the art work I've been doing.
Blessings!
Laura