Welcome to The Age of Aquarius

An Astrological Age lasts for about 2100 years and it's name has to do with which constellation the Sun is in at the time of the Vernal Equinox. For complicated reasons, it is difficult to ascertain the exact year- even decade- we enter a new Age. We know that since the time of Jesus' birth we have lived in the Piscean Age- an age of the rise of religion and wars to defend and promote these religions. Hippies, Mystics and Optimists look to the New Age of Aquarius as one of "harmony and understanding, sympathy and trust abounding" as the song goes. An Age where the Aquarian principles of mass communication, technology and philanthropy unite mankind.

Apparently, the ancient Mayan civilization also recognized that great epochs of history come into being, take on a distinct character and then pass away into the next. There seems to be quite a controversy over the end of our current Age. Some fear that by the end of 2012 all life as we know it will end. We've heard this before-yes?

To those of you fearing the doom of the Mayan Prophesies of global destruction, take heart. Maybe those old prophets simply saw one way of life yielding to one in which all people on Earth are more connected, more equal and more willing to share our precious resources. In America, where we have so much it will be harder for us to make that sacrifice, but as the doors of our perception are cleansed, we will surely rise to the needs of our global neighbors. I believe it will happen in our lifetime- for all the war, hatred and strife that surround us, things are getting better as our consciousness grows.

As Martin Luther King said “I do not pretend to understand the moral universe; the arc is a long one, my eyes reach but little ways; I cannot calculate the curve and complete the figure by the experience of sight; I can divine it by conscience. And from what I see I am sure it bends towards justice.”

The Arts and Crafts Movement Revisited

In the early 1860's William Morris and other influential artists who called themselves The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood established a decorative arts firm which came to be known as Morris and Company. They sought to bring a return to a romanticised medieval ideal of the simple pleasures of home and hearth, pride in workmanship and lack of pretense to a world blighted by the Industrial Age. They created tapestries, stained glass, painted furniture, cloth and wallpaper- all by hand using skilled artisans. For the first time in history the craftsman's status was raised to that of an Artist.

I've spent many years in the decorative art world, and there were times when I felt that I wasn't a "real" artist. But now I realize that all art has a purpose and value. Our homes are sacred, and the objects we choose to surround ourselves with become part of us. When my art is invited to be a part of someone's sacred space I feel very humble. In this age of cheap, disposable objects those who feel the need to have original art are rare indeed.

This piece is for my own home. The painting is adapted from designs for tiles painted by Edward Burne-Jones for the Morris Company.

Transform

In Metamorphoses, Ovid weaves together tales of gods, goddesses and mortals through the theme of change- of transformations. My little artwork here was inspired by his story of Apollo and Daphne: Apollo had insulted Cupid and as punishment, was shot by an arrow which caused him to fall hopelessly in love with Daphne. Daphne in turn had been shot with a leaden arrow, which caused her to refuse Apollo's love. In his burning passion, Apollo pursued her, literally chased her, until she begged her father, the river god Peneus to change her form so as to save her from his, and perhaps her own, carnal desires. Peneus changed her form to that of a Laurel tree (from whence comes the name of this blog!) Apollo lovingly tends this tree throughout eternity- her leaves are imbued with his own immortality and are ever green and become his symbol as well as the crown of leaders, scholars and poets.

Although this is obviously a tragic tale of unrequited love and repressed sexuality, this story also speaks to larger issues of living an authentic, and human life. Daphne refused a form of transformation- that of child to woman- and in her refusal was thus changed anyway. I spoke to my daughter Ashley about this recently who reminded me that Joseph Campbell writes in "The Power of Myth" that again and again in countless traditions the hero who refuses the call to the Quest is often turned into a non-human form. By rejecting Life's imperative to live fully and to our true nature we are utterly lost.

The First Morning

There are so many things that I wish I could understand, like what particle accelerators are and what a neutrino is. My son Joshua has been telling me that they now have obseved particles that move faster than the speed of light. My head is exploding!

So... we sort of know that Time has no beginning or end. Yet I'm human and think as a human, with carefully measured parameters that mark time and space. And matter... especially Matter. I understand that everything in this Universe, is made of matter- of energy. Simply molecules and atoms arranged in different patterns. The Earth and everything on it is here, it's tangible- but there was a time when it wasn't here, and that time was so long ago that it defies the imagination.

There once was a first morning, after the fiery mass that would be called Earth settled and cooled, there was a land ready to give life. Every moment there was sunrise as the globe groaned through Space and no one saw it.

The second photo was taken with a flash- I kind of like the way it appears to be the sunrise!

Ad Vitem Aeternam- To Eternal Life

This image from the Book of Kells reminds me of the ancient symbol of the Ouroboros- a serpent eating it’s own tail. It represents life, which is constantly recreating itself. The idea of Unity that has no beginning or end.

Apocrypha

Apocrypha
From the Greek apokruphos-“hidden away”. I find it interesting that the word meaning “hidden knowledge” has come to mean instead “probably not true”. People are frightened of things they don’t understand and won’t take the time to learn. In this piece I have placed a carnelian crystal in a golden niche, behind this a copper curtain veils the Tarot image of The High Priestess. Carnelian inspires creativity and confidence, the High Priestess symbolizes the Feminine Divine, the mystery of the intuition and the unconscious. Her powers are always used for good purposes. But all this has not been understood. This life affirming knowledge has been locked away and forgotten

41st Annual Pilsen East Artist's Open House

Join me this weekend at the 41st Annual Pilsen East Artist's Open House. My gallery is located at 1900 S. Halsted St. in Chicago. See you there!

Do you believe in Magic?

I like to make magic wands for my women friends to remind them of the beauty of their souls and the power of their thoughts. The real power of the magic wand is in its ability to concentrate energy to manifest a desire. Our thoughts are energy and in focusing our intent on our desires, releasing cynicism and trusting in our Source, we truly can effect the changes we want to see in our world.

This is a bouquet of magic wands I will be selling at my show next week to raise money for the Make-A-Wish foundation.

Saint Barbara

I found this little statue of Saint Barbara among a mountain of bric-a-brac in a thrift shop about three years ago. It was so dirty that the the inscription on her pedestal was obscured and I wasn't sure exactly who she was. Poor Saint Barbara, discarded and forgotten- it's the story of her life!

St. Barbara was removed from the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic rite in 1969, because of doubts of the historicity of her legend but she is still an important figure in the Orthodox Church. Briefly, her story is that she was an early Christian convert whose pagan father kept her shut up from the outside world. While he was away she had three windows placed in her private room to symbolize the Trinity. Her father was angered by her faith and tried to have her executed. Torches would not burn her, so he beheaded her with his own sword. As he left the site of her execution he was struck dead by lightning. She is the patron saint of artillerymen and those who work with explosives. She is invoked for protection against lightning and fire.

I can't explain my attraction for this woman- I have no history of abuse, I'm not Greek- not Catholic and maybe would not be considered a Christian by the powers that be. I do have a fascination for things that have been locked away. Hidden cities- volcanoes smoldering for centuries- Forces that are unseen. To me, Barbara is the power of the Universe invoked for justice and protection. And THAT can never be locked away!

My Saint Barbara is enclosed in her little temple surrounded by three windows. The door has been removed, rusty hinges remain. In a golden crypt below sits an amber globe, symbolizing lightning. The Greek word for amber was "electron" because of it's ability to conduct electricity.

Soli Deo gloria

Years ago I had heard that both Bach and Handel appended the initials "SDG" to their musical manuscripts which stands for "Glory to God alone". Listening to their music, it's impossible to conceive that mere humans could ever produce such heavenly sounds. They felt this too, and believed that they were simply taking dictation from God, vessels for the Divine.
I think all artists understand this. Whether we call it courting the muse, tapping in to the collective unconcious, or feeling divine inspiration from a more tradition view of God, we know we don't create alone. Part of the frustration of being an artist who feels this connection is our own limited ability. We are given a glimpse of perfection embodied in the greatest- the Handels, the Michelangelos and feel our efforts are worthless in comparison. Yet we struggle on. I am learning that it is the experience of co-creating which is the reward. It is the journey... not the destination.

Cineribus Resurgam (I arise from the ashes)

Among his many talents, my son Joshua is a gifted artist and has an impeccable aptitude for artistic critique. When I need an honest opinion or I am not sure what is wrong with a painting I confer with him.

His pet peeve with my work is that he dislikes type on artwork. I understand his reasoning- the image should be self explanatory. But I must defend myself- The image here, as in other pieces in this series, is based on illluminated manuscripts. I love the relation between image and text.

I remember reading once that when Christopher Wren was re-building St. Paul's cathedral after the Great Fire of 1666, he unearthed from the rubble a stone inscribed with the word "Resurgam"-(I arise). From the ashes of the old, he built his masterpiece.

The Phoenix is familiar to many cultures and was an early Christian symbol of the Ressurection. The image of a phoenix inspires me- there are times in our lives when everything seems utterly lost. This is a time for transformation, it's from a place where there is nothing left to lose that our brilliance can shine through.

Mercury: The Messenger

I haven't painted many portraits in my life, and to portray one's own child in Angelic form is pretty dicey. There is a strong potential for over-sentimentality here....
Actually my intention was to paint Ashley as a feminine Mercury, The Messenger. In her astrological chart her Virgo Sun, Virgo Ascendant, and Gemini Moon are all ruled by the planet Mercury. She was born to communicate, to give words and form to the numinous world of the soul.
A quote from Astrology, Magic and Alchemy in Art, by Matilda Battistini : "Mercury mediates between the dimension of the manifested and that of the unmanifested". In effect- (s)he is a messenger of the gods or a muse.

Mary Magdalene

Many biblical scholars recognize Mary Magdalene as the first female Christian prophet. It is thought that she was a wealthy and educated woman who having been healed by Christ followed him as a disciple.

Over the centuries, she acquired a reputation for being either a repentant prostitute or the wife of Jesus. In either case, and like so many women through the ages, she has been marginalized. Today, we know very little about this powerful and faithful woman.

I have depicted The Magdalen as a beautiful, strong, but world-weary woman. In the crypt below her is her symbol of the red egg. Legend has it that she presented Tiberius Caesar with an egg to explain Jesus' resurrection. When Caesar stated that Jesus could no more rise from the dead than the egg could turn red in her hand, it did just that. Red eggs are still popular at Easter in the Orthodox Church.

Constellation: The Crane

Here is another Southern Constellation in honor of my son Joshua, who is surveying the skies of the Southern Hemisphere this summer. The Crane was first mapped by Western astronomer and sailor Pieter Keyser in the 16th century. Maybe a distant relation to my own young stargazer???

Dog Days

The Dog Days of summer are here!
According to Brady's Clavis Calendarium (via Wikipedia) "an evil time when the seas boiled, wine turned sour, Quinto raged in anger, dogs grew mad and all creatures became languid, causing to man burning fevers, hysterics, and pherensies".
The term "Dog Days" comes from the ancient belief that Sirius-the largest star in the constellation Canis Major, with it's close proximity to the rising summer sun was responsible for the hot weather.

Earth Day 2011

On this Good Friday and the 41st anniversary of Earth Day a wish for Peace and Healing for our Earth and all who share it.

Fiat Lux

Fiat Lux: "Let there be light."

When God created the heavens and the earth, the first thing he did was to separate the dark from the light. This is the first step in the alchemical process, which seeks not to literally turn base metal to gold, but to refine the soul of mankind to the perfection originally ordained by the Creator. It's about dispelling darkness and the beginning of the Great Work. I've recently become interested in the study of alchemy, as practiced by artists such as Albrecht Durer and Hieronymus Bosch. So much to learn!

Constellation:The Unicorn

This winter I made a vow to myself to complete all my half done projects...

A while back I began a series of sketches of animals based on the constellations and when I posted the first of them- my rabbit ( aka Constellation: The Hare) a few weeks ago, I thought I'd pull them out and finish them up.

The Unicorn Constellation lies near the celestial equator close to Orion. That's a diagram of the constellation itself in the night sky in my drawing. It is large but not very bright, so you'll need a telescope to see it- or maybe that cool new app "Google Sky" that my friend Nancy showed me the other night!

Don't Look Back

This is one of the saddest stories in Ovid's Metamorphoses- Orpheus and Eurydice were newly married when she was bitten by a snake and fell down dead. He followed her to hell to plead to the underworld gods for her life to be restored, and in using all the power of his extraordinary musical ability he was able to convince them to free her.

The only condition was, that he lead her away never looking back until he had left Hades. Just as they reached the light, Orpheus was frightened that his love had fallen behind and desparate to see her he turned, and she was lost forever.

This is my version of the drawing by Edward Burne-Jones titled "The Garden Poisoned"

The Year of the Rabbit

It's my year! I was born in another long ago year of the rabbit. So was my sister, one of her sons and my own daughter. Is it any wonder that rabbits are my favorite animal? They are so sweet, gentle and harmless. Yeah, I know...not if you have a garden! I admit that when I started gardening, the bunnies which charmed me so when I moved to the suburbs lost a bit of their charm as they seriously decimated my new plantings.
It was my own little (then) eleven year old bunny who had read a book about "Spiritual Gardening" ( she reads everything..) who told me to make a "contract" with the bunnies. You are supposed to walk through your garden silently making an agreement to allow the rabbits a share of the garden and that they will promise not to eat too much!
Reader, it works! Since that time, the bunnies rarely eat any portion of my garden and munch happily on the grass. I love to see them scamper about- they live under my deck. The other night, in the midst of an epic snowstorm, I spotted one of mine huddled under the bushes beneath my window and I was worried- why wasn't he safe under the deck? He looked up at me
for a long moment, then dove into a huge mound of snow near the deck- only to pop out again immediately and sit again in the storm. It was as if he was reassuring me that he could take care of himself and was just enjoying the show.
May this year of the Rabbit bring happiness, safe harbor and wonder of the world to you all!