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.