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.