DoAn Art: 2011

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Happy Holidays!

Brigid Illuminated by DoAn

I apologize for the long silence here on the blog. A family emergency has demanded the majority of my time in the last two months and will likely continue for some time to come. Fortunately, the major emergency has eased and now it is a matter of managing a routine within a limited schedule as I act as full time care taker for an ailing relative. After the holidays have passed, I will begin sharing with you some observations of my creative process during this time of upheaval.

Until then, please enjoy the holidays. Take some time to pause, reflect on the passing year, give thanks and prepare for the new!

Thanks to all of you for your support and encouragement in the past year. I think 2012 will prove to be an interesting year creatively and I look forward to sharing with you my new creations.
Happy Holidays!

DoAn
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All artwork, photos and text © Copyright 2005-2011 DoAn Art (Antony Galbraith) unless indicated otherwise. All Rights Reserved. Any downloading, copying or use of images on this website is strictly prohibited without express written consent by Antony Galbraith.

Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Using Myth to Map the Way

October mist in Braintree, VT

Over the last week and a half I have been taking some time for introspection as I have come, yet again, to a crossroads. Before me lay several paths and choices for how to proceed with my creative life, career and day to day existence. Some paths highlight one option more than another, others are a mixture, but each with a slightly difference emphasis. These choices are not just metaphorical, as I recently have been bombarded with offers that will lead me down one of the paths before me. Which offer should I consider? What if the path I want isn't one of the ones with a tantalizing offer? Should I be pragmatic or idealistic? How do I choose?

I agonized for a week over these options but all I ended up with was a tense stomach, headache, sleepless nights and more confusion. Then I decided to seek a different way to examining my life and the road before me. I turned to Joseph Campbell's model of the Hero's Journey. Campbell expouses the theory of a monomyth that runs through every human culture, a sort of archetypal blue print for myth and mythic understanding. While I personally think he tends to over simplify cultural myths, I do think that there is a validity to his assertion of the importance of a living mythic tradition in daily life...even the contemporary and supposed enlightened and informed life we are living now.

In the Hero's Journey Campbell describes the life journey in three primary chapters with subsections within each chapter. So the outline would look something like the following:

I. Departure: a. the call; b. refusal; c. divine aid; f. the first threshold; g. the belly of the whale

II. Initiation; a. The road of trials; b. meeting the divine Feminine; c. temptations; d. atonement with the Masculine; e. apotheosis; f. the treasure

III. Return: a. refusal to return; b. magic flight; c. rescue; d. return threshold; e. master of two worlds; f. freedom

Each section and subsection of the Hero's Journey correlates to the notion of an archetypal pattern that each human goes through during the course of his or her life. To fully understand each part of the journey, I recommend reading Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell or one of the many companion books that discuss the Hero's Journey. There have also been explorations using the Tarot in a similar way, as well as other traditions, but the point of this blog entry is to share how I used the Hero's Journey to help me in my own life journey.

In the past, myth and rituals gave support and strength in life. Today, without any solid living mythic stories informing us and the lack of sacred rituals to help guide us through the stages of life, we are left fending for ourselves (sometimes quite literally). I don't believe contemporary religion, by and large, offers the sacredness of mythic traditions any longer. We live in a very un-sacred world, where the transcendent is despised and discouraged. As a result, as individuals, we fumble around in the dark, bumping into things, with each other, and losing our way time and time again. When we encounter an obstacle, we redirect our path, or wage war against the thing blocking us, not realizing that what we perceive as an obstacle to be avoided may actually be a stepping stone that prepares and propels us along the journey. As a result we are often doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over, or become stuck in one one place. We shake our fists in the air and shout "Why me?" Why this again?" "What did I do to deserve this?"

I have spent the last week resisting such fist shaking, only to find my thoughts going there anyway. To avoid a complete about face or an all out personal war, I instead sat with this discomfort. It has not been easy. Not at all! The need to know where I am going is powerful. The desire to be informed and to be reassured that I am making the "right" choices puts knots in my stomach. Finally, at some point, I let go of knowing what is ahead. Instead I wanted to just be where I was. I realized it was doing no good for me to insist on looking ahead when I really wasn't clear on where I was at the moment. Oh, I had IDEAS, but what did I really understand? So I asked, Where in this mythic structure do I find myself?

Once I identified where I was, the need to know what to do next did not seem to matter so much. Interestingly, I discovered the journey doesn't move until I actually stopped at each point along the way. Trying to skip ahead or accelerate the journey seemed only to stall or set the journey back. When I allowed myself to accept where I was in this Hero's Journey, I felt the anxiety and worry diminish. I realized that what was motivating me was the fear associated with the stage I had come to. Fear can be a powerful resistant force for many of us. But often we learn that Fear is like the shadow of a bunny--much bigger and darker than the truth. Fear can always be a hurdle to get over, no matter how big or little the truth it is masking actually is. However, I have learned that fear is often nourished my by own anxieties. When I reduce the anxiety, the fear seems to become more manageable. Funny how that works.

Do I know now what is to come now? Not specifically. But for the moment it doesn't matter. What matters is I am addressing the issues at hand, which has little to do with the many choices facing me at this particular crossroads. Once I move through the particular stage of the journey I find myself at now, I suspect the choices before me will be irrelevant. I may even have moved on from the crossroads without even realizing, the choice being made simply by addressing the current task. This is the fascinating thing about using myth as guiding tool. When you open up to the lessons myth can offer, signs and symbols appear all around, to help you along the way.

I highly recommend exploring one's personal path through a mythic lens. It doesn't matter if you use Campbell's outline as he describes it, mix it up somewhat or if you use Jungian psychology, the tarot, or some other tradition. What matters is having a tool that offers deeper insight into the active role that myth can play in your life. When, at times like we are experiencing now, where there is so much confusion and uncertainty, where fear fuels blind action and reflection and insight are obscured by anxiety, it is comforting to have a guiding light. This is not easy work, but well worth the effort. Having insight into your journey certainly beats wandering around blindly in the dark.

DoAn
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Monday, September 26, 2011

A Necessary Retreat

Sunrise in Braintree, VT

I am now sitting amidst the fog-draped mountains of Braintree, Vermont. The sun is rising fast, Thayer Brook runs rapidly over rocks recently deposited from the deluge caused by tropical storm Irene. The leaves are changing colors, almost right before my eyes. It is a lovely setting to be in.

This weekend I will be attending the Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival in Tunbridge, VT where I will be taking a spinning class and immersing myself in all things fiber.

With the arrival of the New Moon, I have decided to spend the week before the festival to do some much needed inner work and contemplation on the direction of my creative career. It seems I have come to a crossroads and before I just blindly move on, I believe it's necessary to take a moment and access the various options. I may end up choosing the path intuitively, but I want to be sure I am clear and centered when the time to choose comes.

Thayer Brook Road, Braintree, VT

One thing I will be doing this week is exploring the role of myth in this creative journey. How might mythic stories (ancient and personal) play a role in guiding me forward? What stage of the journey am I at now? What might be ahead and how should I prepare? How might I help invite ritual into my life and what role can ritual and sacredness play at a time like this?

Questions like these are crucial to my development both personally and creatively. Lately, I feel as though I have not allowed much room to ask these questions. Sometimes I believe that society has been designed so that we don't ask them, as though, knowing one's self or one's path is something to be avoided. But I am not fond of fumbling in the dark (for too long), and I most certainly not in favor of treading upon someone else's path. We are each given unique skills and talents that give our life purpose, and I believe, when we live in accordance to our soul's purpose, we live a successful life. Once in a while, a slight course correction is needed, and that is where I am now.

September in Braintree, VT

So, I hope in another week or so I will be able to share with you some insights on what comes next for me. Afterall, even though we may be walking our paths on our own feet, we all share the experiences and insights with each other. Despite how we might feel, I don't believe that we are each an island all to ourselves, but more like facets of one big complex jewel. Each face appears separate, but really cannot exist with the support and structure of all the others. It is my hope that learning about my journey will help with yours.

More to follow...

DoAn
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Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Exploring the past to know the present

horses on Chauvet Cave wall

I have been keeping myself busy in my studio making needle felted sculptures for the Madison County Historical Society Craft Days in September and for FaerieCon in November, so the blog has been quieter than I like. However, last night, during a bought of insomnia, I used my time to consider the role myth plays in my art and decided to share some preliminary thoughts on the subject here. I believe, as I explore this subject further, that I'll have much more to share. Here's the start...

On my birthday I saw the film Cave of Forgotten dreams, a documentary by Werner Herzog. The director was where he was granted limited access to Chauvet Cave in France that holds in it the oldest cave art ever found, some work dating back 30,000 years! The film was absolutely amazing and really got my mind spinning and creative juices flowing.

Much of my art is inspired by ancient myth, as well as nature. The artwork in the caves were spectacular examples of nature mythified. There was great power in the representations of charging horses and cave lions circling a chamber where a bison-woman drawn on a stalactite suspended in the center of the space. Even in the medium of film, I could sense the intense sacredness and power of such a place. The artwork was created over thousands of years, early man used the cave and it was used several thousand years later by later humans. The span of time involved is dizzying to comprehend. In the midst of the artwork was evidence of the cave being used by cave bear, wolves and other animals, which, to me, united the connection of the artwork to the natural world.

pride of lions on Chauvet Cave wall

When I explore myth through my art, I am always searching for where it intersects with nature. I ask, how can I explore ancient myths in a way that makes them relevant to us now? I could follow the stories as they have been told and retold over centuries, but this doesn't interest me. It has been done and I doubt we truly can know the truths that gave rise to the myths. Most everything is speculation now, because our lives are so vastly different to those who lived with the myths. Our world has changed since then, our relationships to nature has changed. While the psychological processes may still be relevant, how we can tap into those processes may be different now.

However, after watching this documentary, I suspect the change has not been too tremendous. I can look at the cave art and feel an inner transformation struggling to take place. This art wants to take you somewhere, it wants to help the viewer transcend. The question might be to what? The early humans might have wanted one to transform to a hunter, or unite with nature in some way. Or, maybe it is a completely different kind of transformation that we have yet to consider. It may seem like some kind of hocus pocus, fantasy thinking, but in the film, it is clear that even the scientists who studied the cave felt this. One scientist found his whole life change as a result of this time in the cave, redirecting his life to one that incorporated more stillness and involvement with nature. That is quite a transformation!

Joseph Campbell has said that modern living myth can only be created by the artists and writers of today. We are living in a very soulless time, for we have no living myths to build our lives around. We, as a society, have no sacred rituals that guide us through life's transitions. We are just thrust unto the world and with a pat on the back (if we're lucky), we are left to fend for ourselves. "May the best man or woman win!" seems to be the prevailing attitude. It may seem that some fare better than others, but I think we all suffer together as a result of the lack of the sacred and of ritual.

How does one make modern myth? I am not sure, honestly. Our world is changing so fast now that having any kind of perspective is nearly impossible. Campbell looked to outer space as our new frontier, the new dark forest that hides our fears and our potential. However, access to space seems ever more difficult to reach with the ending of the shuttle program. We are left to stare upward through lenses and computers and speculate ever more.

For me, looking back to ancient myth is a starting point. Ancient Irish myths have always fascinated me with their Neolithic structures and symbols. They too looked to space for guidance, what they gleaned from their observations is unclear, but what is clear is that they were very aware of the patterns and cycles of the heavens. So few of us even pay attention to the stars above, and those that do, must gaze through a haze of pollution that blocks out most of what the ancients saw.

Now, the paleolithic is calling to me, pulling me further back in time, where even less is known. What truths can I discover that might inform our lives today and into tomorrow? The stories are lost to us, yet somehow the energy remains. Might I find a way to channel truths this way? Or will what I "discover" just be my own stories superimposed. Can truth be channeled through energy patterns, like digital information is sent over the wireless airwaves?

This is what I am exploring through my art now. Ancient truths, explored in a modern context. Perhaps it is good that I cannot really know the actual stories from the ancient myths, perhaps it will allow me to be open to what the universe can teach (whether that universe is the cosmos or the inner worlds). Will my art contribute to the future of a living mythic tradition? I am not sure I have the hubris to allow myself to think so, but perhaps it will become part of the fabric, a thread, of a much larger and greater mythic structure that is yet to evolve. Time will tell...

DoAn
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Monday, July 18, 2011

Entering the Fear

Another set of hot and humid days has sapped my energy and forced me down into the basement to work. I started the day doing quarterly sales tax filing, preparing paperwork for my DBA (Doing Business As) license, and updating my website some more. This was all rather uncreative work, which started to frustrate me somewhat because despite my low energy due to the weather, I am feeling deeply motivated by the creative work that I am doing now. However, much of this work requires a large amount of energy and focus, which just isn't possible for me this time of year.

So, I decided instead of getting myself frustrated and waste my limited energy, I spent some time contemplating the nature of work that I am doing. Rather than talk about the pieces themselves, which are not ready to be shown just yet, I thought it might be interesting to share the process and why I am doing what I am doing. In particular, Why am I exploring the chakras?

After I finished the painting Etain, the fourth in the series of Ancient Irish Goddess-inspired paintings, which explored the elements and energies associated with the different Goddesses. I realized it was important to balance these paintings with God-inspired paintings and came up with the idea of exploring the masculine energies associated with the elements in paintings that corresponded to the Goddess paintings.

The idea was there, but accessing the masculine has never been a strong skill for me. Childhood experiences, long forgotten memories began to rise, and with them fears that I thought I had let go of long ago. I wasn't debilitated by these fears, but I was not certain how to approach the masculine paintings in a way that was not skewed by my past experiences. I wanted something balanced and also something that was fresh and not just a rehashing of old concepts. The harder I tried, the further away I got from the concept. I began to feel, oddly enough, disconnected from my own body.

So the idea to do a series of paintings based on the chakras as a way of balancing my energies and reconnect me to my body again, while I did more research and exploration of the masculine archetypes. What I didn't expect was how much energy these paintings would demand. Drafting the knotwork that would comprise a major part of the painting was technically difficult, but the actual energy that went into painting the first piece has been surprisingly intense.

Work on the root chakra has me starting at the base, tapping into the primal energy and, as a result, stirring up the very things that started arising when I approached the masculine archetypes. It seems that no matter what I work on, I am at a place where these memories, fears, and feelings must be addressed. So that is where I am. How will I do it?

Right now, I don't know. For the time being I am learning to sit with these feelings and just be with them. It isn't easy. The adventure begins...

DoAn
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Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Climbing the Tree with the Serpent

Beginning the drafting of the World Tree painting

It has been quiet on my part here in the blogosphere, but rest assured I have been keeping very busy. Now that I am past unpacking and mostly settled in, I have been focusing on integrating into my work and living space. I am at that stage where I am figuring out the layout, rearranging things when I find that a particular object should be on my right hand side instead of the left, those kind of things.

In the midst of that I have been working on a painting commission, a pet portrait sculpture and my big project for the year: a series of paintings based on the chakras and the World Tree.

I have drawings for the chakras up through the throat chakra and I am starting work on the brow chakra now. Sometime during drafting the heart chakra I had a dream that was telling me to connect the world tree with the chakra system. I woke up puzzled because up until then I had believed them to be totally separate systems. I did some research and found nothing connecting the two. Then, when I was about to give up I saw a picture of the sephiroth from the Kabbalistic tradition. This brought to mind some other geometric systems related to the World Tree that I had explored at an earlier time. And suddenly, without explanation, in a flash of an image in my head, I conceived the relationship between the two systems. I went back to the studio and pulled out the drawing I had made a year ago. This drawing was based on a series of meditations I conducted on each point of the world tree. I spent some time meditating in front of it allow the two systems to integrate. Since then, I have been also working on revising the original drawing and adapting it to this new discovery.

chakra drawings

So now I am working on both the chakras and the World Tree as a whole series which I hope to have completed by the end of the year. Each of the chakra paintings will require intensive meditative work on the specific chakra energies and I will expand my meditations as I begin painting the World Tree piece. All the paintings will have some basis in the traditional systems, but I will allow my meditations to expand on them and I will let the final painting be evidence of where the journey finally takes me.

I will periodically share the process as I develop the series. Now that I am getting back into a regular working schedule, I intend to get back to my regular weekly posts. I appreciate your patience during this time of transition, I hope the series of posts to come will be a welcome reward for hanging in there!

DoAn
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Thursday, April 28, 2011

Getting Settled

Lian, teaching me how to "get settled"

No matter how good it might be, moving is extraordinarily difficult.

I think I am kind of like a plant. Transplanting must be done carefully, and it cannot be rushed. It takes me some time to settle into my new space, to let my roots grow and get used to the new environment and attune to its energies. So now that I have unpacked, I am learning how to navigate within my new living space, how to find my way around the neighborhood, and establish a new routine. All this is very draining...at least for me it is.

I have been doing a lot of walking. Walking is a great way to plug into the energy of a space. I do a lot of sitting and observing. This is hard for a person who likes to be working all the time. There is a rising anxiety that occasionally wakes me up in the middle of the night. I panic: where am I? Why aren't I getting more done? I need to be working! Then, I get my breathing back to normal and settle back to a fit-full sleep.

I keep reminding myself that each person has a process, and taking time to connect to a space, to a location, is part of mine. Today I will be painting the my studio space walls. This will help with connecting. The plants outside are sprouting and soon it will be time to plant herbs and vegetables, this will help as well. Gradually, I will find myself aligned with the energies here and making art will be part of the daily routine again.

DoAn
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Monday, April 04, 2011

A hitch and a plea

Lian, the sad patient awaiting surgery

The boxes are mostly packed and I am getting myself prepared for the next step in my creative life. I have been reading some mythology books and jotting down ideas and looking forward to getting back to work on my art. I was looking forward to a quieter week where I could tie up some loose ends and collect energy for the move on April 11th.

Then on Friday, Lian and I sat down to clean her teeth, a weekly ritual that she bears quite bravely and offers no resistance. That's when I noticed that her upper right molar was half gone. A piece of it was split right past her gum line. I took her to the vet and after a careful examination the vet gave me a grave look and said Lian would have to have surgery.

Spring Flowers 2

This is no minor surgery. Not inherently life-threatening, but potentially problematic. The tooth she broke (and we have yet to figure out how she broke this tooth so badly) is one of her largest teeth with three deep roots. Several nerves are in the vicinity of this tooth and extracting this large tooth is difficult in such a tiny jaw. Needless to say, I am concerned about lasting effects of this procedure. But, leaving the tooth in opens her up to dangerous abscesses and infections. Her surgery is scheduled for this Wednesday.

Lian is not only a companion, but a soul-friend, an emotional support and creative inspiration. She has been with me through my efforts to shift my life toward one the fully embraces my creativity. She has weathered several moves with no complaint. When discouraged, she offers a paw or an enthusiastic lick to lift my spirits. When feeling apprehensive about my creative work, I watched her play with paint and canvas and learned that fear need not interfere with the creative process. She has taught me that sometimes art can just be plain old fun!

Primrose by Lian Xin

Yes, Lian paints! While in Cincinnati she was very busy with a whole studio to run around and play in. After leaving Ohio, her access to paint and canvas was restricted to warm sunny days outdoors. I think she hasn't minded letting me focus more fully on my creative work for a while, as she has been equally content with keeping my lap warm as I work.

When Lian suffers, I suffer. She is a muse, of sorts, for me. Like a familiar in ancient traditions, she is a source of power and inspiration. And this accident comes at a terrible time. As we make this transition to Vermont, I very much want my loyal friend healthy and happy. Surgery is a major expense for one who lives on a limited income. It is my hope that you might consider purchasing some of Lian's paintings or greeting cards, you can help us offset some of these unexpected vet bills.

You can view her artwork on her newly created website: www.faeriedog.com Links to prints and greeting cards can be found there. You can also watch a video of her painting. If I sell each of the paintings listed on the site we will cover the cost of the surgery and medications. But even one sale will be a big help. Please share this with anyone you think might enjoy her colorful work. We really appreciate your consideration to help.

DoAn
Help in the creation of art, please consider donating! Just click on the link below:

Monday, March 28, 2011

Spirit of Place

Red Fox Totem by DoAn

As I prepare to move from Central NY to Vermont, I cannot help but reflect on the importance of place in relation to my art. I have enjoyed my time in Central NY, it has allowed me to discover a love for fiber, a talent for needle-felting and interest in spinning. Living in Central NY has confirmed that living a quieter, less urban life, one with fewer distractions and easier access to nature and living more simply is right for me. So now, for the third time in my life, I find myself heading to Vermont. It seems I cannot stay away...maybe the third time is a charm? Who knows? The only thing I know is not to count on any certainty!

A few weeks ago, before I packed up my paints and paper and canvas, I completed a painting of a fox. I had been exploring my relationship to animal totems, not based on any particular tradition, but solely through my own experiences in meditation and vision work. The Fox is a prominent animal in my life, it often appears to me at times of great change, usually in relation to a change in location. This time has been no exception. During the time I was considering to move to Vermont I frequently saw a fox running in the fields behind my house or along the road as I drove. The Fox, serves as a guide for Spirit of Place. I know, when I see a fox, it means I am in the right place, at the right time, or, as in this case, as I contemplated moving, it reassured me that my decision was the right one.

So to honor the Fox and deepen my connection, I worked on some sketches. I explored the Fox in a less representational way, something more symbolic. The image here was the end result. When I worked on the painting, I used paint made from the gemstone Serpentine. I chose the paint as a way to further my meditation as I painted. Serpentine is used to help ground one's energy, clearing away blocks from chakras. It helps in meditation and draws healing energy to problematic areas, often easing mental or emotional imbalances. It seemed the right kind of stone to work with at the time. And working on the painting helped give me a sense of control over my situation once more.

I will connect with the Fox again after I arrive in Vermont...as a way of settling into my new space and to honor my good friend, the Fox, who has stayed with me through these many many many moves.

DoAn

Prints and Greeting Cards of Red Fox Totem are available by visiting my Gallery page.

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Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Here Comes the Sun

"Raven Steals the Sun" watercolor & ink

As the wheel of the year turns to spring, we see the day lengthen and sun fills the sky. Here is a story about the arrival of the sun compiled from many of the cultures in the northern latitudes:

Long ago, at the beginning of the world, Eagle was the guardian of the Sun, Moon and Stars, of fresh water and of fire. Eagle hated humans so much that he kept these things hidden so humans had to live in darkness, without fire, fresh water or light. Raven did not like stumbling about in the darkness, so he came up with a plan. Eagle had a daughter and Raven being a handsome snow-white bird, pleased Eagle's daughter so that she invited him to her father's home. She hoped Raven would ask to marry her. While at Eagle's house, Raven found the Sun, Moon and stars, and fresh water inside a box. He waited for his chance to slip the box beneath his feathers when no one was looking. Then he took a brand of fire and flew out of the house. As soon as Raven got outside he placed the Sun in the sky. When the Sun set, he hung the Moon up in the sky and spread the stars around. He flew back over the land and dropped the water he had stolen, forming streams and lakes in the world. Raven continued to fly, holding the brand of fire in his beak. The smoke from the fire turned his white feathers black. Finally, when the firebrand began to burn his beak he had to drop it. The fire struck the rocks below and hid itself within them. That is why, when two stones are struck together, sparks of fire will fly out. Raven's feathers never became white again after they were blackened by the smoke. That is why Raven is now a black bird.

The painting pictured here is currently available as prints. The original painting is being made into a box, not quite big enough to fit the sun, and I will post it here once it is constructed.

Click here to view print & greeting card options

Like myths about Raven? Listen to this story Raven and the Winding River on BirdNote.

Happy Spring!

DoAn

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Thursday, February 17, 2011

Sedna: Plumbing the Depths

Sedna (graphite, watercolor & ink)

Sedna, goddess of the arctic sea, controls the sea mammals and the balance of life and death in the cold north. Her transformation from beautiful young woman to a hag-like goddess is told in many conflicting tales throughout the Arctic peoples. I have put together a condensed version here:

Sedna began as a beautiful young woman, courted by many suitors, but none pleased her father. Then a mysterious stranger appeared, claiming to be a great king in the north, and convinced her father to let them marry. Sedna went to live with her new husband only to discover that he was a cruel Skua (sometimes it is a Raven) in disguise. She called for help from her father who came to her aid and as they escaped in a small canoe, the angry Skua sent a terrible storm to topple them. Sedna fell into the water and clung to the side of the canoe to keep from drowning. Her father, fearing that they might both die, cut her fingers off so she sank down into the icy depths. As she sank, her severed fingers became seals, walruses, porpoises, dolphins, polar bears, whales, and sea otters. She became an important figure for the hunters of the north who relied on her generosity to survive. If Sedna felt slighted, she would call her sea animals to her and the people would starve.

The subject of this piece had been haunting me for over a year. I have several sketches, even another painting started, but in the midst of this exploration I felt called toward exploring a new style. I combined mediums and explored the contrast between realism and symbolism. I even went with more muted colors rather than my usual saturated hues. But what haunted me wasn't the new mediums and techniques it was the story. How did I relate to it? Why did it speak to me so strongly? Many interpretations speak of Sedna as a symbol of overcoming victimhood. It can be a powerful story for that and at one time or another we can all relate to such a theme. This theme didn't speak to me in that way. I kept thinking of the nature of creativity and how Sedna could be viewed as such.

My relationship to Creativity started out as something joyful and powerful. As a youth, I spent many many hours creating. I won awards for my work. I had shows in schools and in the local community. When I was young, if someone asked what I want to be when I grew up, my answer was an enthusiastic: "an artist!" However, as I grew into my teen years, my dream of becoming an artist was tested. Common responses to my career goal were: "That's just hobby. What are you going to do for a REAL job? No one can be an artist for a living. It is time to grow up!"

This began the separation between me and Art. As I grew older, and the messages that I could not be an artist grew stronger and more insistent, I found my life grew darker and less enjoyable. I wandered aimlessly for sometime. Then, when given the opportunity to go to Pratt in the Fashion Design program, I turned it down. Afterall, how could I choose such an irresponsible career! I gave up on my art entirely then for almost a decade. This, I think of as severing Sedna's fingers and sending Creativity to the icy depths.

Click here for Fine Art Prints and Greeting Cards

This decade was the darkest of my life. Depression became who I was. I felt lost and empty. Each year grew worse and worse until it became clinical and I was hospitalized. During that darkest of darkest moments, I found a glimpse of Creativity. It began in an art therapy group (which I was resistant to at first) and grew into a daily practice of putting paint on paper. I was reaching out to Sedna. But it was an arduous journey. Like the Shamans who must travel through many obstacles to reach her, I too had to plumb the depths and face many difficulties. After all, having shut Creativity away for so many years, She was not trusting of my intentions. What if I refused Her again? Since my reconnecting to Creativity, I have had to do a lot of work, a lot of personal healing, work and healing that continues to this day. The Shaman may reach Sedna at the bottom of the ocean, but then he must turn around and go back. It is a dangerous journey both ways.

My relationship to Creativity is better than it has been in a long time. But it is being tested again. Is this the return journey? Many obstacles are being thrust before me, just at the time when a career in art is taking off. This is a test, I know it. As I make this second leg of the journey, maybe Creativity wants to retreat out of fear of being abandoned. I know I must communicate to Her that I will not cut her away, even when there are many voices around me saying I should. Continuing to communicate to Her, respecting the process, sharing my work with others, staying true to Her are all keys to keeping Her favor. I believe working on this painting was my assurance to Her that my commitment to Creativity will not waver, even while I find ways to remake a life in a very uncertain world. I have yet to figure out how it will work out, but one of my current mantras is: "Not Knowing is Okay"

This may not be the perfect interpretation of Sedna's story. It may not even be the correct one, but for present moment, it is the interpretation that makes sense to me.

DoAn

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Monday, February 14, 2011

Living Felt: Needle-Felting Techniques Workshop

This 5-week workshop will introduce the beginning to intermediate crafter to the following techniques of needle-felting:

to create flat-felted applique-style work:

(crafters will learn how to translate a drawing or photograph into a simplified felted floral applique.)

to create simple three-dimensional shapes:

(crafters will create a sculptural form made from simple geometric shapes.)

to create a complex three-dimensional sculpture:

(crafters will expand upon the dimensional shaping and applique skills to create a free-standing animal sculpture.)

Cost: $80 + cost of materials (please make check out to Antony Galbraith)
Registration and payment must be made with the Sherrill-Kenwood Free Library by February 28th to secure a spot in the workshop.

The class size is limited to 15.

Location: Workshop will be held at the Sherrill-Kenwood Free Library, 543 Sherrill Rd, Sherrill, NY - 363-363-5980

Materials Required:
Needle-felting needles** (assorted needle gauges are recommended)
Foam or brush mat for needle felting (high density foam at least 1.5” thick recommended)
Assorted colors of wool roving, including white and black in slightly larger quantities
A good pair of scissors for cutting fiber
Flat sheet of felt (9” x 12”) (color doesn’t matter)

* Due to class size limitations cancellations of registration & refunds will not be granted after February 28th
**Please note: the needles required for needle-felting are extremely sharp! Caution in handling tools is advised.
DoAn
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Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Observing Midwinter

Brigid: Igniting the Inner Fire

We have arrived at the midpoint between winter solstice and the spring equinox. In the ancient times this was a time to acknowledge that spring was not so far away, despite the tight grip winter still had over the land.

The ancient Irish Celts called this time Imbolc (im’olc) and it was the time of the winter hag, the Cailleach. The Myths tell us that on this day, she wandered out to gather her firewood for the remaining days of winter. If she felt strong and wanted to make winter last longer, she will make sure Imbolc was a sunny, clear day, so that she could easily gather firewood. People would use Imbolc day as a predictor of the length of winter. If the day was dark and weather foul, then the Cailleach was sleeping and winter would soon be over.

Imbolc was traditionally celebrated on the full moon closest to the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. In more contemporary times, the holiday is celebrated on February 2nd. Groundhog’s day, with its prediction of the coming of spring, is very likely a modern remnant of the ancient holiday of Imbolc.

Many other cultures found this time of year to be important. The Greek myth of Persephone returning from the underworld was enacted at this time of year as part of the Eleusinian mysteries, to celebrate the coming of spring. The Romans celebrated Lupercalia, which honored the founding of the city of Rome by the twins Romulus and Remus. The ancient Egyptians celebrated the Feast of Nut, whose birthday was February 2nd (according to the Gregorian calendar). Nut was the mother goddess to the sun god Ra. The Catholics celebrate Candlemas, having usurped the holiday from the native European pagans.

For the ancient Gaels, this time of year was particularly harsh. It was considered the dead month. But, despite the harsh winds and icy rain that fell, signs of spring could be found. Ewes began to lactate, Cows gave birth, Ravens started to build nests, and green buds started to appear on branches and poking through the dirt.

The holiday was sacred to the goddess Brigid, who became Saint Brigit when the Catholics took on the holiday. Brigid was the patron goddess of Fire, Poetry and Healing and symbolized by a spiral. Imbolc was important because it fell on an in-between time, a very powerful and sacred time for the Celts. Brigid, if properly respected, brought the flame of spring, healed the dead-time, and brought words to the poets lips. Her miraculous powers could change water into ale and stone into salt. With boundless generosity she fed birds, animals, and the poor, and they all loved her in return.

Rabbits and Hares are also ancient symbols of spring. Hares sleep in nests or “forms” which look very similar to the nest of the lapwing bird. The lapwing builds its nests on the ground and in spring the nests are filled with eggs, which people took to be hare’s eggs. The hare was an emissary of the Otherworld and a symbol of the in-between time, which made Imbolc a such a sacred time. It is also the time of year that the footprints of rabbits and hares can be seen in the snow, as they search out the tender green shoots to eat and court their mates.

In modern practice, Imbolc can be seen as a time to look bravely into the darkness and bear witness to the growing light. It is a time of renewal, of re-affirming those resolutions we took at the beginning of the year to better ourselves. Now is the time to understand that no matter how difficult and dark things may appear to be, it will pass, for in order for darkness to exist light must exist as well.

On February 2nd, or perhaps before the next rise of the full moon, take a moment to sit in a darkened room. Meditate upon what you would like to see grow in health and strength this year: for yourself, your family, your community, the Earth. Meditate on the darkness in your life, look to what it can teach you, then light a candle, or many candles, fill the room with light and celebrate in the knowledge that the dark times will soon come to an end. With the lighting of the candle, you ignite the flame of your soul, offering strength to last through the remaining dark times.

DoAn
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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Walking the Spiral: Etain

Following work with Brigid, the inner spark is ignited, and the heat of growth rises. Even in the stark, cold of winter, the dormant seeds of last summer and fall are preparing for an incredible explosion of life.

The painting of Etain: Rebirth and Renewal explores this amazing process. Plants burst from soil, vines rise, and curl in spirals, sometimes growing so fast it can almost be witnessed. The inner light then becomes the outer light of the sun, when the inner state and outer state become one.

Caterpillers hatch from eggs, feed incessantly on plants, growing at a rapid rate, until finally wrapping themselves into a cocoon in prepartion to transform its body into a butterfly. Every stage of the caterpillar is difficult and hard work. Growing rapidly requires tremendous energy, which is fueled by the caterpillar's ravenous appetite. Using silk made from its own body to wrap itself up in a cocoon is a feat of amazing skill. Inside the cocoon the caterpillar literally dissolves, as it remakes its body into something entirely different. This in itself is a remarkable and astounding act. Then, the cocoon breaks open and out emerges a winged being, prepared to take to the air after it pumps its shriveled appendages with blood.

Examples of this kind of rebirth and renewal occurs all around us all the time. The caterpillar is one of the most illustrative and readily available examples of this process. Renewal and rebirth is often connected with growth and positive ideas. But, this is deceptive, because renewal and rebirth is extraordinarily difficult. Etain's story is one of rebirth, over and over, into a multitude of lives and different forms, many of which were difficult and tragic. Rebirth and renewal can be even more difficult than the descent into darkness.

With each rebirth, we are shedding the old skin, we are letting go of old ways, we are becoming something different. The caterpillar loses chewing mouth parts for a long tubular straw. It no longer eats, but drinks. Some butterflies are born with no mouthparts and live the rest of their short lives without eating at all. There is no going back once this transformation occurs. Life becomes hell when we try to go back or hold on to the old ways. Imagine a butterfly with no mouthparts trying to chew a leaf! Rebirth and renewal is really a death. It is a necessary death that one must experience in order to grow. Our culture does not prepare us for this concept, and many of us struggle against this difficult process, essentially becoming a mouthless butterfly trying to chew.

The process of creating this painting was quite difficult, almost as challenging as the emotional turmoil brought up by the painting Boann. It was working with the energies of Etain that made me realize how challenging going through rebirth really is. I had entered with the illusion that this would be a light, airy painting, almost easy to complete after the previous three. This illusion was quickly shattered as I found my own life and career path being challenged. Soon after completing the painting I found that I was being faced with letting go of a lot of old, outmoded ways of being, many of which that I realized I was reluctant to give up. But, holding on to these old ways has only invited a personal hell that had begun to become unbearable. Now it is time to climb to the top of the vine and let the currents lift me up into a new life. The void of the sky is unknown. There is great fear rising in me. But what butterfly, when spreading its wings, questions the lift off? The new life will happen, but only when the old life is forsaken.

The first cycle of paintings is complete. Beginning with the upheaval of emotional waters, which carried me down into the darkest earthy depths of inner exploration, where the ember of insight and creativity are sparked to light and life, pushing me upward into the air of rebirth. A new cycle now begins, bringing me back to the waters, similar to where I began, but not the same place.

In this next cycle, I will explore the masculine energies associated with this spiral journey. To do so will require a lot of letting go, a peeling away of expectations, a new perspective will emerge as I swallow my fear, step off the vine and let my new wings lift me.

DoAn
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Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Walking the Spiral: Brigid: Igniting the Inner Fire

Within the deepest reaches of the inner darkness, there exists the smallest ember. It is a tiny spark of light, that once given the proper fuel, has the potential to ignite into a blazing fire.

Brigid, the ancient goddess of creativity, inspiration, poetry, metal-working and healing, is a goddess of fire, but not the kind of fire made of flames. This fire is the divine spark, the ember at the core that ignites the body, mind and spirit into life. It can be related to the Kundalini energy rising up from the base of the spine to the crown of the head, activating power centers throughout the body. Brigid is associated with the dawn, because, like the sun rising out of the darkness, we hold in ourselves the potential to rise above our own inner dark.

This painting came after a long period of introspection. I was facing a challenge in regard to the direction of my art and was contemplating my ability to make a living from my paintings while following the spiritual path they were taking me on. Could I do it? Was it right to do so? Working on "The Morrigan" lead me to the darkness of this introspection. I learned that I had a connection to fiber as a creative medium. I developed skills in making sculpture from wool, which allowed me to continue making an income through my artwork, while I could let the paintings reveal themselves in their own time without the added pressures to produce and market them. Working on "Brigid: igniting the inner fire" lead me from the darkness of uncertainty and fear out into the light.

DoAn
Help in the creation of art, please consider donating! Just click on the link below: