Born With a Tail

Here's one last photo of a piece  made from the pile of goodies I posted in March. This one was inspired by some little brass claw feet that arrived as an extra gift in a box of vintage casters I'd purchased.  First I had to show a brass claw to my cat for his approval.

Born with a Tail

Tiny Monsters and Little Cartoon Souls

The Golden Hour

There's a term that cinematographers use to describe the time of day just after sunrise and just before sunset  when the shadows are long. The light is diffused and everything seems to radiate with balmy light. They call it  The Golden Hour.

Golden Hour Talisman

 

 

I think life can sometimes offer up a golden hour of the metaphorical kind. It might last a few moments or  possibly an hour. If you're really fortunate you’ll get a whole golden week. The experience is akin to that radiance that filmmakers love but it’s a different kind of illumination. It could feel like hot sunlight pounding on your head or just a soft whispery glow that says, “hey check this out".  It may be years before you realize that you were hit with magic golden rays... you were in the perfect place at the perfect time and something amazing happened that changed you.

Cup of Life #2

 

The thing to remember about your own golden hour is that you can't make it happen. You have to let it happen. Put your ducks in a row. Place your cards on the table. Then take a ginormous leap! Cross the border. Get on the bus. Go to the place that no one expects you to be. Open the door.

Doorway Talisman #14

My works shown here are in the company of some fantastic artists in Beyond the Sacred Music and Arts Festival  opening this weekend at Sacred Machine Museum. Sacred Machine is  the creation of world-renowned Tucson artist and musician Daniel Martin Diaz, and wife and co-founder of their band Blind Divine, Paula Catherine Valencia. You can visit the sacredmachine.com to preview the show and see more of Daniel’s extraordinary works.

Works by Daniel Martin Diaz at Sacred Machine

New Toys

I've been on a scavenger hunt the past few days. Gathering lots of  materials for new series of small works. Can't wait to dive in to this pile of goodies!

New Toys

 

 

Hello My Name is Animal #2

On the Table

I love this part. Everything I've been working on for a few weeks is carved and ready for the final finish sanding. Then I get to put the puzzle together!

Body, Mind, Heart

Valentine's Day is here and as I sat at my work table recently making  Blossoming Hearts  I began to wonder ... with all the breakthroughs  medical science has made to understand the mechanics of the human heart,  why is it still such a popular symbol of love and passion?

     

“The heart has reasons that reason cannot know.”

      ~Blaise Pascal 

For centuries philosophers, scientists, priests and poets have contemplated the function of the heart. In Ayurveda, India's 5000 year old system of medicine the Anahata or Heart Chakra is located in the middle of the chest the same  region as the heart. It's characteristics are physical, emotional and spiritual. It's  associated with the physical functions of the heart, blood and circulatory system and also the spiritual traits of compassion, unconditional love and issues of the soul.

 

Anonymous Persian Anatomical Illustrations. [Iran or Pakistan, ca. 1680-1

In the fourth Century B.C. the Greek philosopher Aristotle identified the heart as the center of intelligence, motion, and sensation, the body's source of vitality.  

The Sacred Heart, a traditional Christian image, is often depicted as a flaming heart impaled by a sword or encircled by a ring of thorns. The imagery suggests physical duress but also spiritual passion. It's a frequent subject in Latin American folk art.  Contemporary artists have expanded on the traditional image to express there own ideas about the nature of the heart. It's even achieved something of a cult status in popular art. 

 
Mexican Tin Sacred Heart courtesy of The Virgin Rose on Etsy

Mexican Milagros courtesy of Alamo 2003 Shop

    El Corazon-Loteria Series by Teresa Villegas

    www.teresavillegas.com

    Sacred Heart-3 By Scott Holloway

    www.paintingloft.com

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I will have to leave the mysteries of the heart unsolved for now and instead end this post with some words from the Sufi poet Hafiz~

"How did the rose ever open its heart and give to this world all its beauty? It felt the encouragement of light against its being, otherwise, we would remain too frightened "
 

 It's all about LOVE

Blossoming Hearts

The Blossoming Heart Series is inspired by sacred hearts found in Latin American folk art. The found materials that I use are chipped, worn and nailed in place. Sometimes our hearts have to go through a bit of wear in order to truly blossom.