…wrought its ghost upon the floor

I occasionally make photo manipulations, but I rarely share them, obviously this being an exception. For the most part, all my them are strongly inspired by my dreams, this one is no exception. One chronic problem I have in my dreams is not being able to find my glasses, so because of that I purposely left this thing a little blurry.

Stock from mjranum-stock, InKi-Stock and diamondie-stock.

The bird character I am thinking about designing is going to be similar to this dream being if you are wondering. Only less intimidating more colorful. I am really liking the sun conure for that.

A question for my bird loving friends. I am designing a character that I want to be part avian (and part human.) I am looking for a bird that is orange (surprise!) or has orange markings on it’s body (not head.) If possible, I would like it to be a fruit eating bird (mmmm fruit.) I’m looking for one that really stands out.

Any suggestions?

This is something I have been working on for a couple days, all the photos are my own. I am not sure if it is done yet. That sun is part of my logo/personal symbol that my friend turned into a vector for me. I am probably going to make this a charity print when I am sure I am done with it. (Profits going to Médecins Sans Frontières.) Need to finish revamping my site first too.

I had a dream the other night that Damian (my son) was surrounded by different colored lights. I have had similar dreams in the past but this one was particularly vivid, so I thought I would draw it.

I don’t know much about auras but it kind of reminds me of aura drawings I have seen. I thought I would post it because I like how it looks and thought someone might have some thoughts on interpreting it.

(Helaris posted and interesting interpretation of this here, on my deviantart.)

This is the dedication and cover page of my Book of Shadows.

A Book of Shadows is a book containing beliefs, gods, goddesses, rituals, herbal lore, chants, songs, dances, spells, divinatory methods, articles and other spiritually related topics that a witch (or coven) writes or collects. It can serve as a guide and a reference to their craft and tradition. The Book of Shadows is sometimes called a Grimoire.

Many witches make their own, usually written in journals. I keep mine in a D-ring binder. Three of them actually, one with ideas and miscellaneous notes, one with first drafts and articles, and one with final drafts that are all glitzed up (like this cover page.)

I tea stained the paper for this page and used ink, color pencils and watercolor to do the designs. It is printer paper sized since I keep it in a sheet protector in my binder. The little paper insert on this page has the Wheel of the Year on one side and a book dedication on the other. The crow/raven is one of my totems, he treads the barrier between waking and dreams. He guides us to a greater understanding of our consciousness. This is why I chose to put one on the cover page.

Graywolf drew this beautiful picture and dedicated it to me and two more of her pregnant friends, Mearu and Lisa. It is called “Beidh mé leat”, which means “I’ll be with you”. Graywolf says we are amazing and I have to say, I think she is amazing too. She has been through a lot in her life and she is one of the most empowered people I know. Her art is incredible (she made the corset for my handfasting last summer!) and is only rivaled by her compassion for others. Thank you Graywolf for dedicating this piece in part to me, it really made my day.

I am feeling the baby move so much lately, every 3 hours or so I feel flutters. Michael even felt one recently and you should have seen the look on his face, it was so priceless. If I had to pick a moment to realize just how amazing of a father he is going to be, I think it was that one. This baby is such a precious gift and we both want to give it all the love in the world. Sometimes it is hard to believe that my little body is capable of growing a new life, one that Michael and I created together.

I think it is one of the most beautiful feelings in the world. I feel so very blessed.

(Click drawing for a larger image.)

Do you remember that dream I had awhile back with the condor and vulture woman? Rah Bop drew a picture of that aspect of it and sent it to me for Christmas! I got it in the mail a few days ago and totally adore it!

I will do a Christmas recap post later but right now I really need a nap…

Forgive the watermark, this is the only piece of mine I am truly protective of. It won’t be watermarked on my website of course but it will be a lot smaller there too.

This is the new logo I made for my craft business, Graceful Symmetry. I finished it several weeks ago but our server crashed right after I scanned it so it has taken me awhile to get around to uploading it.

I have a friend who is turning this into a vector so it looks more professional, I used prismacolor pencils to draw it. It will be on my candle labels, business cards and new website of course. (All of which are a bit on hold till after June 23rd – Michael and my handfasting.)

I wanted to design something that embodied Graceful Symmetry and reflected myself. It pretty much had to include my favorite colours then, orange and blue, and I decided to incorporated two of my personal symbols into it: the triple moon triquetra and one of my suns.

I am really pleased with how it turned out.

Earlier this week I had a dream:

I was outside of the Blue Spark (a bar in Spokane) sitting on the curb with Michael. I looked at him and he smiled and when to say something but then I felt something. I looked around and realized we were not in the ocean and I was standing knee deep in water. Michael was nearby on a volcanic rock sticking out of the water – that was the only land I could see. Neither of us were panicked though.

Michael went to say something again and then he grabbed his arm. I felt a pain in my arm and did the same. When I looked down I had two tattoos, one on the inside of each forearm. One was the symbol shown above and the other was a dragonfly in a moon. Michael and the symbol above except with a thunderbird in the sun and what I think was a wolf in the moon.

After I had the dream I drew out this design. The sun design is similar to one that I draw relatively often and have for quite awhile, since I was a young teen. The snake (particularly the sea snake) is one of my totem that I have also had since childhood (though I have only recently realized that) which is why I think it is within the sun.

The snake comes to be when I am afraid and in need protection. I get the mental image of being completely wrapped in snakes all of them staring down whatever my fear at that moment is. I adore snakes, and while they have an unjustly bad reputation, they do deserve our respect for their powers. The snake thrives in the sun, something I can completely relate to as the sun gives me the power to accomplish my goals and thrive.

I want to paint this on my djembe drum because it is a design full of powerful symbolism. Drumming also building up my sense of personal power, sometimes I feel it is the heartbeat of my soul. My drum head is made of natural rawhide and I am told I can do with with acrylic paints and that it will not peel or flake (or most importantly damage the drum.) Has anyone painted their drum in this way before? How is it holding up?

I consider myself to be more of a crafter then artist. I know my 2d stuff is not very good and it gets me down sometimes. On the flip side though that makes me try harder to do well at traditional art. Everything has a positive side I suppose.

My second attempt using my new Prismacolor coloured pencils (though my first serious one, I actually used a reference photo this time) and my first attempt using my Prismacolor watercolour pencils, so be nice. Critique is welcome though, especially if you have experience with Prismacolor.

My subject is the Yoruban goddess Yemaya (again), probably because I am studying Yoruban mythology lately and she intruiges me. Chances are I will be getting to the 14 other deities eventually.

Yemaya is the Yoruban creation goddess said to be the source of all living waters, which are the surface waters where life is concentrated. She represents wisdom, the home, female power and of course, the oceans. From her womb came the fourteen Yoruba goddesses and gods and the first human woman and man. Flowers are one of the offerings given to her, there are seven in her hair to represent the seven seas. Blue and white are her colours and the crescent moon is one of her symbols.

4×6 on bristol

I may or my not put this up on my website though I did put the other one up (that I am not happy with.) I want to smooth out her face more though I do not know how, I may digitally touch her up.

What do you think?

EDIT: I put her up on my website.

I am still learning to use coloured pencils, but I love my Prismacolors. This is an art card (atc, aceo… there are many terms for them) it is basically a 2.5″ x 3.5″ piece of art that can be sold or traded so that you can own a piece of art from an artist you love for little or no money. This one represents Yemaya.

Yemaya is the Yoruban creation goddess, her name is short for Yey Omo Eja, which means “Mother Whose Children are the Fish”. As legend says, Yemaya’s uterine waters broke caused a great flood, which created the oceans. From womb spilled forth the fourteen Yoruba goddesses and gods. It is also from her body which came the first human woman and man.

Yemaya is said to be the source of all living waters, which are the surface waters where life is concentrated. She is a protector of mothers and the home. She represents wisdom, female power and of course, the oceans.

This card can be purchased here.

So someone asked me the other day “if I had to label what would it be.” I replied that I have no need for labels, none of us do, because we are always evolving.

But I was at work the other day and thinking about scotch. Scotch has a label, wine has a label, my paint has a label. I need a label.

Ok so it isn’t exactly the Mona Lisa (imagine if daVinci had markers…) but it amuses me none the less even if I am not exactly wayward. I want to laminate it but alas I own no such device. I wonder if Kinkos could? I have another one which says wayfaring instead of wayward but I am not sure where I put it…

Edit: Must insert the lyrics of one of my favorite Kansas songs here:

Carry On My Wayward Son

{Refrain:
Carry on my wayward son
There’ll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don’t you cry no more

Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion
I was soaring ever higher
But I flew too high

Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man
Though my mind could think I still was a mad man
I hear the voices when I’m dreaming
I can hear them say

{Refrain

Masquerading as a man with a reason
My charade is the event of the season
And if I claim to be a wise man, well
It surely means that I don’t know

On a stormy sea of moving emotion
Tossed about I’m like a ship on the ocean
I set a course for winds of fortune
But I hear the voices say

{Refrain
No!

Carry on, you will always remember
Carry on, nothing equals the splendor
The center lights around your vanity
But surely heaven waits for you

Carry on my wayward son
There’ll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don’t you cry (don’t you cry no more)

The human element is that of change. It is the one that gives us our firm footing in the world and our desire to stretch our arms towards the heavens.

Since I often go more in depth about my paintings here then I do on dA or in my portfolio, I had a dream a couple nights ago of a being rising from a sea of light, it was dark but not evil and it was Muse. Last night I felt the urge to paint, something within me wanted to paint an image inspired by that dream because she saw a piece of herself in it. So in a sense this is a self-portrait of that part of me who is at times pushed down by the rest of me.

You can see a detailed view of this piece here.

8.5×11 prints available.

Here stands the Creator goddess, in her hands she holds the moon, a feminine symbol of receptive power. In ancient times it was thought by some peoples that conception was brought about by the moonlight hence within her grows the solar god, her equal and later to be her lover. Around her lay the stars, connected in their own way; Pleiades, Virgo, Orion, Gemini, the constellations.

The first god is said to emerge from a creator goddess, from Mother Earth. Throughout our history many myths of the creation often swirl around this common thread. The God is representing the sun who passes on each winter to be reborn with the spring. The masculine and feminine energies of creation go in a cycle just as the four seasons do, just as do life, death and rebirth do. It is within this story lays the lessons to be learned.

The idea for this piece came to me in a sudden rush. I painted it on a piece of fir bark that is sturdy. It easily stands on its own at 14 inches tall.