Mary of Magdalla

Mary, Mary!
She has emerged so beautifully! I'm awestruck and a little In Love with her (OK, a LOT in Love!)

Wee Atelier

When I last posted about her, I was just ready to add her hair ... and then finishing touches, more lights & darks, attention to details ...

In early May I borrowed a table easel from my artist cousin Wendy Thompson, got turquoise paint (Jamaican Sea) for facing wall, & moved a wardrobe that had contained a TV & it's trimmings into my wee dining nook - a space that's about 6' x 7.5'- turning it into my own Atelier, (the Room or studio where an artist creates)

Paint chip

I've been participating in several Facebook Artist Groups, & last week another artist working on her portrait of Mary Magdalene posted a link to a wonderful talk by Ana & Phillip Jones, the leaders of this upcoming (Sept, 2014) The Magdalene, the Grail & You

 I love the words that came to Ana in a dream: "Don't forget Chateau Cantal (sp?) Once a Grail Castle, Always a Grail Castle!"  Places where the Grail has been are vibrationally altered, the spiritual & energetic signature remains.

Added Hair

When Mary came to the South of France, she carried with her various artifacts (there's speculation around what she carried, was the grail a physical cup, or was it Mary's womb a vessel for Christ's Child? Did she have a copy of her gospel? ...) She is the only apostle known to have continued sharing his message,  teaching for 30 years after the crucifiction!

Ana was also given a Grail Riddle - "Forever will you journey, of this there is no doubt. The grail will lead you Inward, Upward & Out." When they visited a cave in Languedoc where Mary gave teachings, they experienced just that - going INto the cave (into ourselves, into the mystery) , then climbing UP a flight of stairs (raising our consciousness to another level) & then OUT (out of our own way, out of preconceptions, false ideals & beliefs)

A pilgrimage is a quest, whether we go physically, or in our dreams, visions, and art! We can each journey Inward, Upward & Out, any time we are ready. Shiloh speaks of our paintings being vessels for healing, healing Icons for both ourselves, in the creation, & for anyone who views them. This feels so true for Mary of Magdalla as she emerges into her shining radiance!

Lady Mary of Magdala

Ana said "Mary TRAVELLED! She didn't just sit around in one place, there are stories throughout Southern France, Languodoc & Provance, of her jourenies, her presence, the sacred objects she carried & her teachings. In the mid 90s while living at the coast, I wrote a story about Mary learning the hands on healing when she was a disciple, & I believe she did.

Through our art and stories, she is still on her healing journey ... I took her to my women's spiritual book group a couple of weeks ago, when I had finished her, & it was lovely to see reactions to her.  Several of the women asked for prints, so I guess that's a future project!

May Mary of Magdalla bless you, & may her Peace & healing presence radiate in & through you.

Beltane and Mary Magdalene

Mary's Altar

Bright Blessings of Beltane (early May)

One of my dad's favorite Easter song was 'In the Garden.'

Composer C. Austin Miles writes: "I seemed to be standing at the entrance to a garden, looking down a gently winding path shaded by olive branches. A woman in white walked slowly into the shadows. It was Mary. As she came to the tomb, she bent over to look in, & leaning her head upon her arm, she wept. Turning herself, she saw Jesus standing beside her: so did I. I knew it was he."

Awakening from his vision that March day in 1912, Miles wrote 'as quickly as the words could be formed the poem exactly as it has come down to us.'

Mary's Portal

My dad & I often sang it at Easter, & I've always loved it. This Easter artist Shiloh Sophia McCloud offered her video painting series on Mary Magdalene for 40 days, at no charge (!) & I signed up!





Mary, Mary!

April 28

I've been working on my painting since Saturday the 26th, and love the process, the painting, all of it!

The "Tea with your Muse' class I took in February was inspired by Shiloh's work, & it's nice to have some experience with her methods. We are part of the 'intentional creativity' movement, taking time to set up an altar, vision, 'listen' to what the painting/subject wants, and say little prayers along the way.

One of the first steps, after writing words of intention on the canvas, is to paint a first layer with 3 colours. Shiloh suggested seven strokes or 7 layers,  the last being the 'portal' for Mary to come through. She bespoke 7 being for 7 veils, or 7 things you want to overcome.
After writing my intention, & painting my layers, I scribed my 6 grandchildren's first initials onto the canvas, (A, E, G, K, K, & Z), plus two Ms for my grandmothers Mary & Minnie!

Over the last 20 years I've read several novels featuring Mary Magdalene, and a few years ago, I discovered Karen King's Gospel of Mary Magdalene at our Public Library. I was fascinated to read the fragments that have come down to us (from 3 different source scrolls, found with some of the other scrolls in Egypt) Mary's gospel appears to have been "well distributed in early Christian times and existed in both an original Greek and a Coptic language translation." The first & second World Wars in the last century interfered with publication until 1955.

work on eyes

The message  Mary of Magdala passed on is simple (& of course the other disciples argued with her, & grumped about HER receiving the message, not them!)

"Peace be with you. Receive my peace unto yourselves.
* Beware that no one lead you astray saying Lo here or lo there! For the Son of Man is within you.
* Follow after Him!  Those who seek Him will find Him.
* Go then and preach the gospel of the Kingdom.
* Do not lay down any rules beyond what I appointed you, and do not give a law like the lawgiver lest you be constrained by it."

 I'm using a bigger canvas, 18 X 24", & Shiloh's suggested pallet of colours, mostly Golden brand (some fluid, some in tubes). I've been paying visits to the local art shop, & the first round were on sale!

More layers on the face 4-30

Last weekend was also a parting, as our sweet inclusive 'peace & justice' church's Senior Pastor & his wife
are moving across the country to Beverly Mass, where he will minister to a different congregation. Many emotions are flowing, so it seems timely to be working on Mary!

There are several video segments left to watch, & am intrigued that in this class (the first directly from Shiloh that I've followed) we haven't added hair yet! (that's next! It's fun to just try things, & see how they turn out! I'm looking forward to my friend Elisabeth's return from Kansas, & painting together again.

I am working on doing whatever Shiloh suggests, adding layers of colour and reworking lines, glazing both the whole canvas & in certain areas, colour suggestions; AND getting lost in the process & in Mary!

So she's still a Work in Process, but getting close to completion!

I'm posting in Paint Party Friday & to the Red Thread Cafe.

Music & Waves

Lior and the Sea, Blessings of the Grandmothers

This week I pulled out several songs I wrote for the folk harp, & reworked them a bit. I studied piano with a lovely teacher, who taught me to write out music, & we studied a good bit of theory.
Today another harper visited. He is interested in ordering a harp like of mine from a luthier across the country, so he stopped by to play for awhile, which was fun for my harps & me!

When my middle granddaugher drops by to paint, I wanted some simple surfaces for her.

Lady of Wind & Waves

I put gesso on on several 5 x 8" pieces of matt board I'd picked up for Collage.

They are perfect for small pics, so I did one as well. I began with acrylics, & finished with oil pastel, using copper paint for the necklace & earrings.

I'm linking to Paint Party Friday! Enjoy!

Daffy-down-Ddilly

Daffy-downdilly detail

Here's my little Daffy-down-Dilly flower fairy

I started this one for a local Daffodil Festival, which includes an art show .... but didn't deliver it by the deadline ...

blocks of colour

Daffy-downdilly sketch & finished piece

The idea came after seeing my teacher/friend Elisabeth's work in progress for the same show. I love drawing/painting flower fairies, it was fun bringing this one to canvas.

I'd forgotten (till a friend on FB reminded me) there's a poem about her! 

Daffy-down-Dilly

 




Daffy-down-Dilly
Has come to town
With a yellow petticoat
And a pretty green gown
Daffy-down-Dilly.
Nathaniel Hawthorne

I'm linking to Paint Party Friday 

Dancers

A couple of weeks ago, Shiloh Sophia McCloud invited artists interested in her Colour of Woman workshops to celebrate International Women's day by painting two women.

Though I wasn't able to participate in painting along with her livestream at my friend Elisabeth's studio, I set my easel (OK, music stand!!) up out in my yard, & painted away! 

Paint table

I began by painting an undercoat, & then began sketching in the dancers. I love all forms of dance, from Classical Kirov style Russian ballet to free form improvisation, and wanted my dancers to reflect that range.

Outdoor 'studio'

I've sketched the dancers at our ballet studio for years, & pulled up a few images from the last Nutcracker performance as inspiration. 

Undercoat

Outline

I was able to paint for several hours, & was grateful for the lovely sunny day!  

The next day was our Artspiration show, which was a lot of fun, but whew!! I have a new appreciation for artists who participate in weekly art/craft markets! It takes a lot of energy to set up even a tiny exhibit like ours, & interact with the guests ....

roughing in Flesh tones

 So I had a break of several days, before getting back to the studio (inside this time) & playing more with my dancers. 

*  Dancers *

There are bits of silver paint in the crown & earrings, a floaty scarf .... and two sweet dancers, caught in a moment between movements

I just discovered a lovely group: 
Paint Party Friday this is my first submission!

Presence - part 2

I think she's finished!

She Who Watches

Over the last couple of days I did more of the details, raised the hairline a bit, then shifted that a bit more, added Prayer Flags & Tsagigala/ Tsagaglalal - the Columbia River painted petroglyph we know as 'She Who Watches.'

My grandmother Mary grew up not far from this place on the Washington side of the Columbia, & spoke Chinook Jargon (the trade language, with its mix of Columbia dialects, French, English) ... so I was thinking of waiting and using Tsagaglalal in a future picture of Mary (whom I never knew!)

But after chalking her in, she seemed to want to stay!

Here's the Wishram version, as told by Ed Edmo & artist Lillian Pitt:

"There was this village on the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge. And this was long ago when people were not yet real people, and that is when we could talk to the animals.

"And so Coyote — the Trickster — came down the river to the village and asked the people if they were living well. And they said "Yes, we are, but you need to talk to our chief, Tsagaglalal. She lives up in the hill."

*Presence* in morning light

"So Coyote pranced up the hill and asked Tsagaglalal if she was a good chief or one of those evildoers. She said, "No, my people live well. I watch to see my people have good salmon, venison, berries, roots. I watch to see they have good shelter. I watch that we live in peace. I watch so good things will happen. 
Why do you ask?" 

And Coyote said, "Changes are going to happen. How will you watch over your people?"  And so she didn't know. 

"And it was at that time that Coyote changed her into a rock to watch her people forever."

Presence

This week I discovered a new FB group - Magical Mixed Art Community - & have been enjoying the BEAUTIFUL pieces members have been submitting! One pair of paintings struck a chord, and resonate with one of my stories, so I've begun a new piece: Presence.

Background & outline

In 1992, several days after my dear dad died, I was sitting in one of the Meadow pools at Breitenbush retreat center where I worked. I happened to glance up at the sky, & saw my father's profile in the clouds! I casually asked the friend with me to look up, & tell me what HE saw ... "Um, your father's face?!" ...
When my dad was in High School in the 20s, he learned to type. One of their projects was to do images with type: a US flag & their own profile! My dad, dutifully did both, & proudly saved them. He had a distinctive nose & wavy hair .... one cloud above us - that profile!

filling in the face

So when my mom died 12 years later, & my oldest granddaughter was sad, I told her we should look for my mom's face in the clouds, & we'd always find fuzzy little cloud faces that we identified as Lois.  Nothing as distinct as my dad's profile (which stayed for several hours, before gradually fading) but quite comforting.

My women's spiritual book group is currently reading Jessica Maxwell's "Roll Around Heaven," a delightful spiritual memoir, which begins with a chapter about her dad's death, and .... seeing HIS face (holographic) FILLING the sky three days later!! She wasn't going to tell anyone, till her sister called, and said "You'll never guess what I saw!!" ... um, dad's face? ....

Mary          Lois          Nadya

Face & hair

So when I saw the paintings with a woman's face in the sky, I thought of  painting of my mom, smiling in the sky! She cherished a set of photos she framed of herself, her mom & me between 18 & 20 years old (she's in the middle), so I used my mom young woman as my starting point! She was born in 1912, & her mom in the 1880s)


I had a 'Flying Dutchman' painting on canvas that I picked up somewhere, & have thought of painting over, so that seemed perfect. (you can see a vague outline of the ship, with the darker ocean on the right in the first picture)

I've used the colour of woman model of painting the background, then the outline of young Lois (I didn't do a distinct portal this time), then filling in face & neck, hair, & background.
Next comes the glaze, then more details! I like the hint of a heart surrounding the face!

On Saturday our Church is having an art show, Artspiration, and we can display up to three pieces per person. I've been working on 'Ariadne's Red Thread' (I'll post pics soon), and "Presence," with my third piece a sumi picture for the Year of the Dragon.

My Colour of Woman teacher Elisabeth plans to show a piece as well.
I've been haunting the art store, picking up new paints, brushes, supplies, & found that my music stand works well for an easel, at least for these smaller pictures! (this one's 12 x 16")