Showtime!

I am going to be showing my work on Saturday the second, at an event called Macapolooza. It's a tent party with bands and artists in the parking lot of a popular pub here in Portland. Needless to say I am very excited and of course nervous too! I am going to include some of my Celtic know work as well as my Faeries and Goddesses and my brother's animal art, (which you can check out on one of my older posts.) So here's some of my Celtic stuff:

Hippy Chick

Growing up in the bay area in the 60s, I remember all of the teenagers who flocked to Haight Ashbury in 1967 the "Summer of Love" I was eight years old. My mother threw all of us kids into our wood paneled station wagon and took us into the city to see the spectacle. She was a teacher and thought we should soak up the cultural event. I remember seeing pretty girls with long straight hair with beaded head bands on their heads. The first hippy chicks were pretty suburban girls out to party and see what was up, not the more organic version that evolved in the years after that.

That was a wild summer with the Hells Angles hanging out at the local Foster's Freeze. I can remember looking up to my older glamorous teen age sister with yard length peroxide blonde hair and home sewn jersey mini dresses and sterilized needle pierced ears. Occasionally, she'd sneak out and I'd have to hand her her clothes out the window. Sorry Mom...

Clieto from Atlantis

The story of the Isle of Atlantis was written by Plato though the story was handed down by orators that came before him. In the story, the rulers of Atlantis sought to rule over all other civilizations, but were defeated by the Athenians. Atlantis was said to be inhabited by gods and ruled by Poseidon. He took a mortal woman, Cleito for a wife. Soon other men took mortal women as their wives and no longer followed the laws of the Gods. Zeus condemned them for that and then they suffered earthquakes and floods which caused the island to sink into the sea.

 I drew Cleito in blue with sea weed and pearls to represent the sea. She was just something from my sketch book but she intrigued me, so I decided to paint her in. 

Queen Elizabeth Faerie?

This faerie looks like Queen Elizabeth, (not the modern day one,) to me. I suppose I likely would have lost my head for painting a queen as a mischievous faerie back in her time!

I have attempted to give her accessories just from nature this time, no forged metals, just leaves, vines, and feathers. Hopefully, my style will evolve into something recognizable. I am going to a watercolor class today at the Multnomah Arts Center here in Portland and am very excited!

On another note, I have been researching elves hoping to create some unique Christmas cards. It would appear that elves were considered pretty evil until the Victorians commercialized Christmas and portrayed them as helpers to Father Christmas. The Norse thought they would shoot arrows into their cows to disease them! They also seem to go back and forth from being tall to small, evil to good. None the less, it is amazing to me how many different cultures believed in elves which were seen more as Faeries in Celtic cultures. Now the Christmas Elves look kind of goofy. I'd like to change that and give them some dignity! Here's a link to one I thought was kind of sweet, but still the Elves look too much like little Santas to me. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!
Elves Link - No artist mentioned.

Another Faerie

Another faerie from my ever growing tribe of faeries. After I painted this I realized she looked the spitting image of a friend of mine. My friend had a tough childhood literally living on the streets with her schizophrenic mother while never really knowing her father. When I met her she was twenty-six years old tending bar in a tough pub in downtown Portland. She seemed to me to be otherworldly probably due to her undoubted myriad of unique experiences I'll never begin to understand. Anyway, she is decorated with a combination of leaves and Celtic woven vines.

Banba

I became fascinated with goddesses in college while taking a women's studies course at Sonoma State University. I am an Irish American and was drawn to Banba because she is at the center of Irish Mythology as the Earth Mother, representing the spirit of Ireland, and was the wife of King MacCuill. She was thought to be the first settler in Ireland. She is part of a trinity of goddesses, she, Eriu, and Fodla. Banba is a poetic name for Ireland. Banba also protected the land from invaders. Throughout my life I have called upon her for inspiration and solace. I have drawn her many times and last night she showed up again! She is depicted with a Claddagh on her forehead. Her earing is a Celtic spiral.

The Faerie Archer

"I am the Archer and I protect the forest from those who may harm her."