Following the Moon: A Final Test

I Seem to be a Verb, Drozda

Since last October we've been exploring the quieting and calm that can be practiced for six Moon/Month cycles of each year. Now we come to the culmination and closure of that primarily inward time.


Here, at the close of the Natural Year we will do well to review, reflect and release anything that may still linger as a negativity built up since last spring. In the Purity cycle we can forgive the world.

During the Purity segment of the Natural Year we can make a conscious choice. Each of us is born with an inner support system. Joseph Campbell refers to these archetypal energies as Helping Hands. These unseen forces are also called Mighty Companions, Angelic Forces, Muses and the spontaneous occurrence of Synchronicity. Leaning into this level of support provides assistance when the Art/Life feels like it is on the floor, knocked out for the count. This is when, here...at this point on the wheel... we can get in touch with the Alchemical Shamanic Artist Within. We can engage in shape shifting the direction of the Art/Life so that it feels more and more like a true fit.

read more...


Subscribe to the monthly Luna See
Read the 2012 Lifecycle Forecast and find your gift...then email me...and I'll send it over.

See you next Monday for the Gibbous Phase of the Purity Moon

Voluntary Simplicity

From 1975 through 1979 my guy and I lived out of the city. We subscribed to Mother Earth News and Organic Gardening magazine and started a new life in a tiny cottage bordered by a field of wild grasses and a large woodlot. We had already given up phone service. Now we added in letting go of the TV, radio and the use of electricity. Our evenings were mellowed by the soft glow of kerosene lamps.

We fell in love with an antique wood stove discovered in the back corner of a country flea market. I basked in the warmth while handstitching a quilt from 22 Oxford shirts previously worn to his job at IBM.



I raised Rhode Island Reds, the chicks living in a box in the kitchen until they were ready to move out to the little shake shingled house beside the compost pile. I named my rooster Tip O'Neil, the speaker of the house.

Bramble, the Old English Sheepdog and Brandy,the Irish Setter were trained to walk along the outside border of the large garden but that didn't keep Bramble from leaning her head in off the pathway to steal the ripe and luscious Roma tomatoes. Munch. Munch.

Here, two blocks from the shore of Lake Erie, in the delicious quiet I began to live my artist dream, drawing and painting for hours each day and riding my bicycle over to receive my 'Tuesday's reviews' while visiting Mr. and Mrs. Domonkas.

This is a watercolor of my cottage and my fella relaxing beside the old wood stove.

Sharmon is correct I was being influenced by Chagall and Matisse and also Miro who taught me that "Every blade of grass has a beautiful soul, courage consists of staying home and close to nature. Nature who takes no account of our calmaties." I've loved that wisdom ever since.

Dreams and Reflections

It feels so reassuring to reflect back upon those that have helped me to learn to truly focus and to discover the value in 'keep on keeping on'. It seems that I have long had a 'young at heart' elderly man in my life, a grandfather type, to encourage my talents and skills.

Mr. Stephen Domonkas was such a figure for me. During the year and a half that we met weekly we became friends of the heart, much as I am today with Sir John.

I find it interesting to chat about the patterns and cycles that visit our culture in the midst of so much fast forward movement. There's something stabilizing for me in the 'edge places'. I so enjoy being with someone who has the perspective of 70 years ago while at the same time being connected to their yesterday. I have had similar experiences in visiting with my hospice clients while working as a volunteer.

Mr. Domonkas was 89 when one day he said to me , "I have the heart of a sixteen year old trapped inside this body." Up until that day he had been for me an interesting and wise old man. After that day he became just as he described. He sparkled more and twinkled like a star. He provided me a model that I so appreciated then and which I come to treasure more and more these many years later.

These two images are memory pieces that I created between visits with 'Mr.'. They are painted using India ink wash on Arches paper. Each is 18x24 inches and both are from the series 'Casa del Mar'. I recall each of the items on the tables and shelves. I so loved the vivid colors of the handmade tile surroundings within this the 'Mexican Room' in Casa del Mar.

Do you have room in your heart that infuses you with the memory of knowing where you belong?

The Art of Loving Life

I've recently turned 60 and I am finding it of value to reflect upon a few of the many mentors, teachers and inspirations of my formative days as a young artist.

In 1978 I met 89 year old Mr. Stephen Domonkas, the architect of Casa del Mar. Casa del mar was a small exceptionally designed and truly intimate home. It was also a museum of world art gathered during the Domonkas' nine steamship voyages round the world.

The day we met was hot and steamy, a typical lake front summer afternoon. I was returning art books to Domonkas library on the shore of Lake Erie in Sheffield Lake, Ohio. As I placed a book of Rembrandt's drawings onto the counter I heard a rasping voice say, "Rembrandt, Rembrandt, I remember Rembrandt." I looked at the ancient hand pointing to the book cover and thought to myself, "I'll bet you do."

We visited there in the library that bears his name for a few minutes and he asked me to come and see him at his home to discuss art and travel.

From then on each Tuesday afternoon I'd ride my bike through the impressive wrought iron gates into the circle drive. My wicker handlebar basket would be filled with the roll of my weekly drawing practice. During our visit we'd sip tea and he would give my work a spirited and no-holds-bar critique.

We became dear and devoted friends. His sweet wife, Ruth, often waved her hand at us during our animated chats saying, "You should've married him!"

This 18x24 inch watercolor on Arches was painted in 1979 during the time of my visits. Inspiration for the entire 'Casa del Mar' series was taken from the lighthearted style of Chagall.

Do you consider where your inspirations comes from and who the mentors for your work tend to be?

Dream of the Young Artist

I often dreamed of what life would look like outside of the maze of the high level bridges spanning the railroad switching yards feeding in and out of the steel mills that surrounded the little house on Fenwick Alley.

When dad left in the morning to walk to work carrying his stainless steel lunch pail and thermos the Old Country women of the neighborhood were already busy with their morning chores. At the start of each day they swept and cleaned their porches, then their sidewalks and finally our little alley street. I'd idly watch their activity.

Then I'd lean out my second floor bedroom window and look up. There I could watch the large resident flock of white pigeons banking and arching gracefully over our roof.

It was during those moments of flight that I was free to imagine being able to lift above the milling greyness soaring off to see the world... through my artist eyes!!

This watercolor on 18x24 inch Arches was painted in 1980 as I 'met with Chagall' each day and explored my early life. It was so enriching, enlivening and healing to filter childhood memory through the eyes of a master seer.

Do you have a favorite artist that you like to 'have lunch with'?

Homage

Sometimes it feels nurturing to consider early influences and the dreams we had as young artists. I stand now at the entrance to my sixth decade and I'm embracing the many teachers and mentors that have appeared along my path.

Marc Chagall helped lift my spirit during a time of deep retreat and creative focus in the late 70's. I lived at a magical water front estate and botanic garden called Casa del Mar and while there I was in the on-going process of healing from horrific violence and deep trauma.

Chagall's world view helped me (repeatedly) to lighten my burden and to gently loop back into my early environment so as to reclaim any misplaced aspects of my artist dream life.

I leaned into his work for about 18 months as seen here in this 18x24 inch watercolor titled 'Portrait of the Artist as a Young Girl' that I painted in early 1980.

Notice in the middle ground the pony drawn cart. When I was a child there was a man who came through the inner city neighborhood calling out in a loud clear voice 'PAPER! RAGS! PAPER! RAGS! We children would run along beside him eager to pat his gentle white pony as he heaped the contributions that the women brought out to his old wooden wagon. I suppose he was one of the earliest recyclers that I can recall. And a most charming elderly man.