A Dream's Message

It is not often that I have a dream that causes me to be unable to return to the land of sleep and even fewer have ever prompted me to wake up in the wee hours of the day to write myself a note. But that is how I found myself at 5:15 this morning, peering out one eye trying to look at my phone as I look for the quick memo app. to give myself a note. The scene still playing in my head and the words I had spoken still ringing in my subconscious, I had a feeling that I needed to write it all down once I pulled my weary body from bed. 

I'm not too sure where the dream actually started but at the start point of my memory, I was walking through one of the upper floors of an office building. Having a post-Modern appearance, the interior was full of cool greys and blues, clean lines, the carpet was a dark blue with a subtle pattern to it so as to not be overwhelming, and there were framed images along the walls that appeared to be posters and advertisements. To be fair, it was a nice office space and I took the time to look at some of the images that were on display. As I turn a corner, I started seeing them. Girls. Young women. Women ranging from 17 to 27 all wearing stylish designer clothes and shoes, hair done just right, nails finely manicured, and all seeming to have a sense of fear and hopelessness as they chatted with each other.

Now normally I would just keep walking but first off, I don't know how I got there and second, there was just something that didn't feel right. So, I started talking to a few of them to figure out where I was and what was going on. Come to find out, I was in a modeling agency that specialized in fashionable product advertisement. Alright so that answered the question of 'where' I was but the 'how' was still a mystery for me. Eventually, after speaking with yet another of the girls who seemed to be stressing out as she wrote a note on a planner, I looked at her and said "You know... at some point you're going to have to ask yourself if what you're doing and what everything it's cost you is worth it. If you say 'no', don't be afraid to walk away." After saying that and a little more advice, I continued walk a little bit further. I noticed that I was not feeling sadness or pity for the situation I was finding myself stumbling into. I was feeling anger. Anger of how every woman I spoke to or overheard was being treated. As I ended up looking as a large poster for some Christmas product, I started noticing a sense of tension and dread coming from those around me and murmurings coming from behind me. Slowly turning around, I saw her.

Walking with egocentric confidence, a woman perhaps in her early to mid 50s wearing the latest in fashion, alligator print high heeled shoes that had such a point to the toe that they could be classified as lethal weapons if she were to ever kick someone in the kidneys, hair with enough product in it that a hurricane may be the only thing to mess it up, and jewelry that could rival the jewels of the royal families of Europe. Just her presence demanded attention and oozed authority. It didn't take her long to notice me since I was basically the white elephant in the room - beat up hiking boots caked in mud, jeans, tshirt over a tank-top with a long vest, satchel that had a few charms hanging off of it and my hair having that 'hippy-wild child' look to it. If I sneezed, I have a feeling I would cause a cloud of dust to form. Oh the glare the woman gave me as she started yelling. Just from the reactions of the young women around us as they scurried away or clung together as they pressed themselves against the walls for safety, I could tell this has happened before. Finally, I just couldn't take it any more, took a step forward and slapped her hard enough that I left a burning red hand print on the side of her face. 

Just the sound of the slap echoing in the halls sent everyone into silence. Both from the action of the woman actually being struck and from the sound. As she stared at me in complete disbelief and held her cheek gingerly, I found myself speaking calmly. 

"I know you'll probably call the guards or police on me but at this moment, I don't give a flying fuck. You, and the entire industry you're a part of should be ashamed of yourselves. This here--" I gesture to the Christmas poster near me, "is a prime example why I can't stand people like you." I look at some of the girl and ask them if they thought it was beautiful and several nod their heads. "Normally I would agree with you but there is one flaw. I see things differently. Yes, this is for that necklace around her neck but I don't see that. What do I see? I see the work of 1, perhaps 3 seamstresses who have spent years of training and working from 7 in the morning to 2 the following morning for weeks to create that one dress. I see the work of artists who have spent 4 to 10 years in school wracking up several thousand dollars of loan debts to create masterpieces that someone is going to overlook as they look at this image. I see the skill of a photographer who has painstakingly made sure that the lighting is just right so that the jewelry sparkle and the subtle shimmer of the dress to be picked up, taking hundreds of images then spending hours looking through each and every one. What I don't see? The model. Yes she's there but under 7 layers of makeup and then retouched by someone with an editing program, I don't see her. Her personality is not showing. This, my dears, is a doll.You are not dolls. You are individuals with personalities and if you can't let the world know who you are through an image then either find a photographer that can bring that out in an image or get out of this place because this is not where you belong." 

As I started to wake up, I found myself thinking about my friends who are professional photographers and those who are models. Those who are models, most are not what the fashion industry would think of as beautiful. Some have 'flaws' - largely curvy, sharp angular facial features, taller then average height, body hair, tattoos, shaved head. But that is what I find beautiful about them. They have personalities that draw people to them and show a confidence in their bodies that I find wonderful. Those who are photographers, they are able to find a way to bring that confidence the models have and bring it out in the images. Even if someone is in costume, if they are able to show that person's personality and have everything work, that is what I call wonderful. Not only do I admire the work but when if comes to advertising, it makes me that more willing to want that product. Why? Because of the partnership of the model and photographer. I am lucky enough to know such talented people and to them, I would like to say that I appreciate what you do. 

Staying Creative

Recently I've been doing a small collaboration with a good friend of mine which has actually been positive not only for me but for those who have been keeping up with the project. She runs a page on Facebook called Blessings, a daily prayer altar where she creates altar set ups with messages of encouragement, peace, love and healing to the people following the page. A true inspiration, to be sure and is always a pleasure to read. She also has another page called Ravens Nest Gifts which I help her to update which mostly focuses on handmade crafts created by her and a mutual friend of ours. Having a bit of a hiatus from the page due to being busy with her day job, I ended up asking if I could bounce an idea off of her as a way to keep her followers engaged while also tying in Ravens Nest with Blessings. The result? Muse Altars.

Muse Altars (also known as Positive Thoughts to do Art By ) is an album of images on the Ravens Nest Gifts page which gives a positive thought, words of advice, and helpful hints to creative people of all genres. I set up the images as a type of altar mostly to the idea of a creative individual's muse(s), each image having a theme or particular message to go along with it. All of the captions are based off of my own personal experiences and things I've learned the hard way that I figure I would share just in case someone else within the creative community was going through the same thing so they would know that they weren't alone. The statement with the album is  "Even when not physically creating, there is always inspiration around us. So during those times of having an art block and feeling as if you've lost the direction of where you're going with a piece, I offer these little altars to your muses."

To the Sailors & Mermaids...

Here are just a few of the Muse Altars that are already part of the Positive Thoughts to do Art By album which has many more to come:



To the sailors and mermaids within our creative community - 
Watch for Subtle Messages. Very much like the seas and ecosystems of the Earth, the world of art is very much affected by some of the tiniest events. Listen to the tiny voices of your muses if they are trying to warn you of possible dangers when setting up or participating in exhibitions or even gathering information while networking. This is also true in concerns of what subject matters you are planning on creating. Even within the seas of creativity, there's hidden dangers but there are safe ports and hidden alcoves out there as well. 



To those feeling the sting of negative words or actions - 

Don't Bottle it Up...

Don't Bottle Yourself Up. We have all heard the negative comments dealing with our work. The "this looks horrible" and "oh I could do that" comments that regrettably echo in our minds and hearts long after they've been said. We find ourselves retreating and pulling our creativity into little boxes. Don't. Such comments are only a reflection of the one saying them. Constructive criticism should not have within it "this sucks" or any variation there of. Constructive criticism should assist us in improving or give us another way of thinking to do something. So don't contain or ignore your muses. And those of us commenting on an artist or craftsman's work, pause a moment and think of what is about to be said first. Let us not harm another and their muses with words that would hurt our own. 

Fight...

To those who have felt as if their muses have been taken away from them - 
Fight. There are times when we all have reached a point where it's not just a simple case of Artist Block/Writer's Block/ect.. Its that feeling of sudden absence of creativity. Most commonly we know it as Burn Out. It could be caused by depression, constant worry, or just pushing yourself and your muse to the point where you just no longer hear their tiny voices. Take a moment and pull yourself away from the mechanical world we have. From the constant grind. Quiet your mind and your heart, be it through meditation, walks, or even a small trip into the wilderness. Recharge. It is not something that will happen overnight so be patient but eventually you will be able to hear the voices of your muses once again. The best way to fight for them is to take measures to fight for your well being. 



To those who find themselves drawn to art from the past -

Old Ways...

Find out all you can. Sometimes our muses try to nudge us towards the crafts and arts from our forebarers. Many of the old ways are being lost and the amount of those who still know or are learning is few and far between. There is much that we can learn from the old crafts of carving, widdling, glass blowing, embroidery, painting and even cloth dyeing. If you feel the tug and encouraging whispers from your muses when you look at such a piece, take heed and ask questions to the creator of the piece. Learn all that you can. And if you feel compelled to try such a trade, then be patient as you delve into it. 

We are Muses...

There are 2 posts in the current collection that seem to mean the most to me among all of the others. One in which is a reminder to myself and others that we inspire others and the other letting people know that it's okay to be upset. Between the pair, they have struck cords with many of my friend's followers and have both received the most response. Just knowing that I could help with making a positive ripple of change in the lives around me is perhaps the most rewarding with this particular project and I must thank my friend for allowing me to share these thoughts on her page. 



To everyone who wonders about themselves -
We are Muses. We are such interesting beings. Within ourselves, we hold access to multiple worlds, knowledge, and are home to our own personal muses. What we don't take in consideration is that we inspire those around us. We are muses. We murmur encouragement to those who are trying to create, whisper warnings when we worry about their well being, and help teach them when they wish to create in ways they hadn't before. So to the muses within each of us and to the muses we are for others, thank you. 



To those who are feeling anger with the current events of the world and find it difficult to concentrate- 

It's Alright...

It's Alright. It's alright to feel upset over things which have left your heart aching and your soul in tatters. You are not alone. But do not let yourself be consumed by hate and point fingers. That does no good and not only poisons ourselves and those around us, but also our muses.

Our canvases are our prayer mats. Our brushes and tools of trade are our mantras. It may hurt but we must change the energy of our rage into messages of love. You are not alone with your tears. Our muses weep as well but are trying to direct us to make positive changes. It is alright to take a moment to yourself but do not ignore the gentle whispers of our creative sources. They too need to heal and by doing so, more beauty will bubble forth. It will be alright and remember that you are not alone.

An Adventure, No Matter the Length

Tall Ship Days @ Coos Bay, OR

Day 3 [Conclusion]

Though I was still up for more adventuring, when we woke up at 6:30 in the morning I could tell that in the short period that we had been traveling that it was a bit more intense on my companions then we originally anticipated. For those wondering what I mean, normally when we travel up to Washington state, we take I-5 and it takes us 2 days to get there. Yes we miss a LOT of things along the way and don't get a chance to explore but the journey is relatively quick. The route that we had taken up to that point was, though short in appearance on a map, felt twice as long due to the constant twists and turns along with only being able to go 10 to 45mph. Due to this, it took us 2 days just to get to Oregon. So collectively we agreed that for this time around we should cut across Oregon, catch I-5 and head back down to California. Though internally just a smidgen disappointed that we had to cut the trip short, I was glad that this time around we had no plans to begin with and that I got to see things that I hadn't before.


7:53am - Coos Bay, OR

Tug Boats Awaiting Repairs @ Coos Bay, OR

Checking out of the hotel we were at, we grabbed something for breakfast along with some gas but there was one thing that I was determined to do before we left. I had discovered that Coos Bay had a couple of ships in their harbor for their Tall Ships Days. The sign that was up had said that the historical vessels would only be there until May 15th so I wasn't about to miss the opportunity to take at least a few pictures of them along with the various tug boats that were available. So of course I ventured around the pier armed with my camera and took as many pictures as I could before we piled into the vehicle and made our way. The plan was to cut across the state from our general location over to I-5.


9:47am - Sutherlin, OR

Cliff side Vegetation 

Jokes of course occurred as did the battle with the radio to find something to listen to which wouldn't end up having a ton of static due to our mostly remote location. We couldn't help but be amused over our uncanny ability to stumble across yet another batch of road work along the way. Of course I took the opportunity while being at a stand still to take a few pictures of the plant life next to us before we had to move along. After a scenic drive along the Umpqua River, watching the morning sun filter through the leaves of the trees along the way then roaming the rolling hills and passing through small communities, we eventually reached Sutherlin. Topping off the tank and stretching our limbs, we checked the map just to be sure we were on track with our journey before getting onto I-5 while aiming for the California border. Along the way, we marveled at the amount of snow on one of the peeks we were passing. We couldn't tell if it was White Rock Mountain or Battle Mountain but it was quite lovely.


12:42pm  - Californian Border

Cliff side Vegination 2

We've entered California several times before from both Oregon and Nevada so we were prepared for the usual list of questions: Do you have any produce? Are you bringing in any plants from another state? Do you have any drugs? Do you have any weapons? You know, the usual line up of inquiries
before they allow you to pass through the border into the state. I'm not quite sure if we caught the guy on an off day or what but all he did was look at our plates, told us to have a nice day and let us through. The literal interaction with the man was maybe 15 seconds, if that. So onward we went, though collectively confused. We joked that it was because we were Californians and he was just welcoming back one of his own. It wasn't long before we saw the familiar majestic form of Mt. Shasta. It had been quite some time since we had seen that much snow on its peak so we were actually quite thrilled with the site. Of course, like in usual Californian fashion, we quickly ended up in traffic as crews worked on repairing the roads before the Summer vacationers began their trek to our more northern neighbors.

2:55pm - Redding, CA

Nearing the Californian Border

There is a joke that we have whenever coming back from a trip and that is whenever we do return, the state welcomes us by being on fire. With unseasonable warm temperatures as we made our decent through the valley, we were greeted by a fire near one of the towns we were passing. Of course one of us had to go ahead and make the comment of "Ah, mother's milk" as they breathed in deeply. This was of course greeted by a round of laughter and comments about how the state wasn't even in its official Summer month yet and it was already catching fire. Reaching Redding to fill up on gas, we realized that by the time we hit Sacramento, we would be hitting the evening traffic. That was when the feeling of dread began to fill us since we knew what kind of mayhem we would face once we entered the area.

5:15pm - Sacramento, CA

Mt. Shasta - Shasta, CA

Just as we feared, once we reached downtown Sacramento, we were absorbed into the blob that was the evening rush hour traffic. Honestly I have no idea why it's even called rush hour when we were
literally sitting in our vehicle inching along while large expanses of the highway was at nearly a stand still. If it was any other time of the day, we would make it back to Elk Grove in about half an hour. Due to the traffic, it took us over an hour to even make it to the Elk Grove city limits. Opting to grab dinner since none of us had the energy to cook, we returned home and relaxed from our trip. Of course, we're making plans for future trips but that will wait for a later time.

The Journey Continues

Fort Bragg, CA

Day 2
Like any first night of traveling and spending the evening in a new location, none of us got much
sleep. Though quiet, peaceful and comfortable, we were still used our own beds and familiar sounds of our house so couldn't get a very restful sleep. Collectively giving up on even attempting to sleep, we got up at 6:30am and started to get ourselves for another day of traveling along the coast as we aimed for the Oregon border.

7:32am - Fort Bragg, CA

Checking out of the motel, we packed our vehicle and we were on the road once again. We took the opportunity to do a little coastal sightseeing by wandering a few of the beaches. Of course we all knew that we needed to reach Highway 101 at some point before noon. Might I add that I do not do well with extremely
twisted roads and a lot of up and down movement? What kind of road is Highway 1? Yeeaaahhh. Though absolutely lovely and scenic, it felt like a test of endurance for me. Even with that little draw back, the scenery was lovely and it helped that my delightful traveling companions kept me laughing through out the entire trip.

Morning Fog Near Eureka, CA

9:17am - Leggett, CA

Reaching the small town of Leggett for gas, we couldn't help but cheer when we realized that we were literally less then a block away from Highway 101. Having a friendly chat with the owner and singular operator of the only gas station in town, we discovered that the man basically also ran a couple of the other tiny establishments that were next to the gas station. He offered us a bit of advise on what would be good to see along the way before wishing us luck on our journey. With one more well deserved stretch, we piled into our vehicle and a way we went. Along the way up the road, we discovered that some of the coastal morning mist had been rolling through which was giving some of the areas an other-wordly appearance.

Gold Beach, OR

2:19pm - Crescent City, CA

After a quick stop at Eureka for lunch, we made our way to the last major city before the California/Oregon border. Of course I went ahead and prepared for more inspiration along the way. It took us a bit but we eventually reached Cresent City. Finding a place to get some gas, we made plans on what our next stop. While going through the border into Oregon, I couldn't help but notice one of the signs that were on the side of the road. Much like California, there was a sign warning of the fees for littering. Unlike it's larger neighbor which has a fee of $1000 for an offense, Oregon had stated a fee of $6250. I couldn't help but blink in shock. It would explain so much as to why there was nearly no trash on the side of the road once in Oregon compared to what I usually see within California. My companions pointed out that it would be nice if our state had slightly higher fees when it came to littering and polluting so that seeing such dumping along our roadways would decrease. I do have to agree with their logic on this one but I don't think we'll be seeing such changes for quite a while, if at all.


3:38pm - Gold Beach, OR

Gold Beach, OR

Taking a moment to enjoy the scenery, we stopped off at the lovely Gold Beach. The surf was rolling in and the wind nearly blew us off our feet a couple of times but even with the sting of the sand and salt water against my skin, I enjoyed the entire experience. There was something soothing yet primal listening to the massive waves crash into the pebble decorated sandy shore while standing there having the gusts of wind whip my hair around. It's such an odd feeling that I find difficult to explain to others since I'm not sure if there is anything to truly explain the sensation.

Drift Wood in Stream, Gold Beach, OR

While we were there, I did notice that the water that was flowing into the ocean from a small nearby creek was crystal clear. I found myself mesmerized watching to the water rush along the pebbles that lined the pathway to the ocean. Even with some of the drift wood that was in the stream, they just added to the beauty that I couldn't pull myself away from for several moments. Completely satisfied with the experience, I trekked back to the vehicle for the last bit of the journey to the agreed upon location we would be staying the night.

5:53pm - Coos Bay, OR

Tired, stiff, and ready for something to eat, our first goal was to find a place to stay for the night.
Spotting a few things along the way to the hotel that I am hoping to take pictures of the following morning, I took mental notes and made sure that my companions knew that I wanted to get images before we left the area in the morning. What could it possibly be? You'll just have to stay tuned!

May the Adventure Begin!

Moss covered branches - Muir Beach, CA

Day 1 
Even with all of the preparation, we still ended up with a few things that we needed to do first thing in the morning such as clean the last of the dishes that were in the sink from the night before and tossing out the trash. Just the standard type of thing, really. Once everything was locked up and checked, we topped off the tank in our vehicle and were on the road.

7:58am - Starting location: Elk Grove, CA

The traffic wasn't too bad going through Sacramento save for the typical Monday morning commute for those going into town for work and school. By Vallejo, however, it was the attack of the Bay Area commuters. Taking the bridge that takes drivers through Highway 37 then to Highway 101 south so that we could catch Highway 1, it took a bit to actually reach our first destination.

Horse & Rider - Muir Beach, CA

10:47am - 11:26am Muir Beach, CA

We decided to end up enjoying a bit of an explore around Muir Beach to stretch our legs which in
itself became a mini adventure. Slowly wandering along, we hiked along some of the paths and I was taking photos like mad. So much inspiration. So many different textures and various forms. Was able to see an enjoy creatures and plants that I would normally not have a chance to see in my area along. It would take us a bit due to how twisted the coastal roads that it took a bit of time to find our next stop.

Starling - Fort Ross, CA

12:18pm - 1pm Point Reyes Station, CA

I might want to mention that not only was this stop for lunch but it was basically our first meal of the day. Not something that I would suggest ever doing, especially when the only you had previously was a granola bar before a hike. We came across a rather non-assuming Mexican restaurant which also had pizza, sandwiches, doubled as a small general store and had a pool table for the evenings and weekends. Large portions. Reasonable prices. Oh and I should mention that the staff were absolutely friendly. Devouring our meals, we trekked to our next destination with well filled bellies.

Children Learning History - Fort Ross, CA

3:03pm - 4:11pm Fort Ross, CA

Since this entire trip has nothing that is planned, that means that we get to impulsively wander to a
location to explore and have absolutely no regrets for it. One such stop was for Fort Ross, an 1800s Russian settlement which had hiking routes around the area, the remains of the fort which could be explored (along with encouraging school children to learn the history of the area by being part of the reinactors for a short time), and a small museum. It was an absolutely peaceful environment with an area rich with history. It's certainly a place that I would recommend to visit.

Chapel at Fort Ross, CA

6:32pm Fort Bragg, CA

After a long day of twists and turns along cliffs and through gulches, we finally ended up stopping for the night at a peaceful motel on the outskirts of Fort Bragg. Looking through the images that I had taken, I was a tad disappointed that some of the images I had taken were blurred either by the lens not being completely focused or due to some of the coastal mist that was moving through at the time. However, I did discover that I had several nice shots that I hope to use as references at a later time.

Now to prepare myself for Day 2 of my adventure through the countryside. Stay tuned!

Giving into the Call

As a child, we would constantly move to different states and even countries due to my father being in the military. With each move, I would hate leaving the previous location behind but there was another sensation which I experienced that I could never figure out how to describe. It wasn't until I was older and we would do trips that I came to understand what the feeling was. Yes there was the fear of the unknown but at the same time, there was complete exhilaration. The thrill of exploring a new, strange environment and entering into a world that only the locals get to see on a regular basis. The chance to learn about things of the area. As I've become older, I found the perfect word to describe this feeling that I regularly feel to go out and experience something new in the world:

I do get the occasional case of wanderlust ever so often but luckily I'm in a household where it's completely acceptable since the other members here with me get it as well. How do we handle it when we need to answer the call once the insatiable need is too much to ignore? Road trips! Usually we have a set destination for where we need to go, be it to visit family who are out of state of traveling to festival. Usually.

Recently I made the announcement that we would be going on a road trip this coming week. However, the trip that we're about to go on has no destination. The only thing we know is the route which is following Highway 1 up along the West Coast of the United States and continue along once it changes to Highway 101. Past that, we've agreed that we'll be winging it. What does that mean? There are at least 5 possible ways that we have in consideration as to how we'll be returning home but we haven't come up with an actual plan. Yup! That means that this trip is going to be a complete adventure. I will be keeping updates of this little journey so perhaps along the way, I will find some inspiration for future pieces along the way.

From Tears to Hope

It has been about 2 years since I last cried. 

In February 2016, it will be 2 years since my mother's passing. Because of a promise that I had made to her and to myself, I have not cried. In a way, I have been suffering with depression during that time but I haven't told anyone about it. it is probably because of my mindset of so many people that I care about are having their own cases that they have been suffering from for much longer and on much more extreme ways that the last thing that they need is to hear of my troubles. So I've kept things locked up inside and forced myself to push forward. Sadly, my work has been affected. I would look at my paintings during this period and compare it to how my skill level was previously and I could see that the quality has dropped. Frustrated and angry at myself, I have lost count of how many pieces that I have discarded in the trash because what I was producing was no longer at the high level I was creating previously to my mother's death. This year has been especially difficult and at several points I have asked myself if I needed to just give up on everything that I had spent my entire life fighting to achieve. That's when a little voice in the back of my head suggested that it might be time to completely reinvent myself. 

The contents of 1 of 4 book cases
of my research books.
This one is my main one which is
located next to my desk.

About midway through the Autumn through a series of discussions with one of my best friends that I realized that unlike my past younger self, my work has no focus. Technically this was my fault because I had it in my mind for the longest time that to run my business, I needed to be as flexible as possible in order to have a little bit of something for everyone. What do I mean by having no focus? As a child, I have always been fascinated in studying various cultural beliefs. In high school, my AP Art Class (advance placement classes are designed to function as a college level class) had the requirement of having a theme which mine was female deities in various world religions. By college, I had expanded my research to include some of the darker aspects of religion and in the process started collecting books that varied from crystals to demonology and everything in between. It's a rather odd collection but one that I am rather proud of. As I went ahead and analyzed myself and my work, I realized that the pieces that I was always extremely proud of where those of some religious annotation or had reference to cultural beliefs. I concluded after much thought that what I needed to do was not just make a side project for myself, but completely start from scratch to make what I do into something that I could truly be proud of. 

For a lack of a better title, I thought that I would slowly ease my viewers and clientele into the transition that I was going through by calling the pieces that I was beginning to create by calling them part of an Altar Piece Project.  As I had explained to my Facebook followers, I realize that with so many having various beliefs and traditions that it is always difficult to find

'Sacred Vessel' by Dawn Star Wood
Created in 2013 before the conception of
the 'Altar Piece Project', is an
interpretation of Quan Yin.

something that may a good gift. With this project, I will be creating small altar piece art for various religions and beliefs. These small pieces of art are meant for personal sacred spaces. My goal is to have a little bit of as many religions as possible represented- from Christian and Pagan to Islamic and Judaism to Hinduism and Buddhism. What I hadn't had a chance to explain to anyone as of yet was that my ultimate goal is that this particular project, per-say, would be the stepping stone that will allow me to continue my research into various cultures and religion along with giving me a reason to travel more in order to establish connections with outside of my current web of resources.


As of this point, besides a small piece that I had done for myself, I have done 3 pieces so far (1 having already found a loving home). I am hoping that as I am able to continue forward with this that I will be able to create increasingly larger pieces that I will make available. I have been absolutely enjoying being able to research and learn more about the various deities and philosophies as I work on these pieces, learning about how they were originally supposed to be and seeing how over time due to region, outside influence and even changing opinion that these beings and thoughts were changed to what we know them as now. One thing I have noticed as I work and share my creations is that not only have I been receiving an incredible amount of positive feed back about the pieces  and the project but have taken note that each one seems to have been giving a sense of hope to those who have seen them. That has actually given me so much conformation that my decision to reinvent myself in this manner has been the correct thing to do. Here is what I have done up to this point:

Lady of Guadalupe (Virgin Mary)

Religion: Catholic (Mexico)

Watercolors, white acrylic and gold calligraphy paint on paper (5x7 inches)

I have never been much of a fan of the traditional depiction of the Lady of Guadalupe, the interpretation of the Virgin Mary that is commonly seen throughout Mexico. So I decided to keep the traditional roses and veil of stars that she is usually shown with and bring a different view of the serenity that she is said to have.

Quan Yin (Guanyin) 

Religion: Buddist 

Watercolors, and gold calligraphy paint on paper (5x7 inches)

Here is the second small piece in my Altar Piece project. Since there's so many variations of Quan Yin, I will probably visit her through out the project and also include her original male form which was more common before the 1200s. With this version, I wanted to keep to the traditional white gown she's usually in but with at least a little bit of texture but without realizing it leaned towards the version of her which was originally Princess Miaoshan.

Cernunnos (Horned God)

Religion: Celtic

Watercolors, white acrylic and gold calligraphy paint on paper (4x6 inches)

This time around I decided to go with something for the Horned Forest God, Cernunnos, of Celtic belief. I wanted to balance out the previous, rather feminine pieces I had been doing with something a bit masculine. Incorporating one of the better known metal reliefs of Cerunnos with an elk, I was aiming to have a feel of natural with some mystic tones.