Orpheus Descends

If I were to come up with a metaphor that best describes my artistic process, I would refer you to the Greek legend of Orpheus. For those unfamiliar, the basic story goes that Orpheus was quite the musician – he was astute at the lute. It was said that his skills mesmerized all living and immortal things.

So ol’ Orphie is in love with a gal named Eurydice and all is going swimmingly. One day, their wedding day, trouble came a-knockin’. She danced through a meadow to celebrate the nuptials when a slithery black viper bit her, killing her instantly. This, of course, sent Orpheus into a tailspin. In grief and despair, he sang and played the tunes that move the gods. So moved, in fact, that the gates of the Underworld were opened so that he could retrieve her. The god of the afterlife, Hades, agreed to free her, but only if, upon their exit, they walked single file, Orpheus in front, and Orpheus could not look back. For a while, he obliged, but doubt and fear that Hades had deceived him plagued his mind. Sure enough, he turned around… and poof, she was gone. He returned home with a sad face.

Okay, so what does this have to do with my artistic process? For me, working in the studio is never easy. It is always an intimidating venture, no matter how many times I do it, no matter how seemingly simple the task. For me, it feels like I am descending into unknown and hostile territory. Like Orpheus, I feel as if I must charm the guardians of the underworld with my skills and then convince them to give me something precious. The precious thing, in my case, is something artistic, both unique and inspirational. After arduously convincing the Underworld inhabitants (the subconscious) to release my Eurydice, I must bring it back to the physical world. And like Orpheus, who had to navigate the underworld’s bureaucracy to retrieve his love, I often find myself tangled in a web of art supplies, trying to negotiate with my inner demons for a stroke of inspiration. It’s like a cosmic game of ‘Let’s Make a Deal,’ except instead of Monty Hall, it’s me and my muse trying to strike a bargain over a cup of coffee in the studio. As for the turning around… well… for my metaphor, I always equated this with the fact that no matter how many pieces of art I make, I am never content. I feel like I missed something. So I return again and again.

Baron Munchausen...Creative Thinker

Pop Quiz: Name the legendary character who did all of the following feats?:

  1. Riding a Cannonball to Safety…which he was able to steer because of his excellent horsemanship.

  2. Escaping Swamp…which seems like no great feat, unless you consider he did it by grabbing his own hair and pulling himself up.

  3. Reaching Into Fierce Wolf’s Mouth….and reaching its tail then pulling it inside out.

  4. Travelling to the Moon…by lassoing the point of the crescent and pulling himself up.

  5. Being Swallowed by a Sea Monster…and escaping by using his boat’s masts to prop open the beast’s mouth.

TIMES UP! PENCILS DOWN

The Answer: Baron von Munchausen.

And who is Baron Munchausen? I’m glad you asked. He is a fictional adventurer, but actually based on a real individual with a mouthful of a name… Karl Friedrich Hieronymus, Freiherr von Münchhausen (1720–1797). He was a German nobleman who served as a cavalry officer in the Russian military with a fondness for storytelling embellishing his own experiences with extravagant and fantastical details.

Later, a writer named Rudolf Erich Raspe embellished these tales to the nth degree and compiled a collection of stories known as "Baron Munchausen's Narrative of his Marvellous Travels and Campaigns in Russia.”

The Baron is the coolest, and to some degree, an idol. I guess you could say he has many of the traits I strive to have, many of which are crucial to being a successful artist. Obviously, he is a good problem solver, and of course, he is adept at thinking outside the box. Then there is his sense of playfulness and humor when it comes to solving those problems. And of course, he is a good storyteller…at least the "real" Baron was a good yarn spinner. Yes, it’s true I have been known to embellish for the sake of a good tale.

If you’ve never read the stories, you must….they are fun and ludicrous. And for those who are not readers, you can check out two films. Most recently is Terry Gilliam’s The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. This is a wondrous Hollywood film with a star-studded cast.

There is an earlier Czech version that is absolutely stunning and visually imaginative, by the director Karel Zeman. He didn’t have a big budget so he utilized some crazy techniques. There are a few documentaries about him out there and his other films are well worth checking out.

And if you’re ever in Prague…which I highly recommend…right next to the Charles Bridge is a small little museum that features a variety of props and replicas from Karel Zeman’s various film projects. As I said, it’s small, you can do it in about 30-45 minutes, but it’s a lot fun with various interactive gizmos.

So I was going to make this blog post a bit longer, but I have suddenly felt the need to climb up to the moon for teatime.

In the meantime you can check out a few of my found object assemblage interpretations of the Baron’s exploits.

The Baron Goes to the Moon

The Baron and the Large Fish

The Cyclops: Season Two of my Podcast Episode Resources:

Hey gang, after long last just started recording season 2 of my Podcast, Strange Tales of Myth and Magic. This episode I take a big peek at a creature that has been influencing my art since I was a wee lad…the Cyclops.

You can take a listen hear:

The Cyclops that started it all for me. From The 7th Voyage of Sinbad

Polyphemus

The most famous Cyclops of all time, Polyphemus. He was a lover too…at least wanted to be long before he started gobbling up sailors.

Kasa-Obake

Here’s a super bizarre creature from Japanese legend the parasol spirit called Kasa-obake. It's a warning to not throw things out if they are still usefull.

A Kasa Obake in the film 100 Monsters.

Magical Realism

Perhaps my favorite style of art is what is called “magical realism”. To definitively define this term is a bit difficult because there are various degrees of it many works of art, but in a nutshell it is usually a study of an everyday situation and characters but with a bit of magic inserted into the mix. Often, though, it is difficult to tell whether these occurrences are genuine events or if they are metaphoric. It is this blurring of “what is real” which makes this style so intriguing .

Literature

There are so many great reads when it comes to this topic. 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is talked about the most, but here are my two favs:

Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse

This story takes place in Germany in the 1920s. The main character is a curmudgeonly guy named Harry Haller who describes himself as feeling split in two…part man, part wolf…metaphorically speaking. He feels out of place in the world he lives. Part of him wants to be wild and free but the cultured side of him beats him down when he does. And when he tries to be “civilized” he is attacked by his inner wolf. Now this definitely fits the magical realism box, but as novel progresses stranger things begin to happen, such as a magic theater that appears and disappears, and a strange book Harry finds which seems to be written just for him. When I first read this book I was 18 and I, like Harry, felt like a fish out of water in the world. So, in a way, I was reading a story about a man who finds a book that seems to be written about him, and while I’m reading it I kept thinking that I had found a book that was written about me. Trippy.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

I read this book when I was in Oaxaca, Mexico, which is appropriate because I often think of that location as a place where magical thing could happen and you wouldn’t think twice about. The story takes place mostly on a lifeboat populated by a boy, a tiger and a few other animals that survived a wreck of a ship that was transporting zoo animals. Though it doesn’t sound like much of a story, it is a truly engrossing book cover to cover. Wonderous and heartbreaking. I should also mention the film is also wonderful. Not only a great story but filled with eye candy. I’d recommend reading the book first though…it’s sooo good.

Fine Art

In many ways I think many narrative paintings lean towards Magical Realism. The reason being that paintings/drawing are a single moment in time, and if they are trying to convey a story they often have to rely on symbolism.

“The Two Fridas” by Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo is perhaps my favorite Mexican artist and perhaps the poster child for this art form. Almost every piece of work that she created was a depiction of the painful world she struggled with both physically and psychologically. Her paintings are in many ways are more real because of the fantastical elements added. My favorite is “The Two Fridas”. This painting has been interpreted a number of ways, often referring to her dual heritage (her father was a German Jew and her mother was Mexican), in this case the Frida in white is the European self, which seems to be injured, while the Mexican Frida seems healthy. I tend to look at this works as an exploration of the physical pain she endured throughout her life as well as the emotional pain of her relationship with Diego Rivera.

Film

I have so many favorite films that could be included in this list but I decided to limit it to three:

Wings of Desire by Wim Wenders

What’s an angel living in West Berlin to do when day and and day out all he can do is watch and listen as the humanity feels and lives? This is the strange story of Damiel who wants to feel what it means to live, despite all the pain and suffering that mortals are prone to. One of the things that really adds to the Magical Realism is the periodic shift from black and white to color film, depending on the perspective…angels = b&w, human = color. Another great addition to this film is the inclusion of Peter Falk (you know, Columbo, Princess Bride) who plays himself…but apparently he was once an angel who took the plunge. Wunderbar.

Pan’s Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro

It’s a dark time for a little girl named Ofelia, as her mother marries a sadistic fascist general. It is a fantasy that takes place in two worlds, a realm of magical beings like fairies and Pan, but also the wartime realm of the Spanish Civil War. Ironically, though, despite all the fantastical monsters she faces, it is the “real world” that seems to house the most horrific creatures. I love this film for a number of reasons. Firstly it is filled with some of the most wondrous beings ever thought up, but I also love that it shows this child trapped between a world that only she can see and what we call reality.

Amelie by Jean Pierre Jeunet

This is my fav. It is a tale about a young and very quirky woman, Amelie, who sees the world in her own unique way. Unlike some of the other entries, this film doesn’t necessarily have anything mystical happening. No ghosts, or fairies, etc. Instead it is the surreal use of color by the filmmaker that transforms everyday Paris into something delicious to watch. The other amazing aspect of this film how Amelie’s view of the world transforms it from mundane into something sublime.


Honestly I’m not really certain if my work fits into this category or not. I suppose it could given that the “Magical Realism” covers a wide breadth of styles. I would say that perhaps I could sneak into the category because of my use of everyday items and turning them into something out of this world. A bit of a stretch…but I’ll go with it.

Behind the Mask

Masks have always fascinated me. Perhaps its the super heroes from my childhood, like Zorro and Batman, or perhaps it’s something deeper. Over the years I have participated in a number events where masks were integral to the event…ranging from Mardis Gras parades, to Halloween to Dia de los Muertos. Something happens when a person puts on a mask. There is a transformation. Perhaps a bit of psychology, or magic if you prefer, but I believe that masks open a doorway to another “you”. It allows the wearer to experience the world in a way that isn’t weighed down by the everydayness of the daily humdrum. Depending on the mask, someone can experience a world through another’s eyes. In other situations it can allow the wearer to experience a subconscious self; the part of a person that is always there but is often constrained by societal norms, prejudices, insecurities. Masks are ways of letting that hidden self free… for a bit…a way of playing without judgment.

Over the years I have created a number of masks…some wearable, some definitely not. In either case I see them as ways as exploring different worlds.

Non-wearable Masks

Weatherworn Bjorn - not wearable

Weatherworn Bjorn was created from an old wooden lantern and I decided to create a character that has weathered “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune”. I think I see him as representation of aging. Getting beaten down by time but refusing to surrender.

The Green Knight - not wearable

The Green Knight is base on the Arthurian legend about a strange warrior from the woods who challenges one of the Round Table Knights. He is the symbol of the chaos of the natural world…often feared and misunderstood by humanity.

 

Moon Monster - not wearable

Moon Monster is a sentimental reminder of a cyclopian creature I drew in the first grade. It was a cyclops that lived on the moon. My story ended tragically for the Moon Monster…he was zapped by the laser of visiting astronauts…in all fairness he did crush their space ship.

The Guardian - non-wearable

The Guardian was a mask created from Grandfather clock parts. It’s design was heavily influenced by a Balinese deity called Barong. He is leader of the spirits and often you would see maskso of him over doorways. When driving in Bali his statue would often be present on bridges as a way of protection.

 

Flyboy - not wearable

Flyboy is a mask of transformation. It was created with the concept that nothing ever ever stays the same. In this case, a toy plane is turned into a mask but it really is an exploration of the way time is the great transformer.

La Mancha - non wearable

La Mancha is based on Don Quixote, the legendary dreamer. I based this on some of the wooden Quixote masks I saw while visit Guanajuato Mexico during the Cervantes festival.

 

Aunt Nancy, the Spider Woman - not wearable

Aunt Nancy/ Ananse is a god whose legends originated in Africa and evolved in Caribbean islands. She/he is usually a spider but can shape shift. He/she leads humanity to wisdom, but usually in indirect not so obvious ways. You must work for enlightenment.

The Lycanthrope - not wearable

The Lycanthrope is based on old werewolf legends. I’ve always found the werewolf itself to be a mask in a way. The human is trapped in societal norms but the wolf allows the “cursed” to be free to embrace one’s animalistic nature.

 

Polyphemus - not wearable

Polyphemus was a cyclops in Greek lore. He is the abductor of Odysseus in the Odyssey and usually depicted asnot very handsome and rather brutish. I have created many cyclopes through the years…perhaps it an homage to that Moon Monster I created in first grade…or perhaps it is an homage to the Cyclopses from the Sinbad movies I consumed as a kid.

Temptation - not wearable

Temptation is mask based on the legends of shipwrecked sailors who think they find salvation in a floating island…only to realize the island is not island at all, but a hungry sea monster. This can be found the stories of Baron Munchausen, Pinocchio, and Sinbad. Sometimes things are too good to be true.

Wearable Masks

Mask of Protection - wearable but incredibly uncomfortable.

The Mask or Protection was created specifically for a found object themed workshop. In all honesty it was rather difficult to feel any psychological transformation take place while wearing it…unless you consider pain a psychological transformation. It should be called the Iron Maiden mask.

Big Bad - wearable

Big Bad was a mask I created out of card stock. Very time consuming but a cool effect. It was made for a “Beautiful Beasts” parade that was part of my annual New Orleans retreat, where students dress up as characters that are related to the workshop theme.

 

El Diablo Mask (for Dia de los Muertos) - wearable

Mr. Doom - wearable

The Diablo mask was created for Day of the Dead in Mexico City. Since I go to Mexico (usually Oaxaca) every year for Dia de los Muertos I have made lots and lots of skeleton and devil masks.

Mr. Doom was also created for my New Orleans retreat. This time, the class was creating side show shrines, so we had a procession of strange side show performers.

Baba Yaga - A Strange Woman Who Lives in a Strange Hut

So if you’re from Russia or Slavic lands you might know of Baba Yaga. She is the topic of numerous fairy tales in this region. She’s a crone who is known for here cannibalistic tendencies, but interesting enough she is not always the villain of the stories. Mostly she is ambiguous…sometimes you go in her pot other times your enemies go in her pot. It is said she flies around in a mortar using a pestle as rudder.

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But perhaps the most interesting aspect is where she lives…a hut that stands on one or two chicken legs. This gives her the ability to pick up an move if she needs to. Pretty handy.

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Now I’ve made my own version over the years…

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Though I always liked the idea of it being able to fly as well…so flappy wings.

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So in honor of this steel toothed hag I have two goodies for you:

Goody Number One:

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My PodCast -Strange Tales of Myth and Magic

Episode 1 Baba Yaga - the Crone in the Woods

I’ll be doing Podcasts about myths and legends and how they affect me artistically. The very first episode was just released (#2 coming in a week or two), and it is all about the strange stories of Baba Yaga. You can take a listen on ITunes, Spotify as well as here:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/887464

Goody Number Two:

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Baba Yaga BirdHouse Online Class

Starting April Fools Day my next Online Workshop starts up. In this class we will be making a standing flappy winged Baba Yaga Hut. Sign up before Feb 28 to get Early Bird Discount.

All artistic levels welcome!

Learn more here


Thats it for this time. If you see a house wandering the woods…you might consider heading the opposite way.



the Mishmashers - a New Pantheon

As many of you know my work enormously influenced by the various mythologies of the world. So I thought it might be interesting to create my own pantheon...from somewhere in the future.  

Their roles and attributes can be found in the section immediately following the gallery.  

This coming October these little deities will be going on sale so stay tuned for more info on that.

The Mishmasher Pantheon:

·       Esayel – The Air Thief.  She is a goddess of all that moved or transported by wind and air.  She is often considered a terrible and wrathful deity bringing debris and destruction in the way of tornados, typhoons and hurricanes.  She is also the goddess symbolizing swift and decisive irrevocable action. 

·       Bib – The Pollinator.   He is god of new growth buy also from far places.  He is responsible the spread of seeds, spores and life-giving materials, but in his darker aspect he can also spread airborne diseases.  He is also the god of passion and love but his influence can also lead to infidelity.

·       Bunder – The Preserver.  He is the guardian of that which has existed before. He preserves and stores the remains from previous eras.  He symbolizes the idea that the future must never forget the past no matter how remote.  His negative aspect is nostalgia and clinging onto the past while sacrificing the present.

·       Fatom – The Sea Changer.  She is the goddess of transformation in particular transformation that is dramatic yet gradual like that which takes place beneath the waves.  She is protector of new life form that grow from things taken by the sea and guards the sea life that grows from the remains of shipwrecks.  She is a nurturing goddess who warns against stagnation in favor of adaptability and growth.

·       Hanek – The Revealer. He is the god of lost treasures and lost knowledge.  He and Bunder are inseparable.  Hanek finds…Bunder preserves.  Hanek is the god of adventure and exploration.

 

·       Mol – The Hoarder.  He is an earth god who controls all things beneath the earth’s crust.  He greedily tries to cover all things in dirt and sand and soil and bring them into his realm.  He is the arch nemesis to Hanek and Bunder.  Mol is often associated with death and precious metals.

·       Terres – The Untamed.  She is the goddess of the plant kingdom.  In particular she assists in the growth of vegetation in areas previously barren, polluted and/or infertile.   She is the love goddess but unlike Bib, she represents empathetic enduring love.

·       Yollo – The Hidden.  He is god of trickery and disguise.  He is the keeper of secrets.  He is often associated with epiphany associated with artistic thought.  Though he works closely with the Hoarder, Mol, Yollo often steals from him to offer gifts to the world.  He also has a tentative alliance with Bunder and Hanek.

·       Quanari – The Problem Solver.  She is the goddess associated with innovation and intellectual thought.  She perpetuates the idea that all problems have a solution and no task is unsolvable.  She is the goddess of the arts.  However, she is also associated with defiant stubbornness.

·       Zhinka- The Dancer.  She is the goddess of rhythm and dance.  She governs the harmonies and cycles of the universe, such as the change of seasons, the rotation of the planets, circadian rhythms, and the cycles of life and death.  She is both a life goddess and a bringer of destruction, but she is also responsible for rebirth.

·       Ghot – The Builder.  Ghot is the god of planning and construction.  He is a builder and a creator of societies and things necessary for the endurance of a civilization.  His negative aspect is that he can be unwavering and resistant to new ideas especially when they are not his ideas.

·       Mayam – The Embracer.  She is the god of water.  Mayam oversees over the vast array of species beneath the waves but she also governs over the adaptability yet indisputable power of the sea.  She is often associated with strength through calmness and empathy.

·       Otremia – The Destiny Keeper.  She is the goddess of death.  Her many eyes watch carefully over all things to make sure that nothing stays exists longer than it is supposed to.  She keeps a dense library of all things and when their physical form must end.    After an entities physical form is destroyed, she guards over the sentient aspect of the all lifeforms until it is there time to be reborn.  She works closely with her lover Azopol.

·       Azopol – The Destroyer.  Azopal is god of death but differs from his lover.  He is the physical ender of everything.  When Otremia’s book requires the end of some existence, it is Azopal who is charged with the destruction of that being’s physical form.  He is then charged with transporting the sentient remains (the soul) to Otremia for safe keeping.  He is a symbol for the impermanence of all things.

·       Boopom – The Devourer.  Boopom is the god of fire.  His big mouth devours all things, especially those things that are dear to the goddess Terres.  He is a dancer, but unlike Zhinka, his dances are unpredictable and follow much more complex rhythms.  He engages in a fiery dance as he consumes, and the more he devours the more erratic and uncontrollable the dance.  If not for the necessary intervention of the water goddess Mayam, Boopom would devour until the end of all things.  It is believed he will bring the end of the world.

·       Magish The Healer.  Magish is the he god of medicine.  He holds the secrets of healing hidden in the natural world.  His work often finds him at odds with the darker aspect of Bib who is known to spread disease.