Into the woods, and the mysterious new year. This is a detail from a sketch for the Russian folktale, "Vasilisa the Beautiful." Vasilisa goes into the wood, to fetch a light from Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga is the famous witch who lives in a hut on chicken legs. This is an image I must pursue...
Working to get better bear pictures... Meantime, this is from the tale "East of the Sun, West of the Moon," the Maiden and the Bear, in air-dry clays, Aves Apoxie Sculpt, kozo paper, mohair.
Time for feasting and festivity. At this particular moment, however, I identify with Baba Yaga: living deep in the (mental) woods, with a few choice pets, having the occasional guest for dinner (main course).
"We put the thought of all that we love into all that we make."
~ J.R.R. Tolkein
The Fellowship of the Ring
Shortly my old web address (Forestrogers.com) will take everybody here, instead of to my ancient and decrepit website. I’ll update that at leisure (lots of minute scraps of leisure strung together). Meantime, this is the my place to be! The Mouse above hopes you’ll join us in our travels and adventures...
I’ve loaded an eclectic bunch of images into a photo album at left, under “Study in Hope and Clay.” They’re part of a project that must remain mysterious for the moment. This one, Orpheus, touches one of my favorite themes-- the journey to the underworld and back. Such tales have always felt familiar; we brave the internal abyss, in hope of bringing back some mystery otherwise never manifested. Love this poem:
If each day falls
inside each night,
there exists a well
where clarity is imprisoned.
We need to sit on the edge
of the well of darkness
and fish for fallen light
with patience.
~ Pablo Neruda
This Swan Maiden was inspired by the tale "The Fate of the Children of Lir." I was fortunate enough to travel to Ireland, and see some of the areas associated with this story (more on travels with Jungians when I have my brain polished up).
Words to lift sagging spirits (no foundation garment can accomplish so much) and remind us why we do what we do:
‘There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium, and (it) will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how it compares with other expression. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly-- to keep the channel open.”
~Martha Graham
Here we have a pair of beings sculpted in Kato Polyclay, and Aves Apoxie Sculpt.
Flidais (the more human of the two) would be about 8 inches tall, standing. She
holds a staff of gold-filled wire, copper foil and goldleaf, with bead berries.
And then there’s social media, of course: