FROM OUR WORKSHOP: Everyone has the right to be happy ...

Everyone has the right to be happy …

© September 29, 2009 by Elizabeth Faber

EMERGING ART: This is what's up next ...

... let's see where it takes us.

And a close up of detail...

Untitled © September 28, 2009 by Donna L. Faber. All rights reserved.

FROM OUR WORKSHOP: The Queen of Pentacles

Click on the picture to get a closer look.

The Queen of Pentacles © September 22, 2009 (Fall Equinox) by Donna L. Faber, is the first in a tarot card series (that I may or may not finish). It is done on Strathmore Bristol 300 Series Vellum with Staedler pigment liner pens, Prismacolor premiere markers, and good old fashioned Crayola Pip-Squeaks. She’s been cut out, assembled from three separate pieces, and will be mounted for framing.

This was a very inspired piece that came quickly and precisely through my pen, as though she was eager to emerge, as though she had something to prove. Perhaps she does.

The Queen of Pentacles is one of four minor arcana queens in a typical 72 card tarot desk used for divination. Each of the Queens has certain characteristics indicative of the suit they’re in. They can be, and often are, symbolic of a specific person when they appear in a reading. I’ve gotten in the habit of providing a narrative for new works of art, as each come from a personal place of intense inspiration. I’ll do the same for this piece. You’ll note that in ways this narrative may differ from the standard Queen of Pentacles description.

Who is the Queen of Pentacles?
The Queen of Pentacles is a mature woman who is pragmatic and appreciates the value of hard work. She may not be the Queen of a kingdom, but she is certainly the Queen of her family. She demonstrates a practical awareness that empowers her and others; shares her gifts abundantly, but uses discernment and savvy in their distribution. She has a keen, logical mind, goes about her work quietly, but in the stillness of her thoughts can solve the most confusing dilemmas. She always seeks a solution. Her meditation is found in the garden with her hands in the dirt surrounded by blooming flowers, butterflies, hummingbirds, and busy bees. These sacred messengers are all part of nature’s bounty, synonymous with her bounty, all of which she is in tune with quite naturally. She also embodies the attributes of earth, and like earth, cannot and will not be moved unless she wills it. The Queen of Pentacles expresses her love through hard work and provision, and wants to share everything she has with her children, whom she loves very much. She has an appreciation for the finer things in life, but it is because she’s earned them, not because they were handed to her. She has purposefully instilled that value in her daughters.

Her smile is genuine, and when she willingly and genuinely bestows it upon you, or throws her head back in laughter, she is radiant. Like the light of a hundred suns, the Queen’s beauty emanates from deep within. This renders her quite breathtaking, although she is not what is typically considered beautiful. Beneath the softness and pliancy of mature skin are muscles and bones made of steel, hard and durable, forged from years of hard work, good food, and physical fitness. This strength and endurance serve her well now. As the world changes and economic times are increasingly tenuous, she knows she can count on her physical strength to carry her through. This is her quiet pride. She is not vain, but she is proud.

The Evolved Queen of Pentacles
The Queen of Pentacles has experienced dark nights of the spirit. She has stared the Dark Mother in the eyes; at times in terror, and in other times, acceptance. Her eyes, in fact, have seen great sorrow, but still retain their luster. Her personal pain is reformed but not forgotten, symbolized by a single dark tear on her cheek. She no longer punishes herself for short comings, and what was once anxiety no longer holds sway over the health of her emotional body. A radiating spiral on the other cheek acknowledges the magic inherent within her, the natural force she was once uncomfortable with, but now embraces. In the wisdom of maturity, this Queen forgave herself the sins heaped upon her (by herself and others) in order to claim her worthiness and happiness. She did not stop to ask anyone’s permission but her own.

This queen acknowledges and accepts all aspects of herself (although some aspects remain very private), leading to increasing realization of the multi-faceted Goddess within.

********************

She is your mother, grandmother, aunt, sister or friend.

Perhaps she is simply a special acquaintance.

In her practical, well groomed and well tailored way, she is a force to be reckoned with.

She is also a very inspired piece of art.

She is the Queen of Pentacles.

The muse dances and I must create.

Lei ha ispirato questo pezzo. Sono molto lieto che abbiamo incontrato. La ringrazio per la continua a ispirare me in tanti modi.

So much love,
D~

FROM OUR WORKSHOP: Kali Ma

Click on the image to get a closer look.

Kali Ma © September 19, 2009 by Donna L. Faber (all rights reserved) is part of my series on divinity. It is done on Strathmore Bristol 300 Series Vellum with Staedler pigment liner pens, Prismacolor premiere markers, and good old fashioned Crayola Pip-Squeaks borrowed from my daughter. She’s been cut out and will be mounted on a colorful background and then framed.

This piece has been waiting to emerge since before we moved out of our rental.

Kali, also known as Kalika, is a Hindu goddess associated with eternal energy. Despite Her fierce appearance and the symbolic imagery provoked by the items She holds and surrounds Herself with (each of which has a specific meaning), Kali is considered a benevolent Mother Goddess whose greatest wish is to see her children freed from their delusions (the way we lie to ourselves). The manners in which She frees us be may the cause of some debate, as Her methods are often intense and shocking; it is Kali Ma’s blood red-rimmed eyes we see piercing the all-consuming blackness of our darkest hours. She can be perceived as terrifying or loving, which depends on our understanding of Her role in our lives. When we experience spiritual or emotional blockage and Durga, Saraswati, Shiva and Lord Krishna turn their backs on us, it is Kali who steps up to plate. In Her inimitable way, She blasts the blockage right out of our systems.

And yes, sometimes it is quite uncomfortable.

Remember, the Goddess takes many forms so that Her children may find one they can relate to.

The last few months have been crazy for my family and I. We’ve dealt with various bits of economic and real estate uncertainty, including merger related weirdness at work that had me spinning more than I thought. I finally feel like I’m settling down, feeling at home in the new place, and less threatened at work. Doing this piece was like a meditation to me, helping me get centered to better understand my priorities and where my focus should be. Kali Ma helped clear my emotional clutter.

È lo scopo del Kali nella nostra vita.

Don’t let Kali Ma scare you.

I hope you enjoy this piece.

Love,
D~

EMERGING ART: Kali Ma Almost Done!

It's almost done.

I'm going to let this sit overnight and look at it with new eyes in the morning. Then, after details, she gets cut out and mounted on a different color, textured paper. This piece has been inspired. I've felt most driven to get it done ... quickly. And when working on it, my mind is quiet, serene, and very focussed.

EMERGING ART: Kali Ma Meditation

Kali's skin will eventually be blue, but I don't have the right colors here. It'll have to wait until tomorrow when I can get to the art store for some markers. I laughed realizing she looks like a witch doctor right now, but her hair will be very long and sticking out everywhere, not just on top. I've really enjoyed posting this in phases. I've never done this before, and it's been really fun.

EMERGING ART: A Little More Kali Ma

This piece has been like a meditation, keeping me in the now. When all the crazy pluto energy beckons me to the stratosphere, Kali Ma has me anchored firmly to the planet, in the hear and now, focused on family, home & hearth, and my art.

See an earlier iteration in the post below.

EMERGING ART: Kali Ma

I've had a portrait of Kali Ma trying to push it's way out of me since before we moved in the beginning of August. This weekend, swirling amidst all this crazy Pluto energy, She won't be denied. Here is a sneak piece ...