The Empress

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The High Priestess

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But to one who yearns toward that light

Behold – the scroll of splendors nigh,

Embraced within the soft arm of Night

There lay the keys upon her thigh.

The stars belong to her, and wisdom

Sought after in ages countless…

Those who walked her widow’s web hidden

Found that her lair ‘twas spun endless…

Beware!  Tread light thy step toward Her

Who’s very name must not be spoken

Lest thou falter with thy foot so sure

Trapped in the web, thou art broken.

Love is the only way to ease the pain

Of separation from the comely virgin

To hold the treasure of the spirit’s gain

The serpent’s gift, the light load a burden.

Support Art not Con-Artists!

I have always been one of those people who believes that knowledge and education can free us and expand our minds outside of the box of our limited perceptions. I do believe in sharing and that knowledge is also the gateway to empathy.  To know, is hopefully to be able to see another perspective, another culture, another viewpoint and hopefully it can bring us all into the greater well of human compassion for our condition, and the condition of the planet and Her species.   As such, I have been against restrictions of information across the internet, I believe in transparency in all levels of government and corporate business and support actions against SOPA’s far reaching and restrictive regulations.  Honestly, I can’t imagine a world without google or wikipedia and I tend to be an information junkie.

I also like to share my artwork with people and my poetry.  I enjoy it when someone likes one of my paintings enough that they want to post it on their website.  I expect to be credited for the artwork.  I also expect that they will provide a link back to my site.  That to me, is common courtesy at the very least and moreso, is respect for my personal copyright of my artwork and poetry.

However, for myself, I draw the line at piracy and outright plagerism!

Recently a friend notified me that Adam McLean is no longer producing his limited edition decks.  Why?  Because some ignorant twits out there apparently thought it would be a good idea to reproduce his Limited Edition Collector Decks in high resolution files and put them up on the web for free.

Here is what Adam had to announce on his website:

“Due to a number of people scanning my tarot decks at high resolution and distributing these on the internet I have had to cease producing any new tarots. It is impossible for me to invest my capital, time and enthusiasm in publishing tarot decks if the sales are decimated by people making printable copies available on the internet, on file sharing sites and torrent files. These parasites and criminals are directly responsible for my giving up publishing tarots. They are disgraceful people who don’t care about the consequences of their actions. Well, they are responsible for bringing my tarot publishing project to a close, but I don’t expect them to care one jot.“

So these ignorant twits are responsible for putting a self-employed author, producer and artist out of business.  Not only that, they have affected the tarot artists who sought to sell their work through Adam McLean.  They have also affected the collectors of the decks, some of whom have purchased them not only for their beauty but, as an investment.

So, what is an artist to do?

I could stop sharing images from the deck.  But what is an artist who doesn’t share their work?  That just doesn’t fit.  😦  Though, I’m angry enough that I just might not ever post tarot images up on this blog that haven’t already been posted elsewhere!

And that’s sad.  Why?  Because I feel that some of my best artwork from the deck has never been seen and that’s a crime.

I am so upset.

If people stopped supporting piracy, then the pirates would be out of business and not the artists and producers who have spent hours and hours of labour and love into their work.

Just stop downloading it.  Stop supporting it.  Stop and think who you effect when you do it.

Support artists not con-artists.

The Magician

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Silent is the First of Firsts Thunder

Of which no mortal blood may know.

Yet for those enchanted—a Wonder

A Balefire secret — yet aglow.

The Mage in the adytum of Night

Incense coiled ‘bout the Ancient Robe

Mute his deeds, yet to the Source Light-

The Serpent sacrifice as of old.

A trick of the eye and a Juggler

Appears tossing sphered patterns fine,

Beguiling the transfixed Beholder

Speaking in wordless silent rhyme.

Magician, mountbank, prophet, and fool

Trickster at the supper table

With knife and cup, dish and wand thy tools

To fashion truths veiled in fable.

Master of Elements Manifold

Opens he the way nocturnal

Through death and desire’s spell untold,

Heavens barr and hell infernal.

Through this temple to the Secret Shrine

Where dwells the Mystery of thy Work

Within whose light firedrakes dance divine

And in the Darkness, Phantoms Lurk.

The fay-spell untold beyond the Gate

Of revolving Seasons and signs

Conjured by magic’s innermost fate

Beyond the realms and bounds of time.

There the Starfire Tempests, Lightnings Quake

And Azoth Splendor, Flashing Free

Shall strike deep unto the earthen brake

Releasing thee and setting free.

Howl the hound who guards the pathway

The Magi’s friend, the Warlocks foe

To one a guide past formless Veils grey

To one in Tartarus shadows go.

The Fool – Arto Tarot

For the show tonight, I have included my image of The Fool from the Arto Tarot.  Since I will be framing all my images for a future show, I thought it would be appropriate to begin with the beginning.  I also like to show how an idea formed initially in pencil changes in the creative process.  A careful eye will note quite a few differences between pencil to painting.

The Fool

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Farewell Arto Tarot

The tarot can be described as a pictographic storybook, each image is a microcosmic chapter of a moment in the soul’s journey.  Not the end of tale, but a process.  Many artists have described the uncanny synchronicity that is awakened when the process of painting a deck is begun.  The universe itself appears to support the effort, laying Her hand in the experiences that assist in shaping the cards to form.  Truly, my own process was thunderstruck with this immense global union of the alchemy of art and magic.  I myself was transformed along with the cards and with each struggle to define the essence of a moment that is impossible to communicate except by art.

But in the course of my own transformation, there was also another kind of growth.  Like a phoenix, I died and was reborn in the process.  New ideas and interests formed.  Loss, gain, loss, gain, the turn of Fortuna’s Wheel and always the parade of characters on the dance towards The Inevitable.

For me, the process has completed itself and there is no turning back.  The cards appear lack lustered, child-like, shallow, and an infantile expression of something that is unexpressable.  My interest in the Minor Arcana wanes more and more with time.  I’ve started other projects, new loves, and greater dreams.

Therefore, I’m writing to say farewell to the Arto Tarot.  I will not deceive myself or others into thinking that it will one day be a whole deck.  It is complete as it is, no more and no less.  Each card marks a moment of my intimate  Fool’s stumbles from there to here.

The limited edition tarot deck as it was published by Adam McLean is exactly as is.  Sold out and there will not be a reprint in the future.  That would be unfair to those who purchased the deck at the time, and those people who are holding them dearly close to their hearts.

I will have an art show of the cards and I may sell some of the original paintings.  In all honesty, quite a few are already spoken for so in lieu of originals I will produce a limited number of signed prints.  I have also considered that I might sell or auction the pencil drawings at some point.

Until then, may the Muse inspire you in your own dreams and desires.

Coming Soon…

Art for the Penis Project that is happening one night only on March 3oth

This watercolour painting is inspired from a tri-phallic, flying fertility charm of the early pagan Greco-Roman period.  Many similar charms were either worn as an amulet or hung near doorways to invite its positive influence in the home.  Often dedicated to the well endowed God, Priapus, such magically delicious charms are to celebrate sexuality, fertility, fecundancy and the universal creative power and protect the individual from the serile powers of evil.

Flying Magic Phallus

Watercolour 4×4 inches and framed

$100

The Art of Tarot

The Hermit’s Lamp is hosting another tarot show and I’m looking forward to attending with a bunch of really great artists.

The Art of Tarot Show

I have to say that there was some beautiful tarot inspired art last night.  I hope that someone took pictures of the show because I would love to share some of the great artwork that’s out there.  Some of my personal favorites were:

Xris Kukiel’s interpretation of The Tower – clearly inspired by the Thoth Tarot.  Love his vibrant use of colour.

Andrew McGregor’s rendition of the Magician (renamed but can’t remember what?) – Small, intricate and intuitive with a dash of Alex Grey.

Michael Mackid’s stained glass rendition of The Hermit.  Truly, an exquisite piece to magnify light.

Monica Bodirsky’s printed, kitch 40’s linens were sexy-pro-femm.  Hope to see an entire deck.

There were other great pieces as well, the Tarot Quilt, The Lovers, a stunning Death woodblock print, a sculpture of the King of Wands, a Fool, Lovers and more…. I just can’t remember the names of all the artists to credit them.  😦

This show impressed upon me again that the power of the Tarot images still resonate today.  They never get stale and every artist has a unique perspective of those powerful archetypal images.

I might even feel a little inspired.

A Framing Masterpiece!

I have to thank  Steve at McMaster Gallery and Custom Framing for the time consuming project of matting each and every card of the Arto Tarot and placing them in an exquisite frame.  Not only did he capture the cards beautifully, he made a special insert for the box and the two extra cards (signature & back) hidden in the back of the frame.

I’m not a photographer but here is what it looks like.

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Front and back.