Sometimes when the wind blows sky-west-and-crooked, and the planets go all wonky in their orbits, I head off into the creative swamps in search of a different sort of beast... I play with a new medium, try a different approach ... which emerges as a piece of work that doesn't play quietly with my other pieces. This gallery loosely contains those aberrations which somehow defy categorization...
CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE.
CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE.
She's a FOOL
Collection of Anne Cowie, NC, USA
Approximately 10 x 13"
Mixed media, found objects, wire, metal, wood
I found the little Troll and built this piece around her as the 0 card of the Tarot -- The Fool -- the Holy Innocent, the Beginner, the Starting Point. The Fool is my Tarot card and it heavily influences my approach to art. Here the Fool must navigate Life's convoluted paths, walk the interstices between the realms, decipher meaning from the inscrutable, and deal with a bunch of other complications, hopefully while maintaining innocence.
Collection of Anne Cowie, NC, USA
Approximately 10 x 13"
Mixed media, found objects, wire, metal, wood
I found the little Troll and built this piece around her as the 0 card of the Tarot -- The Fool -- the Holy Innocent, the Beginner, the Starting Point. The Fool is my Tarot card and it heavily influences my approach to art. Here the Fool must navigate Life's convoluted paths, walk the interstices between the realms, decipher meaning from the inscrutable, and deal with a bunch of other complications, hopefully while maintaining innocence.
KEEPER OF THE SECRETS
Collection of the Artist
Approximately 12" seated on basket
Mixed media, polymer clay, wire armature, cloth, found objects
This guy lives in a crystal grotto in the high mountains of an obscure Himalayan range (when he's not in my living room.)
He knows it ALL. No really. Who's been naughty and who's been nice, the final digit of Pi, where to get the best seats at an Event Horizon, where Higgs Boson goes for a cappuccino, where to find the very best grade of Tardigrade, whether it's really okay to wear white after Labor Day, whatever REALLY happened to Baby Jane, Jimmy Hoffa and Virginia Dare, not to mention Dodo Birds and D.B. Cooper...
Collection of the Artist
Approximately 12" seated on basket
Mixed media, polymer clay, wire armature, cloth, found objects
This guy lives in a crystal grotto in the high mountains of an obscure Himalayan range (when he's not in my living room.)
He knows it ALL. No really. Who's been naughty and who's been nice, the final digit of Pi, where to get the best seats at an Event Horizon, where Higgs Boson goes for a cappuccino, where to find the very best grade of Tardigrade, whether it's really okay to wear white after Labor Day, whatever REALLY happened to Baby Jane, Jimmy Hoffa and Virginia Dare, not to mention Dodo Birds and D.B. Cooper...
![Another View and More About the KEEPER OF THE SECRETS
One of his personal secrets is that he has magenta Long Johns under his robe, but you can't see them in these photos. [They're made from the fingers of an old pair of winter gloves.] He even has little bells sewn all along the back hem of his robe -- you can hear them softly tinkling as he wanders through the Mists of Thyme, as he often does, along the Firth of Forth.](http://www.hopeswann.com/Art/Occasionally-I-wander-off-the/i-6wm6VQg/0/S/DSC03932-Keeper-Secrets-1-S.png "Another View and More About the KEEPER OF THE SECRETS
One of his personal secrets is that he has magenta Long Johns under his robe, but you can't see them in these photos. [They're made from the fingers of an old pair of winter gloves.] He even has little bells sewn all along the back hem of his robe -- you can hear them softly tinkling as he wanders through the Mists of Thyme, as he often does, along the Firth of Forth.")
Another View and More About the KEEPER OF THE SECRETS
One of his personal secrets is that he has magenta Long Johns under his robe, but you can't see them in these photos. [They're made from the fingers of an old pair of winter gloves.] He even has little bells sewn all along the back hem of his robe -- you can hear them softly tinkling as he wanders through the Mists of Thyme, as he often does, along the Firth of Forth.
One of his personal secrets is that he has magenta Long Johns under his robe, but you can't see them in these photos. [They're made from the fingers of an old pair of winter gloves.] He even has little bells sewn all along the back hem of his robe -- you can hear them softly tinkling as he wanders through the Mists of Thyme, as he often does, along the Firth of Forth.
![DETAIL: KEEPER OF THE SECRETS and Still More Biographical Information re same...
The Keeper has four digits on each hand and foot -- as is traditional for marionettes (although he is not one.) He also has a Hammer Toe on his left foot, as a result of wearing ill-fitting Roman sandals a few centuries back and an unfortunate encounter with a blast-ended screwt.
His beach reads this summer are the Voynich Manuscript [First Edition], Wormholes for Dummies and a Year 2877 Planetary Ephemeris. On his iPod? All seasons of "Sex and the City" and Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier.](http://www.hopeswann.com/Art/Occasionally-I-wander-off-the/i-NQX9dQP/0/S/DSC03935-Keeper-scrt-upclose-S.png "DETAIL: KEEPER OF THE SECRETS and Still More Biographical Information re same...
The Keeper has four digits on each hand and foot -- as is traditional for marionettes (although he is not one.) He also has a Hammer Toe on his left foot, as a result of wearing ill-fitting Roman sandals a few centuries back and an unfortunate encounter with a blast-ended screwt.
His beach reads this summer are the Voynich Manuscript [First Edition], Wormholes for Dummies and a Year 2877 Planetary Ephemeris. On his iPod? All seasons of \"Sex and the City\" and Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier.")
DETAIL: KEEPER OF THE SECRETS and Still More Biographical Information re same...
The Keeper has four digits on each hand and foot -- as is traditional for marionettes (although he is not one.) He also has a Hammer Toe on his left foot, as a result of wearing ill-fitting Roman sandals a few centuries back and an unfortunate encounter with a blast-ended screwt.
His beach reads this summer are the Voynich Manuscript [First Edition], Wormholes for Dummies and a Year 2877 Planetary Ephemeris. On his iPod? All seasons of "Sex and the City" and Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier.
The Keeper has four digits on each hand and foot -- as is traditional for marionettes (although he is not one.) He also has a Hammer Toe on his left foot, as a result of wearing ill-fitting Roman sandals a few centuries back and an unfortunate encounter with a blast-ended screwt.
His beach reads this summer are the Voynich Manuscript [First Edition], Wormholes for Dummies and a Year 2877 Planetary Ephemeris. On his iPod? All seasons of "Sex and the City" and Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier.
Yet another DETAIL of the: KEEPER OF THE SECRETS and other relevant factoids...
His chain has an Evil Eye bead from Constantinople and an academic key from the Women's College of the University of NC. (This would be the University of Non Compos Mentus.) He's a little elusive when asked about the latter, but apparently it has great sentimental meaning. It is possible this is not actually an academic key at all, but a Portkey to an Alternate Universe.
His other hand holds a scroll of original origin. It is written in a cipher that has mystified scholars for millenia. It is rumored to be a channeled score of arcane aetherphone music -- he has been known to dabble in heterodyning oscillators himself -- or the rough draft of Thunder, Perfect Mind, in the author's hand. Or both. When queried on the anachronistic implications therein, he avowed he rarely takes issue with perceived brouhaha along the Space/Time continuum. Verbum sap.
His chain has an Evil Eye bead from Constantinople and an academic key from the Women's College of the University of NC. (This would be the University of Non Compos Mentus.) He's a little elusive when asked about the latter, but apparently it has great sentimental meaning. It is possible this is not actually an academic key at all, but a Portkey to an Alternate Universe.
His other hand holds a scroll of original origin. It is written in a cipher that has mystified scholars for millenia. It is rumored to be a channeled score of arcane aetherphone music -- he has been known to dabble in heterodyning oscillators himself -- or the rough draft of Thunder, Perfect Mind, in the author's hand. Or both. When queried on the anachronistic implications therein, he avowed he rarely takes issue with perceived brouhaha along the Space/Time continuum. Verbum sap.
Moon Beyond Desire
Approximately 8 x 13"
Mixed media, found objects, metal
Collection of Edward Swift, Mexico.
This simple little (slightly akimbo) piece is about sweet sexual desire. Breasts and moons predominate the imagery.
Approximately 8 x 13"
Mixed media, found objects, metal
Collection of Edward Swift, Mexico.
This simple little (slightly akimbo) piece is about sweet sexual desire. Breasts and moons predominate the imagery.
Coyolxauhqui Re-membering Herself
Collection of the artist
Approximately 24X36" unframed
Mixed media, acrylic, milagros, beads, photocopies, bottlecaps, Mexican coins
This piece tells the story of the Aztec Moon Goddess whose brother dismembered her into 14 pieces. Here she dances herself back together again.
According to archaeologists, as many as 78 Aztec temples lie beneath Mexico City. They are covered by buildings, roads and plazas near the city's colonial center.Some buildings, including the one that houses the Finance Ministry, have small archaeological digs within them that expose Aztec ruins.
Only the Templo Mayor, or main temple, has been mostly excavated and restored. It was discovered by electrical workers who were digging for underground cables in 1978. They uncovered a nearly intact 12' circular stone disk depicting the moon goddess Coyolxauhqui.
I believe the energy of Coyolxauhqui is analogous to that of Kali, the Hindi Goddess of Destruction. In my mind, Coyolxauhqui follows an endless cycle of dismembering and remembering, dismantling and reconstructing that which no longer works into that which is functional and necessary.
Collection of the artist
Approximately 24X36" unframed
Mixed media, acrylic, milagros, beads, photocopies, bottlecaps, Mexican coins
This piece tells the story of the Aztec Moon Goddess whose brother dismembered her into 14 pieces. Here she dances herself back together again.
According to archaeologists, as many as 78 Aztec temples lie beneath Mexico City. They are covered by buildings, roads and plazas near the city's colonial center.Some buildings, including the one that houses the Finance Ministry, have small archaeological digs within them that expose Aztec ruins.
Only the Templo Mayor, or main temple, has been mostly excavated and restored. It was discovered by electrical workers who were digging for underground cables in 1978. They uncovered a nearly intact 12' circular stone disk depicting the moon goddess Coyolxauhqui.
I believe the energy of Coyolxauhqui is analogous to that of Kali, the Hindi Goddess of Destruction. In my mind, Coyolxauhqui follows an endless cycle of dismembering and remembering, dismantling and reconstructing that which no longer works into that which is functional and necessary.
Me. Late one night. Over-caffeinated. Waiting for the Muse to arrive. Suddenly, there's a knock at the door...
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