Simply enchanting…

letting go of lovely bones

Ever since seeing the film The Lovely Bones several days ago a thought has been haunting me in a way that it had not while reading the book.  The journey of Susie Salmon into her existence between life and death after her murder  has moved me in a deep way. The first period of her coming to understand what it meant to no longer be a physical presence… to be physically present in this world and to her loved ones… to grieve her own death filled my soul with a melancholy beauty and longing.  Those moments in human consciousness when we are so utterly alone. She had companionship through this transition but it was she who had to fully realize that to transform into the one she would become and find peace for herself and her family, she had to let go of everything that had been; the beauty and the pain. There was an intensely beautiful moment when she was nearing the meeting place where those who had gone before her were gathering to welcome her “home.”  There was such love and gentle understanding but Susie could not yet let go. The look of pain on her companion’s face for she knew that there was nothing she could do to prevent Susie from prolonging her own pain. It had to blossom within her and until it did, she would return to that which she let imprison her. How difficult it is in life to walk that path with another. How difficult it is to know inside that to let go is to be free, to heal, to love fully; to know that the prison we keep ourselves in to suffer is of our own making and still not find the way to escape. This old melody from This Mortal Coil, which had meant a lot to me many years ago, filled the theatre during this scene and I wept deeply.

Letting go of those lovely bones even in the midst of life. Bones of our own history of beauty and pain give way to new life when we have grieved over their loss and let them go. In this virtual world, all can seem so unreal. The loneliness can be masked with the flurry of superficial activity. The seeming distance of this online reality can remove a sense of  responsibility from the pain that words can cause when the speaker, the writer does not see tears course down the face of one they have struck. How easy in this virtual place to materialize and disappear without having ever really existed. The wounds of the heart are invisible behind the virtual window.  Letting go and finding our way home is something that must be done alone. “Why do we get to do the one last thing all alone?”

ghosts in the gloaming

It was an ordinary sunset
burning waves of fading sunlight
into the memory of my night
I had not expected to find her
…here
of all places
but she materialized in letters
one by one
coalescing
like the notes
of a long forgotten melody
softly into verse

Song of the Wolves – for mother and daughter

May the sun bring you new energy every day.

May the moon softly restore you by night.

May the rain wash away your worries.

May the breeze blow new strength into your being.

May you walk gently through the world and know its beauty all the days of your life.

– Apache Blessing

These matching necklaces were commissioned by a dear friend for herself and her daughter.

Goldleafing a Dream

Goldleafing a Dream – by Phillip Wilcher – manuscript

Presentation

Goldleafing a Dream – Poem by Phillip Wilcher

initial sketch with first ink detailing

finished illumination

This is a project which was inspired by a musical composition entitled “Goldleafing a Dream” that Australian composer, Phillip Wilcher, wrote after viewing some of my illumination work. It has become a collaboration of music, text and imagery.

Please visit his website to learn more about his work and hear his exquisite compositions.

http://www.phillipwilcher.com/

Portrait of Anne of Brocéliande – by Richard Moult

Portrait of Anne of Brocéliande by Richard Moult

This portrait was done by an incredible artist and dear friend who inspires me and my work.

Please visit his sites to see his work and hear his music…

www.gazetree.com
www.myspace.com/richardmoult
richardmoult.wordpress.com

A new passion…

Lady Raven

As if fleet-winged time was not ephemeral enough… a new passion. A new small collection has been added to the headers to the right under Butterflyweaver : a collection of my ephemeral art. Most of the pieces are soldered glass with decorative papers or collages in between the panes. A small choker was made with bezel and resin. Do take a look and enjoy.

The Undine’s Lament

Odilon Redon- Underwater Vision

a song so low with voice so sweet
an ancient spell she sang alone
in hours dark her love to meet
and hoped his life would be her home

amidst the lonely breaking tides
the boat lay battered by the rocks
her whisper to his heart confides
a dream of silken jet-black locks

his face grown still, of life bereft
unknown the waters’ cold contempt
which moved her fingers, soft and deft,
his mortal coil away to tempt

in love her lonely soul sought rest
yet death returned it to her breast

original poem Miss A. Butterflyweaver

Wolves for Lady Anne by Richard Moult

Golden keys to doors invisible because “home” as a place of rest has gone to earth amidst the call of ravens and blackbirds. It seems odd disjointed my reality slightly parallel or perhaps perpendicular to the one that humanity seems bent on traveling. A soldier retreating from the endless battlefields to the safety of wolves clasping but letters worn through care to tattered edges for when he lays them out edge to edge, they reveal an ancient map which shows him the way back into the numinous darkness of the ancient groves nurtured by the dewdrops of countless tears.

This exquisite creation of word and melody comes, again, from the eloquent musings of my dear friend, Richard Moult. He honored me greatly with the dedication of this verse and it is my privilege to share it with you.

The music is the fourth movement from Richard’s sublime composition “Suite for Titouan.”

” ‘Suite for Titouan’ is a suite for solo piano which consists of five improvised movements.
This music might sound minimal in its approach, but in reality it’s full of shades and feelings, intimate but at the same time maintaining an austere and elegant approach. It’s a timeless music because it’s deeply emotional, and emotions go beyond time itself. Richard Moult, through his compositions, paintings, collaborations (David Tibet, United Bible Studies, Agitated Radio Pilot, Sol Invictus…) and personal works , travels on a path based on honesty, with that feeling which we hope will never abandon the human essence.”

It was recently recorded on the Dala Horse Label and can be acquired at: http://dalahorselabel.bigcartel.com/p…

www.gazetree.com
www.myspace.com/richardmoult
richardmoult.wordpress.com

Photographic musings are my own.

Strings attached…

Here is my very talented friend and excellent luthier, William Corral. He is spanning the strings on my new harp which he built for me this past winter. She is exquisite with fascinating wood grain. On the pillar there are wood grains which look like two people, one behind the other. Willi calls them my angels. There is a lot of movement within the grains. On one side, they appear to be waves and on the other, like flames. There are little impish faces overall. It is an enchanted thing and very elemental. It feels like satin to the touch. I never knew that wood could be sanded so finely. He set an ammonite in on the side of the pillar of dark cherry wood. We shall be spending a lot of time together, my Lady and I. She has a beautiful voice. I am grateful to Willi for sharing his incredible craftsmanship with me and for all his time spent in creating such an amazing instrument which I hope to bring to the work of Music Thanatology.