GIFTS

Juncos

are Mother Nature's gifts

 

 

which are so much more preferable

than gifts from Santa Claus

MERRY CHRISTMAS - HAUSKAA JOULUA

Peace and joy

to you

during this Christmas season

May your blessings

be plentiful

FAERY FRIDAY - SNOW QUEEN

"No power that I could give her could be as great as that which she already has. Don't you see how men and beasts are compelled to serve her and how far she has come in the wide world since she started out in her naked feet. Strength lies in her heart."

The Shaman Finn Woman from The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson

The Snow Queen is a Dark Enchantress

 

She lives in the Northernmost corner of the world

in the land of ice and snow.

In the land of the Elders.

The Snowy Owl is her constant companion.

The Snow Queen appears when we need change.

She is both beautiful and frightening.

The Snow Queen holds up her mirror or crystal

and reflects who you really are

or what you may not wish to see.

She cuts through the veil of illusions,

the illusions that keep you frozen.

The Snow Queen imparts wisdom

and reveals the truth to those

who dare to gaze deeply.

If you are ready for truth

and ready for change

The Snow Queen will lead you

through the darkest, coldest and harshest night

towards a thousand stars dancing,

lighting up the sky.

 

Della and I wish you all the warmest and most joyful of Christmases as well as all the best for the New Year 2010. Faery Friday will be taking a hiatus next Friday, December 25th and the following Friday, January 1st. We will return with added vigour on January 8, 2010! The Faeries can't wait to see you then!

Faery Friday  is a collaboration between my sister, Della Maki Bitove and myself. I went to Ireland last summer to photograph the faeries Della creates out of Nature's gifts and found items. She conjures up her magical creations by utilizing such materials as mushrooms, leaves, acorns, her horse Zoe's mane, to name a few. We all know how elusive faeries can be, so Della writes to tell us about their essence, what went into their making or the lesson each faery teaches us. Hope you enjoy our project!

The Wonders of Winter

It has been bitterly cold here in Thunder Bay.

But still Mother Nature shows her beauty.

 

 

 

 

So many blessings!!

I am awaiting the return of the pine siskins

and the redpolls from the north

so I'm posting these images

from last year

hoping to hasten their return

 

FAERY FRIDAY - THE WEE WIZARD

I AM DRIVEN BY MY LONGING

BY A MIGHTY INWARD URGING

I AM READY NOW FOR SINGING

READY TO BEGIN THE CHANTING

OF OUR NATION'S ANCIENT FOLK-SONG

HANDED DOWN FROM BY-GONE AGES

IN MY MOUTH THE WORDS ARE MELTING

AND THE WORDS ARE GENTLY FALLING

QUICKLY AS MY TONGUE CAN SHAPE THEM

AND BETWEEN MY TEETH EMERGING

                                                                   OPENING RUNE FROM THE KALEVALA

THE KALEVALA IS THE BELOVED NATIONAL EPIC POEM OF FINLAND. IT IS COMPRISED OF 50 LONG MYTHIC RUNES THAT ARE SUNG NOT SPOKEN. THE KALEVALA DATES PRE-HISTORY AND WAS PASSED DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION VIA THE ORAL TRADITION.

 VAINAMOINEN, THE KALEVALA'S WISE OLD WIZARD, CAN ENTRANCE ANY LIVING CREATURE THROUGH HIS POETIC SINGING AND THE HYPNOTIC PLAYING OF HIS KANTELE. HE MADE HIS MAGICAL KANTELE FROM THE JAW OF A PIKE AND FOR THE STRINGS HE USED THE HAIR OF A MAIDEN.

ALTHOUGH HE IS AN EXCELLENT SWORDSMAN, VAINAMOINEN'S WEAPON OF CHOICE IS THE POWER OF WORDS AND SONG.

THE WEE WIZARD BEGAN FROM A ROOT THAT I LIFTED FROM MY GARDEN SOIL IN IRELAND.  HE WAS ALREADY A FAERIE OR WIZARD COMPLETE WITH ANTLER-LIKE HEADGEAR!

 

THE ROOT EVEN HAD ARMS WHICH BEGGED TO HOLD A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. ALL I NEEDED TO DO WAS TO MAKE HIM A FACE. NO PROBLEM, I THOUGHT AS I RUSHED ROOT IN HAND TO MY ARTIST'S STUDIO TO COMPLETE HIM. THE FACES OF MY CREATIONS ARE MADE FROM CLAY OR FROM MY HANDCRAFTED PAPER AND THEN MOULDED INTO SHAPE. TO START, I  FIND AN IMAGE OF A FACE THAT SPEAKS TO ME. I PUT A TRANSFER PASTE ONTO THE IMAGE, BAKE IT AND THEN SOAK IT IN WATER. THE TRANSFERRED IMAGE THEN BECOMES PLIABLE ENOUGH TO STRETCH AND GLUE ONTO THE CLAY HEAD. AFTER I PAINT IT AND ADD FINISHING TOUCHES.

I MUST HAVE DONE AT LEAST 20 IMAGES FOR THE WEE WIZARD AND NOTHING WAS RIGHT!!!!  MY IMPATIENCE GOT THE BETTER OF ME AND I SHOUTED ALOUD, "WELL, JUST WHAT KIND OF FACE ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO HAVE?!!!!!!"  JUST THEN A PHOTOCOPY OF MY ISA'S OR FATHER'S FACE FELL OFF MY CORK INSPIRATION BOARD, THUMBTACK AND ALL! THE FAERIES WORK IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS!

SO, OF COURSE, MY ISA/FATHER TURNED OUT TO BE THE TRUE INSPIRATION FOR THE WEE WIZARD. IT WAS NOT UNTIL AFTER HIS DEATH THAT I DISCOVERED THE RICH ORAL LEGACY LEFT BY MY ANCESTORS.

THE ANCIENT ONES WERE WELL VERSED IN THE POWER OF MAGIC, SONG AND WORDS. WORDS COULD BE USED TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT DEEDS AS WELL AS INFLICTING GREAT HARM. MY FATHER WAS A QUIET MAN BUT WHEN HE SPOKE, HE NEVER SPOKE UNKINDLY OF ANY PERSON OR OF ANY LIVING CREATURE FOR THAT MATTER.

THE WEE WIZARD REMINDS US TO THINK BEFORE WE SPEAK. THE WORDS WE CHOOSE TO SPEAK ARE POWERFUL AND HAVE LASTING EFFECTS. WILL OUR WORDS HARM OR WILL THEY HEAL? JUST FOR TODAY, CHOOSE YOUR WORDS WITH CARE.

Faery Friday  is a collaboration between my sister, Della Maki Bitove and myself. I went to Ireland last summer to photograph the faeries Della creates out of Nature's gifts and found items. She conjures up her magical creations by utilizing such materials as mushrooms, leaves, acorns, her horse Zoe's mane, to name a few. We all know how elusive faeries can be, so Della writes to tell us about their essence, what went into their making or the lesson each faery teaches us. Hope you enjoy our project!

Lovey Dovey

Pigeons have taken over our bird feeder.

The nuthatches, chickadees and sparrows

still visit but it is mostly

the pigeon that enjoys our birdseed

At first, I was so upset because I do love songbirds

and I put out the food for them

And I still chase off the pigeons some days

but they are funny characters too!

Did you know that pigeons are also called Rock Doves?

 

And that doves stand for peace,

something our world is in more need of

The one thing I have noticed about rock doves

is that they are always in a flock

They are seldom on their own

They believe in the power of many

not just the individual

Rock Doves have a homing instinct

which enables them to always

find their home

 

I still miss the songbirds

but the more I study pigeons

through my viewfinder

the more lessons

I learn

FAERY FRIDAY - THE CAT AND THE FIDDLE

Hey diddle diddle

The Cat and the Fiddle

 

The Cat danced under the moon

 

 

The Mouse came along

and joined her in song

 

 

And they danced

as the Cat played her tune!

Faery Friday  is a collaboration between my sister, Della Maki Bitove and myself. I went to Ireland last summer to photograph the faeries Della creates out of Nature's gifts and found items. She conjures up her magical creations by utilizing such materials as mushrooms, leaves, acorns, her horse Zoe's mane, to name a few. We all know how elusive faeries can be, so Della writes to tell us about their essence, what went into their making or the lesson each faery teaches us. Hope you enjoy our project!

Art Zoom 2009 - Saturday, December 5, 2009

Downtown Port Arthur is getting into the festive spirit this Saturday evening, December 5th! It's the 3rd annual Art Zoom event! Businesses in the downtown Port Arthur core will be hosting artists, authors, musicians and pottery makers from 5 to 9 pm. I will be exhibiting my work at Creation Body Piercing located at 240 Red River Road. There will also be a magician and horse-drawn wagon rides to add to the excitement!  Definitely Superior Art Gallery will be hosting a Gala Opening Reception starting at 7 pm for the opening of 2 new exhibitions as well as Connections, the Regional Juried Exhibition. The Digital Playground Exhibition features new artwork by Carol Cooper and Duncan Weller. Kathleen Baleja will exhibiting new sculptural works and will be giving a live performance at 7-7:30 pm at the Gallery.

Please come downtown and join the festivities! Come and visit me!

Check out the Art Zoom website!