Inspiration- Music!

   Last night I saw Tegan & Sara and Paramore live at the White River State Park in Indianapolis. I have waited for over a year to be able to see T &S and I was much rewarded. I had a great time rockin' out and it made me think of all the music that inspires me and my creative process, so I thought I would share.

1. Bjork- I really love any music in another language, but her voice and her sound is so different and unique. Some songs are edgey, some are soothing and some are just darn right beautiful. She has an energy that allows me to clear my mind and focus only on being creative. Her music videos can be very inspiring from an artistic point of view too.

2. Emilie Simon- Again, I find French another beautiful language to listen to and her music is very earthy. In fact, I love listening to the movie, Amelie in the background for many of the same reasons. The cadence and rhythm of speech really get inside me without over-taking my brain. Her videos will also leave you a little breathless.

3. Tegan & Sara- This is a little edgier that my first two and in English, so it works well for painting. As a younger painter I used to love to listen to Ani Difranco, Sleater-Kinney and Mutabor. There was a lot of angst I needed to get out and all three help feed that energy.

4. Imogen Heap- This is another one in the same line as the first three, but there is poetry in the music that really appeals to me. You must be sensing a theme now that female vocalists really trigger something for me. There is this sense of power, mystery, admiration and emotion that I can really relate to with female vocalists whether they are Tori Amos, Janis Joplin, Dresden Dolls or Alanis Morissette. I could go on and on as my music collection is largely all-female, because I like surrounding myself in beautiful things.

*Here are some male vocals I enjoy, if you prefer: Coldplay, The Decemberists, Flogging Molly, Postal Service

Can you tell music is a big part of my life? Feel free to recommend any female OR male musicians.

Inspiration: What's in the name?

I have recently joined the multitudes at Swap-Bot to try to challenge myself creatively and give myself something to do when the shop is slow. I was turned on to this site when a customer of mine bought a Fairy Nest Bed from my shop to give to her swap partner for a "fairy furniture" swap. I have so far participated in only a handful of swaps and haven't yet received anything from my partners, but I wanted to share a particularly poignant swap with you; "ATC inspired by your Username".
  For those of you who are unfamiliar with ATC or ACEO, Wikipedia has a great article as usual and Swap-Bot has a glossary of terms. Basically they are miniature works of art about 2.5" x 3.5" long. Many Etsy artists sell them, so that you can collect their work without breaking the bank or cluttering your walls. Of course, many crafters like myself make them for fun to trade and not for profit.
  Anyway, I thought this ATC project would be good to share with you as my "username" is my shop name and I often find that what others are inspired by inspires me.
 
1. Firstly, my shop name went through many iterations. However, from the beginning I was largely influenced by Christina Rossetti's poem, "The Goblin Market". I have loved this poem since I discovered it as a pre-teen. It is a rare one that tells a story without boring you to death. It also captures almost all the rules fairytales are supposed to teach us about not eating fairy food or following fairy music. It is largely about temptation and well the irony is that I am tempting you to buy "fairy" goods. Unfortunately, this name was taken by one of my favorite fairy artists, Brian Froud.

2. Then I tried to imagine where such a market might exist. I thought back to all the "magical" places I have visited over the years and I kept coming back to one image. The following is the closest I have come to the deer clearing I used to visit in the woods behind our house. It is the dappled light and variety of greens that appeal to me mostly.

3. Then I need to put a name to this image and place in my imagination; a glen. This fit particularly well because my father's name is Glenn, which I have always thought was telling of his Irish heritage and in many ways it felt that I had come from such a "glen" (pun intended). Thus the name was born and a more cohesive branding was possible.

You will see lots of articles in Etsy's The Storque about choosing your shop name carefully and researching to make sure no one else has it, and this is for a reason. It should be easy to remember, say something about your shop's intentions and not be used by so many others that it is hard to distinguish you from everyone else.

Below is a picture of the ATC I created. It is my first attempt at something so small and it came out a but like a funerary card, but I am hoping it reaches someone who has never heard of Christine Rossetti and in turn, finds as much joy as I do in reading her work.

Inspiration- Trees

I have been a "tree-hugger" for as long as I can remember. Even before I knew what an Ent was, I always kind of hoped they would talk to me. I played in them, under them, with them and made any number of crafts out of their fallen ephemera. This post is for my those species of trees that I imagine would get up and walk if they could.

#1 Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) - These are the grandfathers of all Mid-Western forests. They can grow up to 100 ft tall and live up to 300 years old! I love trees that outlive humans! They house millions of animals and insects, feed that many more and are essential to the prairie ecosystem. They were even used by early settlers as sign posts to map out lands. In fact, they have been apart of Western mythology from the time of the druids until now. With hot, humid summers like this one, the Bur Oak provides enough shade for a whole family reunion.


#2 Weeping Williow (Salix × sepulcralis)- I always wanted one of these as a kid because they look like natural forts. They are literally the first tree-house! Willow branches are also great for crafting. Mostly I thought the branches look like hair, which makes them look like wise, old ladies. There is something so magical about the way they drape over the lake and rustle in the wind. I'll always long have one of these.

#3 Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)- These trees truly haunt my dreams. I used to wish I could run off like Julia Butterfly and live in one. These are the longest living organisms on the planet! They can live up to 3,000 years old and reach over 300 feet tall. There has never been and may never be anything this amazing. I find it telling that these trees are often famous tourist attractions, have names and well documented history, but people insist on cutting them down for furniture! Not only are they an entire ecosystem in and of themselves, but they can actually house other trees like the Douglas Fir in their branches. Cutting Old-growth Forests is no joke. It actually breaks my heart.

#4 Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)- This is the tell-tale swamp tree with the roots that everyone associates with Louisiana. These trees fill the bogs of my imagination. I love their roots! They look just like you expect the dinosaurs saw them. Sometimes I dream about what it might have been like to be around before the time of man, the time of mammals, the time of reptiles, they time of any mobile creature. They are spooky, mysterious and beautiful all at the same time.

Everything about trees from top to bottom, their history and how humans have been affected by them inspires my work.

Inspiration- Fairytales

  Most of my work, imagination, life, poetry, dreams and desires stem from fairytales. I don't mean the "happily ever after" bit, but the other-worldliness. As a child it was often easier to daydream about being somewhere else, making friends with the forest animals, dreaming of faeries, and making-up names for the flowers because I never quite felt like I belonged anywhere. I also grew up in the country, so my childhood memories are mostly dominated by the outdoors.
  Unfortunately, I had many struggles learning to read because of early hearing loss and lack of phonic processing. It took a long time for me to appreciate the escape books provide, which means that I still treasure being read to, but once I did I was voracious. I discovered many stories in my teens and college years that most people discover as a child. I went on to get my degree in English Literature because of my love for books, escaping, discovering the little secrets inside and creating a whole new landscape for which to rediscover my childhood.
   I wanted to share with you my favorite fairytales that inspire my work and my life. Keep in mind that while I was first introduced to the Disney version of most of these tales, I am largely inspired by the gory originals, cross-cultural variations and modern satires.

1. Bambi- This was my generation's first experience with life and death. I learned that tragedy has no preference. It also opened my sensitivity for all things furry and started me off as I an avid animal enthusiast and advocate early on. Growing up in the country also meant that deer, skunks, rabbits, owls and all manner of forest creatures were a part of every day. I quote the movie to the kids I nanny all the time and they look at me clueless. I see this as regrettable but likely inevitable.

2. Snow White- Most kids these days are not aquainted with even the tame version of this story let alone the harrowing original, but it was not the horror I identified with as a child. I really just wanted to be friends with the animals. I wanted to sing and have the birds sing with me. I wanted the little forest people represented as the Seven Dwarfs to come out of the woods and reveal themselves to me. I used to think I would love to grow up and live in a secluded wood.

3. Jungle Book- I would have given anything to be raised by a pack of wolves as a kid. I used to think I might grow up to study wolf behavior, so "Big Bad Wolf" stories didn't really appeal to me. Mowgli was another one who could commune with the animals and seemed so in-tune with nature. I had a deep sense of desire that if I tried hard enough I could grow up to be just like him.

4. Cinderella- I know what the feminists say about this story, but I don't care. As a true American, I loved stories where the underdog won in the end. I could also identify with her brand of outcast as a black-sheep in a seemingly stable home. Again, it was all about the animals for me. I always found cruelty in trapping and poisoning mice as a kid, so being friends with them seemed ideal. I even dressed up as Cindy for Halloween one year.

5. Fern Gully- This doesn't really count as a classic fairytale, but it is based on the traditions of faeries and other wee folks. When I was little I really wanted to believe in faeries. I grew up in a secular household, so having faith in faeries, shooting stars and garden gnomes was a close to having faith in the unknown as I knew how to get. Not to mention that these little Rainforest pixies were fighting for the environment! I couldn't imagine anything more cool than that.

Inspiration- Flowers

  There are several flowers that feature prominently in my imagination and creation. I really do love flowers of all kind and the few times I have worked in a florist's shop gave me true euphoria, but by far the most rewarding is in environmental restoration. Not only did I get to work with native flowers, but I was able to see first hand how they interact with the larger world. Anyway, here are a few of my favorites both native and not.

1. Snowdrops (Galanthus)- These are my favorite little ephemerals and I eagerly wait for them to mark the end of Central Illinois' grey, slushy winter. They are also very easy to press and use in all kinds of crafting. Thanks to Neil Gaiman's Stardust, they now feature prominently as a flower of promised love and protection.

2. Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea)- Not only are they native to most of the Upper Midwest, but they are a great flower for attracting all kinds of helpful pollinators. They also grow really easy and their seeds are fun for children to collect to plant the following spring. With all the awareness for Prairie Restoration I see more and more highways nodding with their beautiful pinkish-purplish heads. If I were a pixie I would definitely live under the umbrella of these beauties.

3. Orchids- These are at once beautiful in simplicity and complexity. The unique relationship they have with their pollinators makes them all the more fascinating. Of all the highly cultivated flowers, these are surely my favorite. I just can't help myself but imagine little faces in the spots of their petals.

4. Sunflowers- This is probably on everyone's list of favorites, but I collect unique varieties of sunflowers not just the standard yellow. Last year I planted Firecracker Sunflowers which are shorter, bushier and red. They fill in much more and add tons more color. This year I planted Velvet Queen Sunflowers which have just started blooming. These are just such a brillant red that I wouldn't be surprised to find a hummingbird out their sucking away.

5. Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum)- This is probably the most unique native plant that exists. It doesn't even look real it is so whimsical. I just wish it was easier to find and grow. It adds great texture to any garden.

Note for Lilac Lovers- There is a new cultivar out called the "Bloomerang" which blooms almost continuously all season. It doesn't get as big as the standard version, but it sure is worth it for those beautiful blooms and delicious fragrance.

*Look for future post on trees, grasses and mushrooms. Nature never ceases to inspire me!

Inspiration- Brian Froud

  I think I learned more about fairies from Brian Froud than I ever did from any "fairytales" as a child. It wasn't until I was about eleven that I discovered the wonderful world his imagination has brought to live. He is also well versed in traditional folk myths and legends making him both valuable as an artist and a writer.
  My favorite of his works is Good Fairies/Bad Fairies. It is a collection of the beautiful and the curious. He does a great job of not creating impossibly perfect female fairies. I feel more closely drawn to this version of the feminine. In my mind, it is the imperfect that makes it so perfect.
   As a child, I was always seeing creatures in the knots of trees, in the wood grains of my bedroom door or little trolls in the clumps of grass. Froud has brought these creatures alive on the page and in my mind. I think it's their big eyes that suck you in.
   The wings are probably his signature. They are not the sparkling insect wings or feathery bird wings that are traditionally imagined, but a more natural and camouflaged appendage more for decoration than function. In college, I saw a punk version of A Midsummer's Nights Dream where the fairies had tattered garbage bag wings that were undoubtedly inspired by his leafy creations. He's influenced many in his long career, and his works are those I treasure and come back to often when I need a whimsy fix.

Inspiration- What Dreams May Come

  While I believe my whole life serves as inspiration for the arts and crafts I create, there are certain images, books, movies, etc. that resurface time and again. It's not just the beautiful imagery or liberal philosophy, but in some way these things resemble my childhood, my life, my arcadia.

  I wasn't sure where to start, so I thought I might begin with obscure. A movie I watch over and over for the beautiful cinematography is What Dreams May Come. It is also a very classic love story that hit me at the age when such things first start to really matter. In essence it is a classical story line with modern imagery, but it was the oil painting inspired heaven that truly captured me.

  There are some really great scenes when the main character first enters his self-made heaven (before he has fully accepted this new reality). His interaction with the oil paint landscape is full of great texture, brillant colors, and an interesting philosophy for us dreamers and artists.

  If my imagination were to create my heaven (assuming such a thing exists) it would likely be a mixture of Rivendell, Narnia, Ireland, the Redwoods, and the forests and fields from my childhood. I would like to believe I would try to invent tiny faeries, elegant elves, wise ents, singing mermaids, and maybe the white stag or talking wolf. I'd like to think that all my favorite animals would be there, which change continually as I discover more obscure and endangered creatures. I have a particular affinity for hedgehogs and canines of all sorts (wolves, red foxes, dogs). You can imagine the birds, animals, insects and trees I grew up with in the Midwest, but somehow I think Red Pandas might sneak in there too. It would be a place to build tree forts, fly like Peter Pan, talk to the animals and live free to imagine as a child does.

  What would you imagine? What would your ideal "heaven" be like? What would your mind create?