Dynamic Dreamer ~ Art Weaver » prince

The Little Mermaid: The Silent Observer

lisahuntart — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:55:02 +0000

Last week, I lost my voice—not my artistic one, but the one that emanates from my throat. I caught a cold virus that rendered me temporarily speechless. I didn’t feel sick, just forcibly mute. Losing the ability to talk had its frustrating moments, but there is something to be learned from the seat of a listener.

The Little Mermaid, Princess of Cups - Early sketch

Usually I’m the conversationalist, the girl who engages herself in the free flowing exchange of ideas, happily segueing from one topic into another with tangential inflections in between. As a former art college teacher, the balance of talking and listening was a wonderful exercise in human interaction.

The Little Mermaid, Princess of Cups - final sketch

Now I was the quiet observer and instead of being enslaved by a protraction of oral recitations, I found just listening to be strangely freeing. Though I couldn’t talk, I could gesticulate and express myself in other ways, a good reminder of the nuances that we tend to take for granted. To smile, put a hand on a shoulder, to hug, pause and look people in the eyes; subtle deliveries full of human sensitivity, compassion and nurturing—universal expressions that transcend language. The good handshake can speak volumes and a smile is wonderfully contagious. I don’t think losing my voice had been a nuisance. Rather it has helped me to be more demonstrative in important, meaningful ways.

The Little Mermaid, Princess of Cups - B&W Drawing

This week I’ve chosen the Little Mermaid (Princess of Cups). This was a piece that flowed like the powerful waves sweeping over the drowning prince. My paintbrush had a voice of its own and spread the watercolor washes with gratifying effect. As I continued painting, everything about the piece felt animated; with the Little Mermaid, prince and sea all coming together in a confluence of divine energy. All the while, the dawning sun emblazons the scene with warmth that hints of what is to come.

The Little Mermaid, Princess of Cups - Final Painting

Be open to the messages of others as you connect with your heart. Listen, feel and show how you feel. And remember, always help others to shine.

~Lisa

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You get what you give~letting go of the ego and elevating others

lisahuntart — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 17:24:28 +0000

The Lovers card conjures all manner of emotions for me. Personally, I don’t subscribe to the immediate intimations of romantic love, rather, I see it as a joining of forces; a card exemplifying strong desires, passion, choices, harmonious relationships and the symbiotic exchanges that help feed collective efforts for a fruitful outcome. I truly feel that if you want to feel and be loved, you have to love and give to others. My friend Joanna Colbert twittered (twitter.com): “You get what you give.”. She claims she did not come up with this profound little epigram, but it speaks a thousand words. I do believe that by letting go and projecting positive energy to others, you will be the recipient of much good will and happy feelings. Friends of mine, Barbara Moore and Lunaea Weatherstone, recently posted a series of joyful ruminations. They put a smile on my face despite the frustrations that I was experiencing at that moment. Simple positive gestures can make a big difference to others who may be in need of some cheer. Then there is my dear friend Kris Waldherr, who generously posed as Jorinda for the Lovers card. Kris is someone who is most supportive of her fellow artist/author—and feels for one’s triumphs as well as failures. She has an intense passion for the arts that reaches far beyond her own accomplishments, thus resulting in much love and admiration for not only her work, but her person. And there are many other examples of “You get what you give”.

The Lovers - B&W

Simply said: by letting go of the ego and endorsing the efforts of others, good things will come in return. It seems like a simple formula for positive living, but in this dog-eat-dog world mentality that persists, some may resist the path of emotional generosity and benevolence. It may seem counterintuitive to put one’s ego in a humble place, but the rewards for making that choice will be surprisingly fulfilling. Some of the basic tenets I’ve learned in publishing and Tae Kwon Do is the idea of teamwork, helping others and giving back (i.e. thank the editor for all of his/her efforts—such courtesies go a long way! Encourage color belts to reach for their black belt dreams etc.). By giving, we can become better versions of ourselves. By helping others find their path, we’re in essence reinforcing our own paths. And by doing so, we can live a more passionate life. But you have to make that initial effort to help others shine. Give it a try and see what happens!

The Lovers, Final Watercolor

Jorinda and Joringel is a story that reinforces the power of love and commitment. In the process of creating my particular interpretation of the famous Brothers Grimm story, I summoned the help of my husband Kort and Kris to pose for the piece. I wanted to include two individuals who have continually acted in selfless ways to help others. Both have been most encouraging and supportive of the Fairy Tale Tarot since its inception and both have been watching me journey through the creative process. Therefore, the Lovers piece is genuinely infused with love and dedicated to Kort and Kris on this Valentine’s Day!

~Lisa

Kris and Kort posing at the Morikami Gardens

Prince of Cups (Traditional: Page of Cups): Animal messengers, frog kisses and recognizing sacred time.

lisahuntart — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 04:07:52 +0000

Prince of Cups Final Painting

Animal bride stories are plentiful in fairy tale collections and appear several times in my own Fairy Tale Tarot. I don’t know exactly why, but I’m drawn to the idea of animals testing humans to see if their hearts are truly in the right place. Let’s face it, many (not all) modern humans tend to see themselves as the most superior of sentient creatures (otherwise we wouldn’t be obliterating their natural habitats left and right), but many myths and stories throughout history have presented animals as divine entities. All manner of animal worship has existed and still exists today. Why is this? Are they symbols of our conscience? Who doesn’t have animal visitors in their dreams? What explains their ubiquity in cartoons? Why do they appear as authorities in product advertising? Why do we ooh and ahh whenever there is an anomalous animal encounter? In stories, they almost seem omniscient with their intuitive rapport and demonstrative ways. Perhaps they’re one step ahead of Homo sapiens, recognizing the very fallibilities that prevent us silly humans from attaining a higher sense of self. From what I can tell, animals are born enlightened and live the moment in ways we can only strive to do. Therefore, I believe animal-messengers in fairy tales make total sense. And when animals personified or anthropomorphised are vested with an emotional quality like love, the results to the reader can be quite sublime. It’s hard not to cry about the crestfallen beast, or the injured deer, or the mistreated frog!

Prince of Cups sketch

When the princess bargains with the frog, she does so with a non-consequential mindset–symptomatic of humanity’s ignorance? But when the frog appears at her father’s palace to be part of the princess’ domicile, the princess who sees him as nothing but a repugnant amphibian rejects him. Much to her disgust, she is required to eat and sleep with the frog, after all, her wise father reminds her, “Honor it you must—a promise is a promise!” But in the end, after a particularly violent tantrum, the princess realizes her mistake when her impetuosity results in the frog’s transformation into a prince. Thus the princess’ destiny is changed forever.

Prince of Cups B&W

I have small frog statues and a dragon gargoyle along my front walkway. I’ve seen frogs sitting on their resin likenesses and lizards perched on the sculpted dragon as if they know they’re sacred creatures on this sacred planet—interlocutors in a world where time is no faster than the moment in which they exist. Of course, this makes me wonder why a frog would want to turn back into a human prince in the first place!

Lizard on Frog Photo: Kort Kramer