Where I grew up (1971)

Lions, tigers and bears oh my! The mysterious forest is full of unknowns and teeming with mysterious life.  As a symbol of the unconscious, it is a place inhabited by wild things, often obscured by the shadows of tree branches and layered with the remnants of seasons gone by. When we walk into a forest, we step into a world full of adventure and trepidation. We leave the comfort of paths familiar and cross the threshold into a realm  full of challenges and unpredictability. Who knows what monsters lie in wait and who knows where the wayward path will lead. Myths and fairy tales often use the woods as a stage for the evolving protagonist. The character leaves the safety of home and wanders into the realm of the psyche, where growth is inevitable.

Drawing from the 80's

When I was in high school, I often sketched the forest using the wells of my imagination as reference. These forests were alive with spirits and elusive beings, there to provide me with messages. They dwelled  in a place that offered  temporary refuge from the province of a chaotic reality . I loved exploring the twisting tree limbs and fortifying roots that helped me to feel grounded in a world of teenage confusion.  I was wandering into the path of the unknown and these fantasy tree drawings helped me to manifest the deep-seated worries I was experiencing as I approached adulthood.

Pencil drawing done in my teenage years

My Mom as the Hermit (Fantastical Creatures Tarot)

Lisa as a teenager

Lisa in the snowy woods of northern New England, 1990s

Fairy tales often employ these settings as metaphors of the shadow. They are the wild, untamed symbols of our own inner landscapes, where creative thinking and intrinsic energies reside and beg to be released. It is here where we meet frog princes, wise old men, a golden goose, a ravenous wolf, imposing giants, spirit messengers and all manner of creatures that help us shed the constraints of a rational mind. It is here where we let go and become more self-aware. It is under the dappling light that we recognize our full potentials and find our way through the tangle of brush.  Through the darkness of paths unknown, we have the possibility of seeing the light.

Forest images from The Fairy Tale Tarot

Here is a neat “forest” video from friend and fellow artist Carisa Swenson:

The Forest

~ Lisa

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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Summer Queen Doodles

Despite the challenges of strange climactic anomalies, I’ve been tending to my “garden of surprises”. It’s my little patch of organic nurturance, mixed with offerings from my kitchen compost. Here is where I plant seeds and watch seeds plant themselves. On one end, I have my seed-germinated tomatoes—and to all those who garden, you know there is nothing like a fresh tomato from your own labors, especially when grown from delicate seed. 

On the other end of my garden is where providence happens. I mix compost in with my soil and wait to see what comes up. Right now, I have a fruit-laden papaya tree, squash, tomatoes  and what I think might be potato plants having self-germinated from scraps. These unexpected guests are settling into that space that they’ve claimed as their own. And you know what? The plants are getting along with one another! Oh, the garden offers so many wise lessons.

Summer Queen Drawing

I love having my planned garden juxtaposing Mother Earth’s spring specials. I never know what she is going to come up with, but she’s obviously grateful that nothing is wasted, and all is returned to whence it came. And for that, I’m rewarded with a sense of renewal and an interesting mix of edibles.

*****
The Canadian tale of the Summer Queen is one of the less known inclusions in my deck. It is a beautiful story and one that was destined to be the Queen of Pentacles card. I stumbled on a translation quite by chance and had immediate visions for the potential card art.

Summer Queen Painting

If you study the image, you will see that it is a card of polarity and balance, something that has come up in recent tarot conversations (Thank you, Arwen Lynch). The Summer Queen, as the earth mother, presides over the land, yet her presence is complimented by the cold earth waking up from its winter-induced nap. Slowly, everything comes alive under the warm presence of Summer Queen’s vibrant appearance. She holds an orb of energy, has flowers cascading from her hair, butterflies symbolize renewal and geese fly to the sun. This is a card that makes me feel good. She’s reassuring but realistic. She is not eradicating winter, but she is part of a larger cycle that must include rest before activity can resume.  And what a wonderful thing it is to wake up to the sounds and scents of spring after a long winter respite. Don’t you think?

Lisa Gardening

Lisa in her Garden

~ Lisa