Friday, January 13, 2012

Pagan Art Journal: Green Men and Wild Women

It's been a while since I've really sat down to work in any of my art journals. Mostly it's been because I've been feeling burned out; my days have held very little spiritual time lately, consisting primarily of working, eating and sleeping. But like I said in my farewell to 2011 I have a good feeling about 2012 and plan to get into the nitty gritty and really let the essence of me shine through; I'm not letting anything suck the life out of me or send me to the shits anymore.

And so, a return to art and to journaling is in order. While I was planning on working on something in my giant art journal, the wee book I've dedicated to becoming my pagan art journal called out to be used instead. I suppose my spirit wanted time for both art and spirituality, how could I deny it?

This spread was originally the beginning of a background which would house my thoughts on Yule. However, when I looked at the greens and yellows, I saw someone there. And as I looked further, I realized there were two someones. I worked over the areas without conscious thought, in thin layers of white paint and revealed there lords of the green and growing things:


This page was absolutely magical for me to work on, as the faces emerged I felt energized. In my practice, the Lord and Lady of the Greenwood are the two deities with whom I work most frequently and with whom I most connect. They call to me from the deep woods, from the gardens, they reveal themselves to me in the flicker of leaves. It is their cycles and spaces with which I am most in tune and where I am most at peace.

Then this past week, while on my lunch break at work, I had the urge to write a sort of ode to Wild Woman. And so I scribbled on the back of an envelope and once home broke out the journal. I began to sketch and once pleased, inked the line work and painted the pages. I wanted to convey both night and day as well as Earth and Sky in the color work, so the page is colorful and a bit mottled. I've opted to keep the illustrations white for now because I like the contrast with the background:



The text, a reminder and call to all daughters of the Wild Woman:

I am that which dwells in the deep forest, the music of rivers, the scent of moss and mud. I am the glint you recognize in the stars, the changing seasons, the running wolf. I am the soaring hawk and the delicacy of a feather. I am that which tugs at your feet, urging you to dance, to run and the sing your songs from mountain tops. I draw you to bask in sun and to quest by moon. I am Wild Woman, I am all around and within you.

I needed this reminder and somewhere out there, I know someone else will too. Be well, my lovelies.

15 comments:

  1. ~good morning little lady...look at these pages...gorgeous they are...each so different from the other...yet i can see your spirit coming alive in both...the yellows and green with his face emerging...a shawdow in the deepths of green and his face...dani...this is something quite unique and magical...simply stunning...i love what you created...and then the call to all daughters...a beautiful reminder indeed...thank you for sharing these pages with us...much love light and blessings~

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  2. Oh beautiful, Danni….You're definitely feeling the green and lustiness of nature. I bet your Beltaine is going to be wild this year in the best sense ; )

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  3. Oooh! Yes! I needed that reminder! Thank you very much! And I LOVE your 'pagan art journal'. My own art journal is big fat mismatch and the pagan stuff is all mixed up with everything else at the moment, but I really like the idea of a dedicated pagan art journal. Thank you.

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  4. a pagan art journal is a brilliant idea, woman!

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  5. Danni, your beautiful words to call to me, and I am a little goose-bumped now!! I love it! Love the greens and blues and violets of the wild woman pages. Your Green Men are super charged!!!!! Thanks for sharing, and I am pulling for you to find the spark of art and spirituality in your day, every day.

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  6. small steps to happiness...large leaps for joy....tiny wrinkles form in the corners of eyes....that watch you grow and blossom...like spring. Blessings dear one, Oma Linda

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  7. Such lovely work, a real pleasure to look at. Most of 2011 I felt lost spiritually. I love the idea of a pagan journal: thanks for this blog post, it resonates with me xxx

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  8. Gorgeous as always. I love the green man and woman.

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  9. Love this so much. I've been working in my wee journal tonight, too. Feels good. Feeling witchy again after a time of feeling a bit lost. Having a play in my witchy journal was fun and this is a beautiful reminder and confirmation. Thanks Danni!

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  10. You've been tagged - hope you'll play along!

    http://celticpagan.blogspot.com/2012/01/tag-im-it.html

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  11. Hi Danni....This post and your pages and words are magical!

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  12. These are beautiful!!! And yes, your words did call to me. I am at a hard place in life and reminders are most welcome.

    I have followed your blog for a while now, and so, I am tagging you. Please stop by my blog to get the rules and questions and then tag your own 11 people that you would like to know a little better.

    Blessings
    http://moonbeamdancerspath.blogspot.com/

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  13. I hear you on the "not letting anything suck the life out of me or send me to the shits anymore" whole deal-e-o. I've learned a lot about boundaries these past couple of months. Sometimes it takes a whack in the head to learn doesn't it? Sometimes I'd like to whack a bitch too....but that's another story.

    Beautiful art, as always.

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  14. Oh Danni, I love the way the Lord and Lady of Greenwood just seem to "become" right before my eyes. It's as if they are allowing us to sight them among all that is. Simply marvelous!

    Your ode to Wild Woman is both beautiful and powerful. I resonate to these truths as well. Hugs to you, sweetie.

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  15. I tagged you but if you don't want to participate, just pretend you never got this comment. ;-)

    http://greenwitchwithsprinkles.blogspot.com/2012/01/tag-anyone.html

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