Pajaros Sagrados

I am furiously working on my new show which will be on July 22nd. I will post the photos after the "big night". Wish me luck!

Dark Night of the Soul

This is my translation and arrangement of the wonderful poem by John of the Cross. He was a contemporary of St. Teresa of Avila. I had a very difficult time of it, especially when you check out the other translations. They are all so very different! I like the end result. The idea is to add this poem to a new painting I am working on in which the main characters are birds (of course!).


Dark Night of the Soul

The night was dark and moonless
My heart consumed by flames of desire
I arose and slipped out unseen
While all about were peacefully still

Wrapped in velvety darkness
I quietly took the hidden stairs
And found my way by touch
While those unknowing slept as if in death

O thou most lovely night
With none about I fled in secrecy
Needing no map or light as guide
Just the longing in my breast

It was love’s face that drew me on
Far brighter than the moon or sun
To where he longed for me
This was our secret holy place

O night so warm and still
O night more glorious than the brightest day
O night that fused the lover to his beloved one
Each transformed into the other

In my arms kept solely for him
I held my beloved as he slept
And caressing I loved him gently
In a breeze made fragrant by cedar trees

From o’er the castle walls
A gentle wind stirred his hair
With his hand he brushed my neck
And all my senses fell away

I lost myself entirely to him
Resting my face upon my lover’s chest
My sorrows and cares drifted away
All forgotten among the lilies
Forgotten among the lilies
Among the lilies so fair

Edward at the Opening

For the month of April, the Vandiver Gallery is sponsoring Edward Swift. Edward is a wonderful artist and writer from New York. He has recently moved to San Miguel and we wanted to introduce him to our fair city.

Ceremonial Sprinklers

These are gods and goddesses of unknown significance.

One of Edward's Boxes

Seperated at birth and joined in Death, the twin insects are amazed at how much they have in common!

Some Additions

Grace is Poured Out on Your Lips

You are fairer than the children of men, and grace is poured out on your lips, amen.

A Clear Voice Resounds...

For behold, a clear voice resounds and cries out against the darkness! Amen, Alleluia.

The night air was velvet warmth on my skin. The fields of wildflowers stretched for miles in all directions. Columbines and astors and delphiniums surrounded me as I was blown about by the night wind on a sea of dark green leaves.

In a clearing surrounded by foxglove and mint stood John the Divine, waiting to show me the Holy Grail. It was sitting on a book (now I remember that the book's title was simply "Lux"). There was a serpent issuing from the chalice and it spoke of flames and burning leaves. I had a very difficult time understanding the serpent except for those few words.

At this point the Saint interrupted the serpent and told me of the horrors the serpent was predicting. He said to me that the vile snake was speaking of the coming of the Burning Bush. The Saint was frightened of what this meant for he had seen in a dream that there was a bush on fire and it had a magical voice and was able to numb the people to voilence and anger. He then told me that it was responsible for the death of Saint Sebastian.

I was then told to search out this Burning Bush and find out all I could before the moon turned full again. I vowed to return.

The snake simply laughed.

The Vandiver Gallery will have an opening for the extraordinary artist Edward Swift with an opening on April 1st. He has shown in galleries in New York and now for the first time in San Miguel. He is also an accomplished writer and his books can be found on Amazon.com. Please attend the opening where we will be serving a special exotic cocktail created especially for Edward's show.

Saint Sebastian

Will post story tomorrow...

El Alcatraz

Calla Lilies...

These magnificent lilies were once used by early Romans to celebrate the Winter Solstice. The bulbs would be forced to bloom during the coldest time of the year culminating on the day with the longest night. It is told that the Romans had calla lilies that grew seven feet tall! Some would be decorated with tiny gold wires which is where the phrase "gilding the lily", comes from. Believe it or not, this tradition of celebrating the Winter Solstice with callas fell out of favor and was eventually replaced by evergreen trees decorated with lights!

"Because these plants were so profuse at the darkest time of the year, they became associated with funereal themes. When Katharine Hepburn declared, 'The Calla Lilies are in bloom again!' it was a subtle classical reference to the dying of the light." from "The Calla Lily" by James Monaco

I chose the calla lily as my first of a new series of paintings in celebration of the Loteria! Loteria is a game much like bingo that is a favorite game of Mexican children. Yes, I know I started with the number 2 but my idea for the first card didn't work out so I started with the second idea. The next painting will officially be number one even though it's the second painting. I know...confusing.

Hail, Mother of God

Alleluia! Ave Mater Dei, gratia plena, Donminus tecum.

Alleluia! Hail, Mother of God, filled with grace, the Lord is with you.

At the moment of his painful death, the son shivered and then was completely still. The Grail cup tipped over and the wine soaked into the hot sands. The sky filled with clouds preparing to cry out at the unjustice of the human race. The Son is dead!

The mother, distraught at the sight of his death could be heard singing this song:

O, vos omnes, qui transitis per viam,
attendite et videte,
si est dolor similis,
sicut dolor meus!

All you that pass by this way,
look and see if there
is any sorrow like my sorrow!

Her tears fell heavily to earth and nurtured the small plants.

Dear Mother, rejoice for he is not here...he is gone! One must die in order to be reborn. Rejoice, for the change has come upon us all.

Cattleya Walkerinter

This just burst into bloom and was so beautiful, I had to share it. The color is actually much more purple than it looks in my photograph. It also smells heavenly. The odor is a cross between a spicy cinnamon and tangerine. This cross is C. intermedia 'aquinii' "Boa Vista" and C. walkeriana "Pendentive".

Tongues of Flame

Tu rubes ut aurora et ardes ut solis flamma.

You glow red like the dawn and you burn like the sun's fire!



Tongues of Flame

I awoke in the darkness, aware of my losing.
I'm trapped and I'm chained...can't feel my way through.
Yet I thrash and I struggle and welcome the bruising.
I'm parched for you lips, for a cool breeze of blue,
But, my heart's all in flames, it's all so confusing.
I'm longing for freedom, I'm longing for you.
See, It's only my soul I know I'm abusing,
it's torn and it's shredded and all my own choosing!

I welcome the fire for the tongues of flame have enveloped me and I am not harmed. God saw all of this and She spoke just a single word, "fifteen". What does this all mean?

Precious Pearl, You Are More Beautiful Than The Lilies...

In a stone house, overlooking the Irish coast at Skibbereen, Margarita stood looking out to sea when a premonition overtook her. She had always heard of the "sight" from her mother but had never shown any talent in the mystical family gift at all. In fact, she had been embarrassed for years trying to guess at cards but always failing.

A heavy sensation seemed to be pressing on her chest and her blood had turned to ice water. She began to shake with a chill when she seemed to leave her body and found herself standing on the rocky promontory, jutting out to sea just north of her home. In her vision she saw a small ship sailing toward the rocks at reckless speed. She tried to yell a warning but realized no sound was coming from her mouth. She stood petrified as the ship moved ever closer to the boulders.

When she remembered this was simply the "sight", she willed herself onto the deck of the vessel. The crew was looking in the wrong direction, distracted by a school of dolphins jumping out of the water with glee. Margarita tried once more to yell a warning but found she could make no sound at all. It felt, to her, as if something was lodged in her throat. She coughed and a large silver pearl came rising up out of her mouth and into the sky shining as brightly as the moon! The sailors immediately turned toward the light and now facing the right direction spotted the rocks in time to sail around them and to safety.

When Margarita snapped out of her vision, she turned and looked back out of the window in her home and saw the ship with the red flag moving back out to sea. She laughed to herself knowing her experience had been true and said a prayer of thanksgiving to The Mother. As she walked out of the door and into the sun, a ring of stars appeared around her head that could sometimes be seen when Margarita was in a particularly good mood.

This story was told to me by Margarita's daughter who was also known as "my pearl".

Brighter Than The Sun

Ave Virgo gloriosa, favo mellis dulcior. Mater Dei gloriosa, stella sole clarior.

"Hail, Virgin most glorious, you are sweeter than honey. Glorious Mother of God, you are brighter than the sun."

Standing outside a small adobe home in Chamayo, New Mexico, a small girl was confronted by a snake. The rattler was agressive and charged her. The girl, Rosalba, was bitten 4 times on her right leg. Her 68 year old grandmother, hearing the screams immediately said a prayer in Spanish for the girl to slow the deadly poison.

"And when I past by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee [when thou wast] in thine own blood, LIVE; yea, I said unto thee [when thou was] in thine own blood, live!
Ezekiel 16:6
(translated from spanish by the author, any mistakes a completely mine)

Rosalba was getting pale and the evil bites were changing to black around the edges. Her breathing was getting shallow. The grandmother was screaming for help, thinking God had abandoned her granddaughter...when the Virgin appeared.

She was dressed in a red cape with silver fur around the collar. She was brighter than the sun. There was a sweet smell of honey and roses and lilies all around her and the grandmother, upon inhaling the fragrant perfumes, became quiet and calm.

The Blessed Virgin picked up a handful of the dirt and rubbed it gently on the snake bites on Rosalba's right leg and speaking these words, "Child, get up for thy work has not yet begun", kissed the girl gently on both of her eyes. And then suddenly was gone.

Rosalba leapt to her feat and told her grandmother that she would build a church on the site of her healing and that the dirt from that spot would be forever sacred because the Mother of God had touched it. She dedicated her life from that moment on to healing others.

This is a true story.

Later...

Dogs!

Last night, in the dark, the dogs were running down the stairs and I was trying to walk up the stairs and in a horrible collision, Barclay broke his leg. I am including a photo of Barker before the splint and will post a new photo (after he has a bath) showing the beautiful new blue splint.


Later...

Coincidence or Karma?

OK...now I am totally freaked out! As most of my friends know, I am a total fragrance fanatic. Most days, you can find me sniffing women's necks to see what perfume they are wearing. I am always kind with my remarks but on the inside I am making lists and taking notes. Well, the other day I came across reference to a new blog about fragrance that is run by a guy (Marlen) . I clicked on it and of course enjoyed the witty reviews of the fragrances there and then I saw a link to his personal website. Of course he is not only a genius as you can see in his resume but very good looking. So, I wrote him and told him what I thought. I must admit that I am very proud of myself for doing that.

Tonight after a birthday party out in the country, I found another of his blogs. This one is a personal blog, The Thrill of it All, and this is where the spooky part comes in. He referenced my artwork and my website and blog (all good). He mentions one of my top 5 books that I re-read every year, "The Alchemist" by Coelho and then he talks about the movie "Crash" which I have been watching since I came home from the party tonight! Makes you go "hmmmmmmmm".

Sold a painting yesterday. My first since I got the gallery. Actually, I sold two this week but one is to my sister. It's funny because I have some weird connection to Tulsa. It seems that the guy that bought my painting is from Tulsa but lives here now and of course my sister lives in Tulsa. What's up with that?

later

Laudamus Te.

Just finished another bird painting. The gold paint (stars) doesn't scan well therefore it's hard to see. I really like the composition of this one.


Laudamus te. Benedicimus te. Adoramus te. Glorificamus te.

We praise you. We bless you. We adore you. We glorify you.

Just as the sun was setting the saint appeared saying, "Luna, the queen, has given me this scepter. It holds one of the blood rubies and is precious above all thing. It is a symbol of death but also of life. There are eight more rubies to be found and when they are gathered together a new order will begin."

So, it shall be done!

until later...

New Series

I have this new idea for a series. I have decided to paints some paintings for tourists since it seems that the majority of the paintings I see selling at Aurora are to TOURISTS! My paintings are really more what you would expect to see in the US. So, I have this idea of painting my own set of Loteria cards (except huge). My first was to be a huge blue bottle but it wasn't to be. First, the maid took the bottle or threw it away, I don't know. Next, I made some mistakes when planning the painting and forget some key elements that would make it easy to draw...so, I did a calla lily instead.

I will load a photo when I finish.

until later...

Valentine Painting

I just finished my Valentine's day painting for the year. I do have to admit that I have another idea for a Saint Valentine involving a bird but who knows if I will get around to that before the holiday. So, here is the red rose I finished this morning.

until later....

January Already?

Here the month is more than half over and I haven't updated the blog. I started my Thursday classes which are well under way. I also finished a new painting which I am waiting to post on my website until the rest of the series is finished (they are 5 bird paintings). I also am almost done with a Valentine's Day painting of a large red rose. I guess that is enough for now. I will go ahead and post the first of the bird series here, just a taste of things to come.

"Free us! Save us! Defend us! Oh, Trinity!"

The clouds rushed in and the lightning tore the sky. It rained huge drops like angel's tears. The Trinity appeared as was foretold in the prophecy. The Father peaked through the clouds and the Holy Ghost appeared as the chalice and Host and then the son as an Indigo Bunting with his heart on fire. The son spoke saying, "Let the rains drench you and wash you clean, for you are to be reborn. The time has come to know the winds of change." I ran home and opened all of the windows and the winds and the rain came whipping in. I feared the thunder would shatter my bones. Yes, he is right I thought, it is time.

until later....