Art&Ghosts Blog

Cinnamon Forest and things...

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(long post ahead, oh yes)

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In floral dimensions, and with forest bound hearts, we wander.....

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Cinnamon Forest (detail) see full version here.

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And we wander.....into god only knows what. One thing is for certain, these girls are of a serious albeit benevolent disposition: never prone to smiling, banal fashion, when a perfectly worked up little frown will do.

At one with imagined nature, as always. Escape into imagination is nessecary, essential, not to mention enlightening, yet reality refuses to budge. It flits restlessly at the fringe of dreams, insistent that we pay our respects, and yet dreamers will often make endless attempts to deny the grim realities of existence...... (myself included).

As a child, I once fancied that if I had been born of elfin stock, or had been of some sort of semi-angelic origin, or else the daughter of an immortal king who reigned over countless, enchanted lands, then the harsh realities of life would never have been able to touch me. I played with this idea for what feels like years, oh, years upon years, although perhaps it was merely a couple of weeks, months.......I dare say I'll never remember, but one thing I do know: I was appalled, even furious by the state of things in the adult world which surrounded me ...the threat of war, abduction, loss, evil, brutality, nightmares, etc.

And nothing, at all, has changed. I am still quite furious and even more so appalled. This sensation continues to masquerade behind the cottoncandy fairytale scenes which I create. Not always, but often. I am the eternal, nonplussed child, with an eye for luxury, a love of nature, a huge store of faith in goodness, and a whole lot of disdain for injustice. Anger is a useful emotion if you can learn how to harness it.

So, here I am, caught in the thick of this eternal struggle to process the joys and woes of simply 'being human'. This messy thing called life confuses me, yet I am still somewhat inclined to consider it an 'adventure'. I have incredible faith in this, for I choose to perceive life as an ongoing adventure; one that incorporates both pain and beauty for reasons of which I am not yet aware.

I have always been fascinated by the concepts of duality and transformation, and this may go some small way to explaining many of the repetetive themes in my work: twins, sulking girls with wild hearts, anomalies, their affinity with wild creatures, and trees. In some of these works, nature might be perceived to be taking over, re-establishing itself firmly alongside the more 'civilised' pretensions of our world (The Sympathy of Wolves being my most cherished example: with the wolf-heart-nature of the young girl becoming disconcertingly manifest, and yet the girl remains - to all appearances - so composed, so demure, wearing her most costly, magnificent gown...)

Or else trees may sprout suddenly from young ladies heads, at the cost of their common sense and gravity. Rabbits, mice and wild deer develop human limbs and a taste for fashion in a comical attempt to ape humanity, reminding us that we are, after all, no different from themselves.

To summarise this waffle (before an essay is born), I should perhaps conclude that these sombre looking girls are essentially an expression of concern and love for nature: my own concern for the environment, and my protectiveness towards animals, trees, the precious things, and our apparent disconnection from the wilderness within ourselves. Some of us retain this, and cherish it secretly, some of us express it outwardly, in protest, or in an effort to create awareness. I, myself choose to explore it through visual means. So there you have Art&Ghosts, ladies and gentlemen, in a nutshell, so to speak. 

Sometimes I consider all of the points that I have mentioned above, and I wonder.........homo sapien: the most intelligent animal on planet earth (alledgedly)............and the most destructive to that which gives life.

And yet I still hope that we are continuously, if unconsciously, striving to evolve towards something quite grand!

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I have recently edited to remove a couple of images. I have no idea why they appear distorted when uploaded here, but I will try to figure it out. To view more of my recent works, please check out my flickr stream.

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I would also love to share my Coraline'd Kitten with you:

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I recently purchased the score to this film, which has fast become a favourite of all time. 'Dreaming', in particular, is simply perfection.

Alas, Coraline will not appear at my local cinema's until late May, so I am holding out, feverishly, for the DVD.

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Now, before I slink off to read something dark and delicious in the half light of our winter dawn, I should like to share some of my most recent inspirations, musical favourites and creative web finds:

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From A to L:

A Photograph by Vinna

B Paper Circus

C Canvas and lace tote

D Petit magazine(photo by the small object)

E Fox necklace

F Fine art print

G Gala, fine art print

H Ladurée

I Le TrainFantome

J My latest copy of Lula

K Charlotte Gainsbourg CD (5:55)

L Alpinisms, School of Seven Bells CD

Love, always, Louxxx

All Things Return....

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It's a strange world,

and sometimes it seems

that I am the only stranger in it.

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Untitled as yet. Maybe I will call this 'Strange Worlds'. I don't know.

They take turns to sleep and watch. I cannot tell you what they watch for. That would be a secret. They sleep and dream, and they grow as they dream. On the verge of womanhood, though not yet ready to commit. Perhaps they have discovered how to pause time altogether. As they dream the landscape into existence, the landscape has dreamed them also.

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All Things Return

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I like to imagine who or what they are expecting. They have the gift of mirroring souls, so if you are quite a pleasant individual, you will most likely benefit from their company. If, on the other hand, you are of a cruel or deceptive disposition, then god help you.

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In Marble Halls

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My darling-est Mirlo, artified.

The background, sky and landscape were digitally painted (in all of the 3 recent works), with additional illustration and photomanipulation combined.

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xxx

It's My Party....

.Ariadne

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Ariadne. I had planned a set of bird-ladies for charity. I am quite undecided as yet, but shall keep you posted.

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I am also loving Husky Rescue....

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Ghost Is Not Real

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Most of my recent works were created under the influence of the above album. I particularly adore My Home Ghost and Nightless Night.

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xxx

Spring Garden Ghosts......

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Last night my laptop died. Yesterday was also my birthday (yes, Friday the 13th indeed), which started off quite beautifully, but ended with the laptop's demise and a headache born of fury. On the whole, though, it was a rather pleasant little day, with lovely gifts to enjoy and a cupboard full of chocolate and marshmallow treats.

I am currently using a very old machine to access the internet, whilst waiting for my new one to arrive, hopefully early next week. One little issue that I would like to address here: many of yesterdays emails were lost, particularly those that I had not yet answered before the laptop broke down. One of them included an enquiry into a commissioned piece for August (concerning 'The Princess and the Pea')....so if you happen to be that person, please do try to resend the email and I shall get back to you asap!

It would also help me a great deal if certain friends and contacts could drop me a line, for being the type who always uses the 'reply to' facility, I have hardly any memory of even my most cherished contacts actual email addresses. If you are in the midst of a conversation with me, please get in touch.

On a creative note, I have been indulging in more photographic/photomontage work. A new series appears to have sprung to life, concerning all things springtime and ghostly. I have no clear idea of where this series is going, exactly, but it is strongly connected to dreams, feminine mysteries (how many can there be!?) and best of all, secret (and most assureldly haunted) flower gardens.
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I have the impression that she is temporarily blinded by love, or desire...lets not confuse the two, although admittedly, the two combined are explosive.
She is playing with a plastic comb, so perhaps the object of her affections has long, unkempt locks, the more the better we think, and she has appointed herself the role of caring for them. There are worse jobs, you know....And of course, this is all sheer, unadulterated, speculative fancy.

Indistinct vanishings...or appearances.
Merging into light, or emmanating from it.
Supernatural hair (this was actually shot from the front, so that her hair was in her/my own eyes).
The wild, wild woods in your heart, in pictures.
The haunted tea party.
English rose.

Oh, and the garden party style frock that I wore in the pictures is from Topshop: a birthday gift from my parents:)

More soon xxx

Lovely in Amber....

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(Post edited to include 'Apple') Apple is Black Cherry's sister image. In this sense, for me, they function as a pair. I had to wait until my new Wacom tablet arrived to complete her:)

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Apple

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Apple detail

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I have been dreaming in amber. Lovely in amber.

And so have they:

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Trapped.

Petrified, behind glass, like insects in amber.

We were too young to learn how to struggle.

Our legs are giddy, our hearts in equal parts

Ecstatic, lovely, numb.

We share everything, here.

Oxygen, flesh and bones.

All that was once torn from us returned

On the sixth day of the second month

Of this new life.

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Twins, I ought to mention. Only one of them is real. And sometimes I wonder, is it too strange a thought........the idea of co-existing....alongside a spectral twin?

Probably.

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Dress by milocreativestudios

The snow is intermittent now. Warm toes are a must.

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Daydreams, however odd (mine are forever odd) are essential to survival.

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And conversations with favourite trees. Those that tap at the window on cold, stormy nights, and those that belong to memory.

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SweetDreams xxx

Black Cherry...

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A complicated mixture of pleasure, pain, carelesness and longing..

Black Cherry

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Only the following lyrics, taken from the Goldfrapp track itself are able to express something akin to what inspired this particular image:

"How can it be?
I can taste you now
How can I see
When you're everything
All my world in one grain of sand
And I've blown it
All my world in one grain of sand
And you own it.....

....Hearing you say it
I could die"

(Black Cherry, by Goldfrapp)

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So, straight after creating Black Cherry, my graphics pen decided to quit working. It hasn't been the most glorious week here at Art&Ghosts Towers; I am troubled by fightening dreams, unlocking fragments of amnesia, and a sore throat. They shall pass, as these things thankfully always do, but in the meantime, I am somewhat out of sorts. As they say.

Black Cherry was born of all of the above feelings, she was also supposed to have a sister, an accompanying piece depicting a frightfully pale blonde girl, but thanks to the dodgy graphics tablet, she will simply have to wait a while.

To soothe, I have our first proper snowfall since 2001 to be content with. And oh how it heals. For days now, I have been watching like a child with saucer shaped eyes at the windows, lying on the bed at twilight, staring at the flakes falling ever so slowly down through the branches of a large old tree opposite the house.

This morning, after waking too early from a hideous nightmare, I decided to go for a long frost bitten walk in the surrounding countryside, my first long walk since arriving here 2 months ago. I went alone, with my big boots, my lousy camera, and my ipod. I revisited many scenes and places from my early teens (we used to keep our horses here when I was at high school), and stumbled upon the long forgotten memory of my childish pursuit to seek out a local highwayman's grave. As a child, I was sorely disappointed to find that his grave was unmarked. Now, as an adult, I understand why. I think...anyway, his grave still lies hidden below a respectable enough canopy of brambles and leaves at the old churchyard here.

I also found time this week to make some more, ordinary (if I could ever dare to describe myself as such) self portraits around the house. Perhaps they are simply to prove, once and for all, that I don't always look like a sulking, petulant vampire...

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The Madras frock. I bought a size too large. I also followed the on screen payment details in French, which got me very scared;) The result? I do the dress absolutely no credit whatsoever, instead of appearing pretty, it kind of looks like I am about to announce a very well dressed pyjama party. Well hey, I love my boots, regardless..

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Not only but also, the oh so wondrous fairytale frock by Etsy's very lovely milocreativestudios. I will model this adorable creation as soon as time permits. This week has simply not been permitting such extravagant luxuries as spare time.

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Now, this was supposed to amuse you. It sure amuses me, but then again, I'm weird.

Kinda stuck on the pale blue/red legs combination right now. 

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A Cherry Chapstick.

Ok, there is only one excusable reason for this, and that is a marvelous story by kelly Link (her book is mentioned in the previous post). I cannot express how much I so dearly admire this writer. Stand-out stories include the darkly hilarious 'The Wrong Grave', which involves the aforementioned Cherry Chapstick, and the most profoudly moving 'Wizards of perfil'.

I think that you can actually read some of these online....? yes yes, the (Kelly) link!

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A barn. A barn that you can see straight through, even.

As mentioned somewhere above, we used to keep our horses around here sometime ago, when I was at high school. Prior to this, we kept them at the farm, my childhood home, where the barns had 16 windows and the ghosts still walk....

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The notorious highway man's grave site.

All of the cottages along this stretch of road are slanted. The walls of which are also made up of what appear to be a hotch potch of randomly placed headstones.

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Our portal to Narnia...

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And finally, some of the brighter stars that have shed their pretty, comforting twinkle-glow upon an otherwise darkened few days:

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A very beautiful and generous gift from gingerlilytea over at Flickr. Upon hearing that I was so hopelessly in love with the beautifully haunting book and tv series The Children of Green Knowe, this kindly soul promptly posted me the very hard to locate DVD...based upon the stories by LM Boston. A blast from the past most welcome.

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Two new and exquisite musical discoveries:

Nina Nastasia

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Kellarissa (discovered via whiteapple's blog)

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(Above image copyright Steve Louie)

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Oh! and the latest Lula mag....

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Featuring, amongst so many other delights, my most favouritest favourite, Paula Rego!

 

I must dash off now, to attend to this and that, and to stare at the snow for a few hours, and to read some more Kelly Link, perhaps. I also need to catch up on some overdue emails to friends. And I'm hungry for the first time in days....

There shall hopefully be brighter musings to come, although if you must insist upon awarding me the 'Happy Blogger of the Month' honours, I should be most humbly accepting.

Take care,

louxxx