Without Limits

I've often said that I don't understand why we do New Years Resolutions. If it's important enough to warrant change we should be capable of it any time of the year. I still stand by this, but I do believe in making reasonable goals to span the year.


I don't think I have any goals for myself for 2010. I had a lot for 2009 and I'm happy to say I achieved them.


I think my only hope for 2010 is to expand my Bodhi heart as I explore my work, the world and my own self.


May all beings everywhere see the world without limitations.


Happy New Year.



"Without Limits"

(Thanks to Julie Susanne for her inspiration.)







32X16 inches



Original: $500




Reproductions available for $50 each

Text:

For every moment there is a thought

For every thought there can be a dream

For every dream we might find an excuse

For every excuse there is a "good reason"

For every bit of reasoning we will reach a breaking point

At every breaking point is an opportunity

For every opportunity there is an idea

In every idea lies our potential

This is without limits

One week!

It seems strange to think that, in one week, I will be leaving for London.

It all began when I suggested to my mum (following watching 'Love Actually' for the umpteenth time.) that we spend Christmas in London in 2010. Then I figured, if I'm going for Christmas, why not go four or six months prior and get a chance to explore the United Kingdom? I began researching Visa's and when I found SWAP it was an obvious choice and seemed a great idea to go for at least a year. I figured I'd have enough funds by Spring but my car accident changed all that. Certainly, it was an inconvenience to go through the physio and have to get a new car and all that, but the end result of a nice chunk of money to compensate for personal damages eliminated my debt and bumped by departure date to January.

I remember when I made the decision. It was in the summer and January seemed a very long way off. People would ask if I was leaving soon and I'd say, "Oh not really. Months yet."

Well it's one week away now.

But it's more than just a move to a new country that I'm looking forward to. I'm suddenly in a very different position as far as my art goes and where I see myself going in the next two years. My Visa will guarantee me a place in the UK, whilst I explore and learn and grow. My own sense of self and my personal motivation to be successful as an artist spur me on and millions of possibilities await me in a city eight times larger than the one I've lived in my whole life.

As I embark on this adventure I'm open to everything and anything.

Today I'm going to try and finish this painting.

What Christmas Means to me My Love

As a child I was hugely materialistic, but I think that's just the way it is to be a kid. You want a million toys and Christmas is about packages under the tree.

As I've gotten older Christmas has been about traditions. Things like, when you go get the tree and how you choose to decorate it. In my family we do themed trees and have ever since the first Christmas without my dear Grandma Doreen. That year was purple. This year is All That Glitters.

But now that I'm an adult, and now that my life is going in such a magical new direction, I don't hold onto anything too tightly. The one thing, though, which has remained (Besides delighting in the abundance of delicious food the season brings.) is my ability to find the Perfect Gift. I love when I've wrapped something chosen with great care, knowing it will be appreciated because it was given with love.

In light of my immanent departure and because I'm saving money, I didn't buy my gifts this year. I gave away things that meant something to me or I gave the gift of my art work.

Each year I will have certain gifts that I am looking forward to giving the most. Whilst this year was no different, every gift I've given was given with great care, thought and love.

Two of them, however, were extremely important.

To my best friend of eighteen years (Has it been so long?) I gave Temperance, my 9th Tarot card of the year.

To my mum I gave Strength, which I finished in early November and have had to keep utterly secret since.

I had two goals for myself in 2009. One was to pay off my debt so I could travel in 2010. I'm happy to say I'm $100 and a flight on January 6th away from that goal.

The other was to paint a Tarot Card a month. At the time I made the goal I don't think I really had any idea what it meant. I've since come to see that the cards I paint will be done in time, according to whatever influences are in my life. Nine out of twelve isn't too bad for a years worth of work. Each one has been a learning experience and some have been more tiresome than others. I'm happy to say that both Strength and Temperance, in being made with genuine love and appreciation for their recipients, were completed in ten or so hours over a period of two days each. When I knew I was going to do them it happened just like that. There was no choice on my part. It was more of just knowing I had to go buy a canvas and get to work so the image in my head could be shared.

To finally be able to give them today was brilliant. It was fully worth the wait and I'm happy to be able to unveil them now to all of you who follow my blog.

Whether you celebrate it or not, may you enjoy the holidays. May you be safe, may you be happy and may you have ease of mind.

And then there was Death

In the story of Tarot, Death signifies the end of something that once was and the birth of something new. As a Buddhist I practice letting go of attachment. In western culture I find this is misinterpreted. People take it to mean you shouldn't own anything or want for anything. This is not the case. A lack of attachment simply means you accept the inevitability of change and the impermanence of all things.

The Death card represents this for me. Without change we become stagnant. Without an end there can be no beginnings. These endings are occurring all the time. Each moment that passes we are reborn as someone new and different because each moment we know more than we did the moment before.

I began painting this card ages ago but only finished it recently. Suitably, I finished it right before my ten day journey to London.

In the last year I found my own inner wisdom, faced an unknown path and have found a new beginning.

I have fifty 16X24 reproductions of the Death Tarot Card available for $50 each before January 6th.

Contact faunawolf@gmail.com to order one today.

I was once The Fool

The entire story of Tarot begins with The Fool. The number on The Fool card is zero, representing infinite possibilities, a clear plate, new beginnings and a sense of openness and potential. As Delirium was new in my life, she seemed the perfect subject for the central focus of The Fool card.

The card itself has many elements, much like the High Priestess. The Fool can be depicted carrying a satchel or pack of some sort. Occasionally there will be a dog, following along, the Fool's only companion. Because I wanted the card to be showing a sense of unknown I chose not to include these elements. I did bestow my Fool with a 'staff' in the form of a feather toy. I also put in the dice as a representation of the unknown future the Fool faces. Life is a roll of the dice and we cannot know where we might end up. The path extends into the horizon, past purple mountains, re-enforcing how undetermined the future is. The Fool stands alone on this path, full of delight at all the possibilities she might face. The four suits of cards represent new beginnings.

But the Fool is still foolish and whilst it may seem positive, it's also a card that represents a need to be aware. We stand alone, just as the Fool stands alone, but we must remember not be lost in a daydream or fantasy. Between The High Priestess and The Fool we can find balance. Be open to the future and all our potential, but have the wisdom of our experiences to guide us on our unknown journey.

The Fool is available in a 16X24 reproduction for $50 for a limited time. Order yours today through faunawolf@gmail.com.

Breakfast of Champions

One of my favourite novels is Breakfast of Champions (Or Goodbye Blue Monday.) by the incredibly brilliant Kurt Vonnegut (1922 - 2007)



In it are a series of intertwining events following the lives of several different characters. One of the characters is an artist who has painted a piece called 'The Temptation of St. Anthony' (No, it's nothing like Dali's work.) which is nothing more than a canvas painted Day Glow green with a bright neon yellow stripe painted down one side. He is, at one point, being ridiculed by several other creative types, who argue that his painting required no real effort and therefore cannot constitute as being 'art'.



In a moment of brilliance he addresses the group, stating that the thing about his painting is, he did it whilst no one else had. It was art simply because it hadn't been done before. It may seem simple and it may seem obvious, but sometimes it is the obvious things that have never been done before that provoke us.



Of course the other important thing to remember is that just because one person sees it as art, doesn't mean we all have to. There are billions of people on the planet. To be a successful artist one must only find fifty or so people willing to pay you what your art is worth. So 'fire' the Nay-Sayer's, or those that would argue if your work has value. You are worth as much as you believe you are and when you find those who agree you won't have to justify or explain what you do or why you do it.



Art is in the eye of the beholder.


My latest piece, which shall be the last painting I do in 2009. I've finished the background. I'm hugely excited to start on the rest of it.

Why Tarot Cards?

I realise that I have a pretty expansive artist's pallet. I dabble in sculpting, painting and costume design. This might seem a bit much and I've been told time and again that I should 'specialize', which I balked at initially. I figured, if I can do it all, why not? But I keep an open mind and am always prepared for change and the lessons we learn as we explore our talents and abilities.

I've come to a very interesting realisation about my art and the things I'm truly passionate about versus the things that I can do well, but don't necessarily enjoy. I know I've got an eye for sculpting and perhaps in the right context, it might be something I'd pursue, but I don't really feel creative when I sculpt. I feel more technical about it. I think it's something I'd be better suited to teach people, than to use as a creative outlet.

When I paint, however, I feel like it's a true expression of myself and what I love to do. The exploration I did with painting has been ongoing and I've found myself really enjoying my Tarot card series. The initial one I did was years ago, as a gift for someone. It was the first time an idea I had for a painting actually looked how I'd imagined it would upon completion.

Over the next few years I did more, but they became an assembly line sort of project. I did them on smaller canvases since I couldn't afford the size I wanted and because I felt, if I did them on smaller ones, I could complete more. I was also doing them for someone else, which became difficult as I found myself disconnecting and I found my creative energy blocked by depression and anxiety.

After a series of what could have been devastating events, I woke up. I took control and I found myself with a new blank canvas, in the size I preferred. My first choice of card was The High Priestess.

This card was my choice for several reasons. My cat of 21 years had died the summer before I painted it, and I'd wanted to immortalize her in a painting ever since she'd left this mortal coil.

I wanted to do a tarot painting that was just for me.

I actually do read tarot cards and I find them beautiful and fascinating. They don't tell you anything you don't already know and the art in them is intricate, interesting and fun to study.

When doing Tarot readings, I often get The High Priestess. She represents wisdom, instinctual knowledge that helps us to make decisions and reveal the truth behind any situation, thought or idea. Generally it is representative of the Tarot Reader her or himself, so I suppose it makes sense that I identify so strongly with this card.

In painting it I looked at several different designs done by many others. I always go to classic decks first as they generally have the most basic symbols and seem to be a good starting point. In my depiction of the card I included symbols I felt were most important. She is cloaked in the night, shown with a scroll and cauldron. This represents her mysterious nature as well as her ability to just 'know'. She represents balance and understanding and has strong connections with the Earth. Instead of the traditional pillars I chose to do twisted, tall trees climbing on either side of her.

This was the first card I painted in 2009. I have a very limited quantity of 16X24 inch prints available. I'm offering them at the special Holiday price of $50. To order contact me at faunawolf@gmail.com.

Limited Edition Reproductions Available!

E-mail faunawolf@gmail.com to order a limited edition 16X24 inch reproduction of one of three of my Tarot Card paintings.

Reproductions cost $50 each (Holiday pricing! They go up to $70 each January 6th.) so order yours today through faunawolf@gmail.com.


Availability:


High Priestess - 10 prints





The Fool - 10 prints







Death - 50 prints

Kait's Mix Tape...an on-going Blog idea

This shall be the first of many posts about music.

I love music. It fuels my day, fills my life and gives my heart wings when I need it. My ipod is the equivalent of a bottomless Mix Tape. I've got play lists galore and almost every type of genre. I think my love of a broad spectrum of musical styles is due to the fact that I listen to lyrics. Whilst I'm incredibly talented creatively, none of that talent lies in song. I don't like most of my attempts at poetry, I'm tone deaf and the math behind notes boggles my mind. I leave it to others to fill the world with music, and I consume the words they write and melodious tones they provide ravenously and with great appreciation for their skills.

So it's lyrics I go after and the songs with words which inspire me most go onto a play list I call 'OCD Mix'. These are songs I can listen to on repeat and not tire of and it is this play list which is most often emitting from my computer as I paint. I've been painting more and more as of late, having discovered that this is, in fact, where my passion lies. One such painting was this pair of shoes, which I did in trade for services from a friend of mine who does videography. I'm really happy with the design, as I often am with my shoes. The true test will be his reaction upon seeing them, but I'm utterly confident that he will be pleased.

My musical recommendations:

'One Day Like This' - Elbow

First off, it's got stringed instruments in it. I tell people I love songs with strings and they immediately think I'm telling them I like classical. Don't get me wrong, I do like it, but there are plenty of songs with violin, cello and double bass in them that aren't written by Vivaldi, Bach or Beethoven.

Second, it's beautiful lyrically. Best line: 'Throw those curtains wide...'

'Breaking the Habit' - Linkin Park

Generally these guys are known for being angsty, which they totally are, but this song is less about wallowing and more about realising your potential and ability to master your own fate.

Best line:

'I don't know why I instigate and say what I don't mean. I don't know how I got this way, I know it's not alright, so I'm breaking the habit, I'm breaking the habit tonight.

For me this is all about changing how we define regret. Rather than longing to go back and change something, which we cannot do and waste far too much time wishing we could, it's about accepting responsibility for things we've done wrong and promising to surprise ourselves by doing them differently in the future.

'My Skin' - Natalie Merchant

Best line:

'I need the darkness, the sweetness, the sadness, the weakness'

I believe the song itself is about the demise of a relationship, but this line in particular means we need all the experiences life has to offer and to accept them as they are without feeling they are either 'good' or 'bad'. They just are what they are and if we hope to grow and change and learn we need it all: dark, sweet, sad and weak.

'I Got a Feelin' - Black Eyed Peas

Good to dance to and completely true.

A Designer's Mind

Commissioned Dragon Ornament

One of the most common complaints or excuses I hear about doing art as a living is with regards to commissions. Art is fun and great until there are requests and deadlines and then suddenly it feels rushed or it simply can't be done right.

I admit, when it comes to my writing, I don't like rules. I follow the rules of written English, of course, but limitations based on page length and deadlines for completion make me nervous and uncomfortable. I find my writing becomes stiff. It's not a route I like to take, which is why I will have to self-publish.

But my art is an entirely different matter. I have an advantage in that I prefer to create something for someone. Don't doubt that the work I do is of my own creation and imagination. I have done pieces just for me, but I really enjoy creating something with someone in mind. If they ask me for it, this means they like my style and even if I don't really know the person, I enjoy doing the research to make sure that their personality is captured in my work. It's fun for me, and easy, to create something with someone in mind. Of all my work, my favourite pieces are often those done for a friend or family member. One of my favourite accomplishments was a pair of custom shoes done for the brother of a friend. I'd never met him and only had his website (he makes guitars) to go on. The result was magnificent and I was told later that he was really happy with them.

I received a few commissions during my gallery showing and a few more following it. I found it amusing that those requesting them told me not to worry too much about getting them done quickly. They knew I was busy with my London plans and didn't want to add too much to my plate. Because I work so well with specifications and a narrowing of my ideas to a specific person, I am able to complete a commission in excellent time. I never feel the work is sloppy either, as my work is always done mindfully when it's created for someone. I can focus on what I'm doing in the moment and ultimately, the results are well received on both ends. I am proud of my work and happy that they are able to have a unique piece of mine that fits their personality and they are happy to have something created with them in mind, so they can say it was created with them in mind.

Painting with your hands

I know this might sound strange but I've never actually thought of myself as a painter. My natural talents lie in writing and sculpting and whilst I enjoyed painting, I never really thought of myself as talented enough to do it with any real seriousness. I really liked the idea of it, though, so I spent some time experimenting with different sizes of canvas and different surfaces. Of course my canvas shoes have always been a delight to do, but it took quite a bit of testing to determine exactly what sort of canvas I require. I work best on large pieces and generally I stick to the two by three foot canvases. All my Tarot cards have been completed on this size but before I chose that endeavor, I would play around a lot. I have two pieces done with my hands, in an attempt to get a better feel for acrylic and determine what I could do with it.

The first was "Bird Woman", a piece which now hangs in my parents library. My idea with this one was that it could be hung two ways: As a bird or as a flower. Generally it got a bit messy and I was put off by it, but my parents have always loved it. In fact, I recently learned that it's one of my dad's favourite pieces of art.

The second was "For Every Boy..." done on a split canvas. I began with the rainbow, wanting to get away from the smear of colours established in "Bird Woman". At the time I was just beginning work on the creation of the Miscellaneous Youth Network. Someone had given me a poster which was full of phrases like "For every girl who is tired of acting weak when she feels strong, there is a boy tired of appearing strong when he feels vulnerable." I myself was exploring the world of drag and breaking down my personal gender binary definitions. It seemed apt to fill the canvas with these phrases, as well as a few I came up with myself. In hot pink acrylic I painted the first phrase down the entire two canvases. With a silver art pen I wrote more over top, from the red to the yellow. I chose not to fill the entire canvas with the phrases simply because I didn't want to distract people too much from the underlying words written in pink.

Both pieces are of my very first workings with acrylic on canvas and though I feel I've definitely improved, I am actually quite pleased with what I accomplished then. They were the beginnings of me finding my abilities as a painter and I'm extremely happy to have done them.

"Bird Woman" is not for sale but prints are available upon request.

"For Every Boy..." is available for sale.

Please contact me for details on either of these pieces or any other work featured in this Blog.

All work photographed in this Blog is copyright.