Transformations-The Selkie

Another post to go with my theme of "Transformations", this one involves transforming myself into the "Selkie" from Irish Myth and Fairy Tales.  I have been wanting to "make" myself into a Selkie for sometime now, but I knew it would be hard work.  This time, I made my features very dark(with lighting and some make-up, very 'old school').  The environment I created was equally dark as well as wet, windy and truly maddening(I ended up not being able to see what I was photographing, I felt like I was in the middle of storm and I created my own 'beach', but NO, I DO NO HAVE A SEAL SKIN or any kind of skin.  The 'seal skin' that is seen in some of the photographs is made by my hands which can also be called magick.).

"Prayers to please let me capture at least one photograph 'cause I can't be seeing anything in this storm I have created and my glasses were lost in the waves of the sea...but they don't help my eye balls so much anyway and I refuse to set all this crazy up again, Thank you"

"My Eye Balls"

The Selkie was a Seal swimming blissfully with her Seal sisters while in the Sea.  But, these Seals would come ashore to dance in the Moonlight where they would they would become human woman and shed their Seal skins. 

"The Selkie"

The Selkie-Woman was coveted for being the most loving and loyal of wives, so men would watch and wait for them to come on land and then steal their skins so they could marry them.  Once married, the men would hide the Selkie's skin and she would forget her Seal sisters and her true origins.  She would go on to have children and to be the most caring wife and mother of legend.  But, she always felt a longing for something when she stared out to the sea. 

"Left Behind"

As the myth tells, the Selkie Woman would eventually find her Seal Skin and then remember her sea home.  The cries of her Seal Sisters would be unbearable to her and then she would be faced with an impossible choice; would she stay with her human and beloved family on land or would she would return to the pull of the sea and her dear sisters where she felt she truly belonged. 

"The Discovery"

For my part, I called this series of photographs "Longing".  But, where is home? Is it a place in our heart? This is what so many stories tell us. 

"Heartless Home"

"Heart Path"

 But, I know that there are definitely physical places that call to me strongly as if my own Seal Sisters were there.  These places make me feel more alive, relaxed and like I can finally breathe. I feel like "me" and I do feel at home. But, this is a earth, sky, water and no more or is it?  How can this be home?

"Water Drop"

  This is part of the human condition.  Do we choose our beloved families or these physical places that call to us? There will always be a longing and this impossible decision.

"Longing"

p.s. I managed to take some photographs despite all of these emotional questions and not being able to see what I was doing.  That is something really cool to think on!

Transformations in the New Year

Again, it has been a long time since I have done any posting.  So, I will add some new images of recent self-portrait photographs. I have done a few new series exploring transformations.  Not just with hair and makeup, but with how I show my emotions. It is amazing how much a small change in an emotion caught on film(well, digital disk these days) can effect the whole feeling of a photograph.  This is so intriquing to me-yes, I should have thought of this a long time ago!  I think more and more about this as I take these photographs and folks don't think any of them are self-portraits.  I am more aware of how I perceive people and am perceived myself as I walk around every day too.  More on that later! I am wishing you all a Wonderful New Year!

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"Albina" merle, 2011 december

"The Girl with Flames for Hair" merle, 2011 december

"Light and Love" merle, 2011 december

"Gold and Amber" merle 2011 december

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Bye for now!

A New Blog Post!

"Tess and her Dear Friendly" merle 2011

Finally! I have realized that I am just not the kind of person who can write about the art they create. I can't write about it before, my process, the story, or what it means when I am done. So, I am not going to ever be a great blogger. It is all a private and quiet thing for me. I am my own worse critic as well. Someone else will have to get excited and promote my art. I feel that if I could do that, I couldn't creat my visual art. When I am done with it, I am really done. Then it is off to all of you-you take from it and see in it what you want. Here is another one of my recent paintings, "Tess with her Dear One"-A lovely lady who loves emerald green, Pre-Raphealites, has long dark hair, and who is missing her little cat who died recently. I do love painting these portraits for people. I like that they can help in a small way.

I make most of my gifts. It would be easier to buy something, but I just dare myself to make something out of whatever is in my studio. Both of my nephews had Harry Potter Birthday Parties this year. I made them both gifts like the ones in this photo-a photograph I took at Glastonbury Abbey and edited to look "magical" like it was Hogwarts, a vintage glass bottle with white glass glitter in it, stopped with a cork sealed with white wax with a little note saying, "Phoenix Ashes", a large Peacock Feather dyed orange in a chiffon bag, and a little leather eye kind of patch thing that I made(on of the characters had something like it?). I didn't know what I was doing, I was just happy that they both liked their gifts.

Progress?  I do many sketches at one time and then paint 2 or 3 paintings at a time.  I wear moccasins all the time.  This all makes sense to me!

My home is one huge stack of art, books, altars, textiles, vintage clothing, very old pieces for props in my photos-too much antique furniture for my little place, but furniture I use in my photographs, tons of different kinds of lights, things that glitter, things that are shiney, things that are turquoise or robins egg blue, did I say books? I also have Dorothy's Ruby Red slippers under a glass closque(among other things-the bones of saints, relics from ancient Sumaria, I also have plans for building a Cemetary for Mermaids in here-still working that one out)-I can't get any of this organized and I need to have most of it out so I can see what I am doing and what I can do next.  This is just one little corner where not much is going on.  There are many more areas just like this one with framed art ready to be hung without a wall for it, stacks of books and boxes of this and that, more antique shelves or dressers with all of my treasures-this is the stuff that can't be cleaned up-I have tried!  The large piece is a 3 plate colour reduction monotype I made on my printing press of my Dear Donkey Rosebud(we grew up together and she died when we were both 27).  This piece is a shrine to her.

"Selkie"merle 2011

Finally, I have been working on 2 new series of self-portait photographs-one series is about  female creatures of myth and legend(for that series, I built a "beach" in my house-no big thing).  The other is exploring different themes about what makes a women look like a "Lady"-see!  I am talking to myself in my head again!

"Wearing Pearls" merle 2011

Passing on lots of Love and Light!

Finally! New Paintings!

SHEESH!

(a fantastic expletive my Grandmother Gingie used that I say myself now)

It has been so long since I have been able to paint. My art has been stuck for a while(a long while), but I am happy that it is going again and I plan on keeping it that way.  Here are a few portraits I have finished for some extremely patient and Saintly folks!  Thank you all!  Now that I have my momentum back, I am taking on new commissions.  Please let me know if you are interested.
 

"Gizmo"

Mixed Media on Cotton Rag Paper

Finally! My portrait of Gizmo! He is a beautiful black cat with regal features and yellow/gold eyes. His lady thought he must certainly being wearing gold Gothic Style Crown-But of course! She also loves orchids and gardening so I added a bit of both in the foreground. She left the rest up to me. I created a boarder at the top with Medieval style floral designs and then wrote out one of my favourite quotes about cats by Leonardo Di Vinci. I finished the piece by stamping a seal on hot red wax to give it a feel of the time period. And, most important, everyone was happy with the finished piece! Yay! What a sweet little cat face to look at for the whole of process. Dearest Gizmo, now I love you too!

"Katinka and Her Toto"

Another commissioned piece, "Katinka and Her Toto" was a painting I did for the multi-talented artist Katinka Pinka. Toto was her sweet baby and had died several years before. She wanted a portrait of both of them wearing fancy crowns and left the rest up to me. Because I know and love Katinka, the end result is what comes from a person saying, "you do your thing". On her face, I painted tribal face markings which have become my own and which I have been doing in all forms of my art for over 20 years. They are the result of my love of cultures all over the world how lucky I have been to travel all over to. I threw in a rainbow of colours as well since Katinka is so colourful inside and out-how fun!
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The black dots high on her cheek bones are really special to me. They show up on almost every painting, photograph, self portrait photograph, art doll or any other art piece I do.

The black dots high on her cheek bones are really special to me. They show up on almost every painting, photograph, self portrait photograph, art doll or any other art piece I do. If I need some extra "POW" to get through my day, I draw them on with black liquid eye liner and have for years. Katinka surprised me by getting these marks tattooed on her face! Wow! They look amazing on her! I am for sure and for certain flattered. Perhaps I should do the same?
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 I also added a poem I wrote as I was finishing her piece-just as I went to sign it. I couldn't help it. Sometimes these things happen in just a few minutes because I am not a poet or a writer so it has to be an easy thing. So, she got a poem and has to take it. I didn't expect to hear anything but, "YES MAM!" from her. Here is that poem-nothing fancy, I love you Katinka!

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of toto and katinka,

the love and joy they share is such

that the angels sing and all matter of beings bless bliss

surround and entreat them to follow,

never once without the other

before or ever after,

they swell and grow knowing that

the 2 sustain eternally,

from the starry skies

where their souls reside

and back to the rich, black earth

of their bodies birth

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More paintings to share! Now that I that I back to my drawings and paintings, I am happy to take on more commissions-Please contact me if you are interested. 

A Collaboration With Ivy Long of Edera Jewelry

Bohemian Gypsy Bride

Edera Jewelry Monarch necklace

Self Portrait photograph, Merle Pace

Wardrobe and Styling, Merle Pace

Monarch Necklace~Private Collection

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Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to take some self-portrait photographs as well as photograph my friend and model, Lorissa Byely, wearing Ivy Long's of Edera Jewelry sublime pieces.  She mailed me several pieces and I created several different looks for each one keeping in mind that Ivy's jewelry has a big focus on Bridal.  Each of the pieces included colour which I incorporated into each Bridal Story.  I am happy that Ivy liked the results!  I hope the photographs illustrate how colour can be incorporated into a wedding through your jewelry and other details to make the day truly unique.  

Edera Jewelry Demerter Necklace, For Sale in Edera Etsy Store

Photograph,Merle Pace

Model, Lorissa Byely

Wardrobe, Merle Pace

Styling,  Merle Pace

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 Each piece of Ivy's jewelry(ranging from headpieces, brooches, necklaces, earrings) is one of a kind and meticulously made from traditions of the past including lace making and embroidery of her own designs.  To these designs, she adds gorgeous semi precious gemstones, vintage beads and fine real gold and silver threads.  As fine heirloom jewelry, all the detail and patience she puts into each piece is overwhelming.  Here is the Link to her Blog Post where she has written about our Collaboration how she used my photographs with her pieces.

One Version of Ivy's Violaine Necklace-A more "Medieval" Style Photograph

Description Below

Photograph, Wardrobe, Styling-Merle Pace

Model, Lorissa Byley 

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This is the link to Edera Jewelry's Etsy Shop which includes some of my photographs with her new Fall and Winter 2011 "Neoclassical" Collection.  Please check out more of the "drool-worthy" pieces here.  I have added 3 examples of my photographs below.

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{1}

SELENE EARRINGS 

Long Black Onyx Earrings, Garnet Post Studs, Handmade Gold Lace. Dramatic Grecian/Neoclassical Design. Fall/Winter 2011-From Edera Jewelry



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{2}

VIOLAINE NECKLACE

Gold Lace Necklace~Medieval. Purple Amethysts, Freshwater Pearls, Gold-filled Chain

From Edera Jewelry

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{3}

DEMETER NECKLACE

Autumn Beaded Necklace~ Pumpkin Orange Teardrop Textile Pendant~ Gold Lace, Quartz Crystal, Citrine~From Edera Jewerly

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 I look froward to photographing more Edera Jewelry and creating more little "environments" and "stories" for each piece.  I am really enjoying doing this for other Jewelry Artists as well.  Ivy is on the East Coast and I am in the Midwest, so Ivy FedX'd me her pieces, I photographed them in a few days and sent them back.  I have done this for other artists from as far away as Finland.  They trust me to create a unique look that is specific with their vision and their creations.  If you are interested in having me photograph your Jewelry or other pieces, please contact me here or at merle@merleart.com

Wishing you all the best!

Edera Jewelry Hylas Necklace 

Self Portrait Photograph, Merle Pace
Wardrobe, Merle Pace
Styling, Merle Pace
Hylas Necklace, Private Collection
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All Jewelry and Photographs property of Edera Jewelry and Merle Pace/Rowan DeVoe Arts
Copy Write Edera Jewelry and Merle Pace/Rowan Devoe Arts
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More Info about Ivy and her techniques:

Ivy Long is a jewelry designer and and self-taught lace maker based in beautiful Vermont. The daughter of a milliner, Ivy began honing her interest in fiber arts and jewelry at an early age. By high school she had apprenticed with several jewelry designers. In her early twenties she discovered an affinity for crochet and lace making and by combining her love of jewelry with her love of lace, Edera Jewelry was born.

Edera Jewelry (named after the Italian word for ivy) is a collection of designs that feature Ivy's distinctive handcrafted lace. Creating her own patterns, she meticulously crafts each piece of jewelry from scratch, forming intricate lace designs with just a spool of thread and a tiny crochet hook. Her designs feature rare real metal threads imported from Europe that are nearly identical to those used in the opulent embroideries of the Renaissance. Interwoven with colorful silk threads, vintage beads, and luscious semi-precious stones, the jewelry celebrates the eternal feminine with designs that are beautiful, complex, delicate yet strong, and distinctive.

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How We Got Through The Summer Heat-In Images

"Ophelia" Monotype done by my Printmaking Prof and friend Barbara Elam

(it is pretty cool to see how other artists see you)

Lucky days spent exploring the watery caves off of Lindos, Rhodos, Greece.  This surely was a dream I had.

Hanging out down at our creek-Fishback Creek-with my sisters and boy cousins.  We spent endless hours down here swiming, creek hiking, making up games and more.  We were always covered in mud so we wouldn't get bitten by horseflies too!

Dancing with Pixies in the Shady Woods

Having THE BEST time ever living in a little house we made at the lake where our best friend lived.  Ah, that little house was THE BEST! The 3 of us are still sisters.

Having a Mom who grew up fishing and taking creek hikes as a little girl!  My mom is the little girl with braids in the center with the big smile and hat. My grandfather is the man in the way back wearing a hat and with a pipe!

Spending a lot of your freetime in boats!

Doing some art inside

Going someplace COOL if you can

Trying to remember that some(like my 4 little cats here on this super warm sun porch) like it hot!