Monthly Archives: November 2018

Tarotcast

Tarotcast for Week Of November 25, 2018

Ron Mueck Hyperrealism

Hyperrealism is the genre of painting or sculptures that resemble or portray real life and offshoot of photorealism.  Photorealism is a painting, drawings or other graphic medium in which an artist tries to replica a photograph.  These movements were born with Pop Art in the 60’s and 70’s.    Ron Mueck creates hyperrealism sculptures, and what sets him apart is his use of scale.

He grew up around dolls and puppets in his parents business, and became a model maker and puppeteer for children’s television, films such as Labyrinth and worked in Jim Henson’s Muppet Workshop.  Then in 1996 he started creating fine art sculptures. Mueck uses resin, fiberglass, silicone, and many other materials, constructing hyperrealistic likenesses of mostly human beings, while playing with scale. When asked why Mueck plays with size he said:  Life-size figures … never seemed to be interesting. We meet life-size people every day. Altering the scale makes you take notice in a way that you wouldn’t do with something that’s just normal.

It is interesting that this concept of scale with the human form resonates in our human psyche.  Take for instance, the TV show Land of the Giants or the stories Thumbelina, The Little Peach Boy, Gulliver’s Travels, Alice in Wonderland or as far back The Odyssey.  All of these stories have the theme of large and small.  Is it our biological fear of being prey that has us pondering size especially in contrast to us? When we play with scale particularly with our human form we end up observing things that are commonplace in a new way.  This is the beauty, awe and sometimes horror and disgust of looking through a magnifying glass, microscope or telescope.  Playing with scale not only has us observing the ordinary and everyday closer, but it also has us questioning our place in the Universe. And that is a great exercise with this kind of art.

P.S. Remember signs with an * it’s a big week for you.  And please share.

 

*Aries – Death

Ron Mueck Hyperrealism The Death card is an appropriate as you head into the winter months.  This week has that feel of slow natural change that happens each season.  This card asks you questions like: What cycles are you starting up again? What ideas or projects do you want to store and work on next year?  What do you want to let die or finish before spring?  This week start mulling these questions in your head, so by winter Solstice you will have a good strategy and platform for 2019.

 

*Taurus – Strength

Ron Mueck Hyperrealism You are going to need your strength this week.  Not because the outside world is trying your patience, but this week is more about your internal struggle to get things done. This card wants you to assess how you hold yourself back.  Do you think you are not strong enough? Or are your opinions and expectations too strong?  Does your will power not let you rest or does it drag you down into inertia?  The Strength card shows up right before one needs to gather their strength to create momentum with the material goals in life. While the rest of us are hibernating, winter will be the perfect time for you all to kick ass, so use this time to garner your strength.
Continue reading Tarotcast for Week Of November 25, 2018 →

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Tarotcast for Week of November 18, 2018

Japanese Book covers

I have a deep love for illustration and the artists that do them. This collection of Japanese book covers (1920’s to 1940’s) I found on the exceptional site called 50 Watts.  Hmm I don’t even know how to describe this site other than fascinating images of illustration collected by an amazing online curator/blogger.  You can sign up for “journey round my skull” to get it sent straight to your inbox.  I point this out because illustration, design and craft have been kept out of the definition of “fine arts”. This is an injustice.

Many “fine art” critics, curators and historians wave away illustration, craft and design as an art form and it can even be used an insult.  As an example, an artist  told me that an art teacher critique  her paintings as too illustrative and that made her really question herself as an artist .  I also had a run into this bias at an Artisan’s fair where the judge stated that she just couldn’t wrap her head around judging the fine art with the craft entries, so she decided next year to have a new category just for craft and this year she would only judge  the paintings and photographs as entries.  I don’t think either person meant it as a criticism to illustration or craft but interestingly both these people taught in a college setting, where they teach people what art is and also what defines their students as artists.

Illustration, design and craft can take as much imagination and technical skill as any “fine art” form.  And as I have said before they are everyday gateways into art appreciation.  Art critics and curators now have somewhat expanded the definition of fine art  with street artists like Banksy, Jean Michael, and the trend for outsider art (and I have to add even at this time period these are predominately men that are recognized but that is another blog) but I am not so sure that the art educational system has caught up. What would happen if we just took out primarily or solely in this definition of “fine art” as creative art, especially visual art, whose products are to be appreciated primarily or solely for their imaginative, aesthetic, or intellectual content?Imagine what kind of art we would see if we opened up to that definition.

P.S. Remember signs with an * it’s a big week for you.  And please share.

 

Aries – Eight of Swords

Japanese book coversThis week can feel a bit binding with the Eight of Swords.  This card foretells that between your thoughts and your obligations you might feel a bit trapped.  The challenge is realizing this binding feeling is all in your hands.  The obligations and thoughts can easily be let go of if you are truthful with the reasons behind them.

 

Taurus – King of Swords

This King request that you take control this week.  You are the best one to figure out your strategies to get through this week.  Rely on others but only if they have direction, and who better to do that then you.  You have your intellect and wit about you this week, use them.
Continue reading Tarotcast for Week of November 18, 2018 →

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Tarotcast for Week of November 11, 2018

Above and below are photographs by Christy Lee Rogers. Her style is reminiscent of Baroque paintings.  She, like the siren, lures her friends and family into a pool at night and submerges them with an array of sinuous fabrics.  Rogers has created a technique of using the refraction of light, water and movement to craft images that are lively with color and deep in complexity.

Her subjects show a sense of beauty and strength at the same time vulnerability and fragility that exemplifies the human condition.  She explains: What I want more than ever is to express and inspire hope and freedom, a sense of wonder and tranquility, to create a safe place to dream wildly, and most importantly to inspire the idea that there are still mysterious, impossibly beautiful things on Earth—not solely in our imaginations.

That is our challenge in life and especially in the arts is to bring forth and to light the beauty and mystery of our humanity.  This week be open to investigating the mystery and embodying the beauty that is uniquely human.

P.S. Remember signs with an * it’s a big week for you.  And please share.

Aries – Ace of Swords

 

The Ace of Swords foretells that your mind is your best asset.  You are going to need your logic and wits about you this week.  This card’s advice is to cut through the malarkey and make decisions.

 

Taurus – Ten of Pentacles

The Ten of Pentacles brings another week of focusing on building your net worth.  What you have going right now is a pretty good gig.  Keep at it and adding to it.
Continue reading Tarotcast for Week of November 11, 2018 →

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Tarotcast for the Week of November 4, 2018

Happy Birthday Scorpio.  The above is what I consider the cutest snake in the world; however it is venomous.  It is the tree dwelling bush viper found only in ancient rain forest of sub-Saharan Africa.

Scorpio is represented by a scorpion, eagle and/or phoenix, the only sign given multiple forms.  I sort of get the Scorpion part because of the constellation, but the personality of Scorpio and scorpions never really jived.  Scorpions are desert dwellers; Scorpio is a water sign.  Scorpions’ sting can cause death but don’t really portray Scorpios’ sexy and fun side. The sign of Scorpio also rules the underworld and transformation; though this is somewhat cover by the phoenix but it just doesn’t say scorpion. Scorpio is more than just the scorpion hence people attaching more animals real and imagined.

An animal that does jive better with Scorpio’s domains and personalities are snakes. Snakes can live in a variety of environments but they definitely can do water. ie: sea snakes, water moccasins, pythons etc… This portrays how Scorpios can fit in almost everywhere.  Snakes can be harbingers of death. However unlike scorpions, snakes are super sexy especially when they move. They also do the transformation and growth every time a snake sheds their skin.  Even if you look at the constellation you could easily see a snake instead of a scorpion. So what do you say Scorpios let’s change your animal to the snake. An animal that is as diverse as your own personality.

To help convince everyone I’m highlighting the adorable trend of Snakes in Hats which also proves my point how bad ass, funny and cute snakes like Scorpios can be all at the same time.

P.S. First a shout out if in US please use your right and privilege to vote.

PS.S. Remember signs with an * it’s a big week for you.  And please share.

Aries – Knights of Pentacles

Snakes in hatsLast week, the High Priestess challenged you to go within, find your center and then watch cycles.  This week the Knight of Pentacles has you take what you learned last week and turn outward applying it to what you are doing in the world.  This is a week were being practical is paramount.

 

Taurus – King of Pentacles

Snakes in hatsThe King of Pentacles is the doer and builder of the lower arcane.  Take that energy he brings to you expanding on work, projects and anything that has to do with the material plane.  Your only challenge is not to “bulldoze” anything into existence.  So be careful how and what you are treading on to get to get things done.
Continue reading Tarotcast for the Week of November 4, 2018 →