Mind Body Spirit Artist Series: Julia Guthrie

The wind swept sea.  Mermaids, faeries, and Arthurian stories steeped in fantasy and mystery.  The stunning Cornish landscape and the beautifully inspired artwork of UK artist Julia Guthrie has left me completely spellbound.  I'm sure you're going to find Julia's wonderful artwork and words as enchanting as I did!

                                                                                                                        ~ diane fergurson

Freyja

MBS:  Can you tell us a little bit about your background?  How you got started in art?

Julia: Well, I have always been an artist. As a small child I would draw characters on the inside pages of my books...princesses with big dresses and big red lips!   lol

I loved my 'Big Book of Fairytales' the most, because of the stories but also because I loved the stunning illustrations that accompanied them. Girl's comics were another great favourite of mine...I used to colour in the pictures.  This evolved over the years to drawing portraits of my favourite pop stars and copying the posters I had on my wall, or I would copy their album covers with my paints.

I recall telling a teacher at school once, that I was going "paint record covers" when asked what I wanted to do as a job.

After school I did a year foundation course in Art and Design with a view to moving into Graphic Design. I didn't take that further though and in the last 10 years I have developed my painting skills in a more illustrative direction.

MBS:  I've noticed that many of the themes in your paintings center around goddess, mythological, and metaphysical subjects. How did this evolve into focal point for your work?

Julia:  I guess I have always been fascinated by the metaphysical world, and more recently, perhaps the last 15 years or so in particular, I had begun reading a lot more about various religions and their sources. The progression from believing in spirits/ tarot/ psychic abilities, led me to discover a whole new level which really fired up my imagination in a big way, while also becoming a life changing experience.

The Guide

One of my paintings is of a specific spirit guide who has been with me for a number of years. ('The Guide') It is very much how she appears to me.

Other paintings on this subject also have deep meaning for me, such as 'Inner Journey' (below). I wanted to express how it feels to be in a guided meditation, as I am a very visual person and I see rich, vivid landscapes which naturally I always wish I could capture onto paper!

The Goddess paintings, 'Freyja' (above) and 'White Tara' (bottom of page) came at times in my life when I had a very close connection to them in meditation. White Tara in particular had deeply inspired me during a meditation and when I had the idea to paint her it came together so easily that it genuinely felt as though I had channeled the painting straight from Tara herself.

When that happens I am as thrilled as anyone to see the image reveal itself.

Really I just paint the subjects that touch my life strongly...the parts of life that make me who I am, and my spiritual/ metaphysical side is one of the most important sides for me.

Inner Journey

MBS:  Do you work in a series?

Julia:  Some work is part of a series, such as the 'Storybook Cornwall' collection, which are illustrations created to reflect my love of books as a child growing up. And as I paint more Goddesses that will be a series of sorts, but there are just as many which are stand alone paintings.

MBS:  What materials do you use in your
work?

Julia:  My most used materials are Watercolour paints, because I like the versatility of them. They can be used lightly or layered for a more vibrant effect. Also pencils and sepia pencils.

However I also dabble in Oils and acrylics, and some recent paintings have been worked in mixed media such as acrylic, tissue paper, and gold leaf.

MBS:  Do you prefer a particular size when you work?

Julia:   I generally work with A4 and A3 sizes (approx 8x10" - 11x16") as it can take quite a while to complete a watercolour. Larger sizes always sound like fun but by the time I'm halfway through painting I wish I'd done it smaller!

MBS:  I've read that the inspiration from the visual landscape, legends and lore of where you live has played an important part in your work.  Can you explain where you live and how it has influenced you as an artist?

Julia:   I am lucky enough to live close to the sea in the beautiful County of Cornwall (UK). On the South West Peninsula you are never more than 16 miles from the coast...which for me, is absolute heaven!

Eventide

I moved here about 16 years ago and fell in love with the Cornish coastline, as many people do!  Cornwall is a place steeped in myth and legend, from mermaids, faeries and giants, to numerous Arthurian stories. I recall the day I realized that I lived right by the shores of the famous 'lost land of Lyonesse', from the tales of Tristan and Isolde; and I knew then that I had to illustrate these captivating legends.  They constantly tug on my heart strings.

A few of my earlier works are representative of that, but as my style has improved and changed. They are no longer online to view, but I still intend to capture those tales on paper. 

I spent 8 years living in Penzance, in a wonderful Victorian town house with distant views of the magical 'St Michael's Mount'. A stunning medieval castle on a tiny island just off the village of Marazion. Looking at something like that each day from my art studio window seat has carved a place in my heart which now forms the basis of much of my artistic inspiration.

Living in Cornwall has deeply inspired my creative muse in many ways, and I have also created a number of artworks based on my memories of childhood stories from Enid Blyton's 'Famous Five' and Susan Cooper's 'The Dark is Rising' series'.  These illustrations aim to capture the emotion and adventure of secret and magical places, where children can run free with bottles of ginger beer, and solve exciting mysteries!
 
'Storybook Cornwall' is a series based on my own photographs of places with a story to tell.

For much more information on 'my Cornwall', and many of the myths and legends I love, you can visit my blog page.

MBS:  That sounds absolutely magical!  Is there a particular favorite myth or legend from the area that has inspired you?

Julia:  It really is magical...every time I go for a walk I am reminded of the reasons why I love it here. I am constantly drawn back to the Arthurian legends... probably because I can stand on the windswept cliffs and look out towards the Scilly Isles, picturing the stretch of land that supposedly once connected them to Cornish shores. Lyonesse, the home of Tristan, was later apparently wiped out by a huge flood. The Atlantis myth has also been linked to this area because of the similarities.

Many tales tell of Cornish fishermen out in their boats, hearing mysterious ghostly church bells ringing out at sea and they say that they have looked down and seen what appeared to be buildings beneath the waves.

The mermaid of Zennor is another one I already have the muse working on ideas for. An ancient mermaid tale set in the tiny coastal village of Zennor, not more than half an hour or so from here. This too has historical references, with a rather curious mermaid carving on an old church pew found in Zennor Church.  Many of my Cornish illustrations echo the folk tales and stories that inspire me, although with those I prefer the picture to tell it's own tale...

I also enjoy photography, and while I'm not trained or a professional in any capacity I have a real love of beautiful photographs. I do a lot of paintings based on my own photographs because I simply wouldn't have time to sketch or paint the locations while I'm there. My husband and I do a lot of walking on the beaches and around the countryside, so it's nice to be able to capture an image with all the magical, fairytale atmosphere within in, then take it back to the studio to turn into a painting.

Riven Tide

My Flickr account houses a vast number of my favourite photographs...some of which have become paintings.  For example... 'Riven Tide' is inspired by one of my favourite Pre-Raphaelite paintings by J.W.Waterhouse, 'Miranda the Tempest'. It is based on photographs I took of a nearby cove that has always reminded me of the Waterhouse painting. In 1588 the Spanish Armada was first sighted on this stretch of coast, the beacons were lit and the alarm was raised. It is an era that fascinates me, so I simply had to paint a picture that hinted at such a historic event, happening right on my own doorstep!

Of course, it wouldn't be complete without the wind chimes and wall hangings I make from driftwood found on these beaches too.  I don't find a great deal unfortunately, so whatever is in my Etsy shop is pretty much all there is until I find a load more to work with. Drilling and gluing driftwood is quite therapeutic really.  It helps keep me connected to the sea, which is my biggest love :)

MBS:  What is a typical work day for you? Do you keep a regular schedule to work on your artwork, or are you less scheduled about it?


Julia:  I do not have a typical work day at the moment, as I have recently begun working a 'day job' once more. But prior to that I would generally have a list with numerous commissions or business/ art related activities that needed completing, and I'd allow my muse to decide which ones got done first. It has to be fun after all...or what is the point? :)

While it is important to keep paperwork up to date and get orders posted quickly, you really have to be flexible when it comes to creating. If I wake up with my muse leaping about excitedly in my head, then that ought to be the first thing I attend to. Later in the day when I have less creative energy is the time for invoices and packing tape.

MBS:  Do you sell your work online?  What has your online experience been like?

Julia:  I have been selling my work online for a few years now and I have found it to be a lot of fun. Through the usual avenues of Twitter, Facebook and Etsy, where I have made many new friends who are both fellow arts and crafters, and customers alike.  I have also tried a few other shopping sites which have not quite stood the test of time.

White Tara

Overall it's a lot of work and anyone joining a site like Etsy thinking that 'if you build it they will come', may be in for a surprise as it takes a great deal of self promotion and effort to make it financially worthwhile.  Over the years I have gathered a number of loyal customers and 'fans', if I can call them that, while building my online presence the best I can with my website and Facebook page, etc. I am truly grateful to each and every one of them. Nothing makes me happier than when I receive an email from a new person who tells me how much they love a particular painting of mine because it reminds them of a place they used to live...a connection they have to a spiritual deity, or however it resonates with them. That heartwarming connection is what really makes everything worthwhile.

Often when I am commissioned to do a painting I will pick up on an idea for a theme, or a particular aspect such as a feather, animal, or a particular type of flower, etc, only to discover that it already has great meaning or significance to the customer. It makes the painting so much more personal for them, and that is very important to me. All my paintings have a symbolic reference to the subject. Whether it's connected to myself or a customer.  I also love the fact that my spiritual/psychic side comes into play even while creating artwork.

MBS:   What are you currently working on?

Julia:  I currently have a number of projects floating about in my head - as always!

My new work will be based heavily on the Pre-Raphaelite style, as it is what first drew me to art as a child.  While I have always been influenced by it, I have long since wanted to move more in that direction with my own work.

I have a new painting of the Norse Goddess Freyja in the pipeline, quite different to my previous one, which is probably one of my favourite paintings to date. (It is also featured in the 2013 Earth Pathways Desk Diary for those in the UK)

And I am working on some sketches to illustrate 'The Mermaid Of Zennor' tale I mentioned earlier. I would very much like to perhaps turn that into an illustrated book, re-written by myself, but we shall see! :)

Aside from the personal work, I have commission work in various forms...from book illustrations, to website banners.

MBS:  What advice do you have to anyone who wishes to (seriously) pursue an 
artistic path?

Julia:  The best advice I could give in the current economical climate, and indeed beyond that, is to paint because you love it!  Draw...paint...be creative...try whatever your muse inspires you to try. Always enjoy what you do, and if you aren't enjoying it, do something else.

The most successful people I know, whether they are artists, jewellery designers or bakers, are successful because of the love & beautiful energy they infuse into their work. 

Take the time to learn how to meditate...then work when your muse calls.

Although saying that, a few business skills wouldn't go amiss either - for when the customers start banging your door down!  :)

thank you Julia!

Links to Julia's work:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Madeofearthandsea  Etsy shop

http://juliaguthrie.co.uk/   website

http://juliaguthrie.blogspot.co.uk/  Blog - to keep up with my life & inspirations!

http://www.facebook.com/Juliaguthrieart  Facebook page

http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliaguthrie/ Flickr 

Email : juliaguthrie@hotmail.co.uk

Links to other interviews in the Mind Body Spirit Artist Series.


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Gemstones of the Zodiac - Part 4 - Moonstone

Welcome to Part 4 of our “Gemstones of the Zodiac” series. 

The fourth sign of the Zodiac is Cancer (June 21 - July 21).  The Mystical Zodiac stone for Cancer is Moonstone.

Origins

Although named for the moon, moonstone is actually a feldspar known as “adularia”, because it was found, among other places, in the Adula Group of the European Alps.  The shimmering effect inside the stone is knows as “adularescence”. 

The classic moonstone comes from Sri Lanka.  Other moonstones can be found in the USA, Australia, Brazil, Myanmar and Madagascar.

Historical Beliefs

Ancient civilizations believed you could see it in the moon during a waning phase.  Because of this, some civilizations would use moonstone during the waxing phase for a love charm, and, during a waning phase, to tell a person’s future.
The Ancient Romans believed it was actually formed from moonlight.
The Ancient Greeks called the stone “Aphroselene”, a combination of the love goddess Aphrodite and the moon goddess Selene.
In India, it is a very sacred stone.  The Indians will only permit it to be displayed on a yellow colored cloth.  They believe that having the light of a full moon touch this stone will awaken its magical powers, which will bring good fortune and let people see the future.
A ring with a moonstone is a great talisman for one in love, especially if that loved one is far away.  It symbolizes that you are both “under the same moon”, a wonderful sentiment.

Formation

Moonstone is an opalescent type of Orthoclase, an alkai feldspar.   The sheen inside a moonstone is created when light reflects off the internal layers of albite.  The albite adds that little touch of blue that can be seen inside a moonstone.


Colors of Moonstone

Peach or Apricot Moonstone - it will calm and brighten the emotions and will help with the wearer’s self image.

Rainbow Moonstone - helps to strengthen intuition and perceptions, and will bring balance to the wearer.

Silver Grey Moonstone - eases frustrations and allows you to move more easily, more in harmony with the ebb and flow of life.

Healing and Metaphysical Properties

Because this stone is so closely tied to the moon, this stone is used in many fertility symbols and rituals.  It is also believed to help people get more in touch with the feminine side of their psyche.
It is believed that if you put a moonstone under your pillow, it will help cure your insomnia.  If you pair it under your pillow with amethyst, that will only increase the power.  Additionally, the combination will make for purer dreams that will be easier to remember.  (hyperlink “amethyst” to the amethyst article).
When worn in contact with the skin, it is said to help with epilepsy, depression, hormonal and endocrine system issues. 
Although moonstone shares a similar opalescence to the opal, it works in the exact opposite fashion.  Whereas opals can intensify and exaggerate emotions, moonstone works to calm and soothe them.  It brings the positive qualities of the moon and promotes joy, as well as spiritual growth.

Moonstone vs Selenite

The stone known as Selenite, which is a gypsum, was named for Selene, the moon goddess.  Selenite translates as “the moon stone”.  However, it is not to be confused with actual Moonstone.  Moonstone is a feldspar and selenite is a gypsum.  They are not the same stone.

For information on how to cleanse your stones, you can refer to the recent article by Diane Fergurson, published recently on Mind Body Spirit Odyssey.

~ Giani

 

You can read Giani's Tarot reviews in the Review section of this blog.

This is the fourth article in this wonderful series, and I am definitely looking forward to more of

 in the upcoming months.  I thank Giani

 for his wonderful continued contributions to Mind Body Spirit Odyssey.

                                                                                   ~ diane

 

Series Article Part 1 - Opals 

Series Article Part 2 - Sapphire

Series Article 3 - Amethyst

Series Article 6 - Agate 

 

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Roses - Herb Of The Year, 2012

I was working in the rose garden the other day when I mentioned to my husband that The Herb Quarterly magazine mentioned in their Summer issue that the International Herb Society had named the rose to be "Herb of the Year" for 2012.  He said that he was surprised - he never really thought about roses being consider an herb.

I have to admit I was surprised too when I read the article.  I've been in love with roses since I was a child.  The colors, fragrance and mystical history.  But I never really considered it an herb.  Sure, I would have the occasional salad 'sprinkled' with rose petals.  But to me that always seemed like more of an attention getting gesture by chefs and restaurants rather then more of an actual culinary ingredient.  Even growing up with a mother and grandmother who both very skilled with their use of herbs and very proficient in their herb gardening, they never incorporated roses into their medicinal and culinary repertoire.

According to the Herb Quarterly article - before vanilla was used to enhance the majority of our baked goods and sweets, roses were actually used a the primary flavoring.  The pioneers brought roses with them when they settled in America and in the first cookbook that was published in 1796, rosewater was mentioned more times then any other seasoning- including pepper and nutmeg.  Roses were used by traditional medicine for their astringent quality and many herbal teas contain rose hips, which is a good source of vitamin C and can act as a laxative and diuretic.  Many people use dried rose petals today to fragrance potpourris.  It is also used to smudges and to scent candles.

It's important to mention that although roses have been named Herb of the Year, not all variates belong in the herb garden.  According to The Herb Quarterly:

 "Roses bred before 1867 - before tea roses were introduced into the western world from China and hybridization took off - offer the best flavor, fragrance, and medicine.  If you are looking to add roses to your herb garden, here's a rundown of the major categories to look for:

 White or Alba Roses  (R. alba)
Cabbage or Centifolia Roses  (R, centifolia)
Damask Roses  (R. damascena)
Dog Roses  (R. cania)
Gallica Roses  (R. gallica)
Japanese or Rugosa Roses  (R. rugosa)
Sweetbriar  (R. rubinginosa"

For more a more extensive description of the rose varieties listed above and more information about roses in general, consult the Summer 2012 issue of Herb Quarterly.

The roses pictured in this article are from my garden.  Although I have a pretty extensive rose collection, I don't think I have the varieties listed above.  Since reading this wonderful article though, next season I will definitely be looking for them.


~ diane fergurson

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Yantras (kolam) for the Sun

Kolam (Mandala) the Sun

Navagraha kolams are yantras (tantric drawings) drawn to propitiate the planets and to invoke their blessings. These yantras for the the planets are said to originate from Soundarya Lahiri, a poem composed in praise of Devi by Sankara. Though yantras are typically etched on a copper plate, kolam is drawn in front of the home shrine using rice flour or can be drawn on paper also.

The image above is the kolam for the Sun. The line drawing is the kolam; I have added color and embellishments. Here are some significant astrological details regarding the Sun, the most important of nine grahas (planets):

Name in Sanskrit: Surya

Sign: Simha (Leo)
Day of the week: Ravivar (Sunday)

Direction: East

Season: Grishma (summer)

Nature: mildly malefic

Kaalapurusha rulership: Soul

Gender: Masculine

Father of: Yama (god of death) and Saturn (planet)

Karaka (significator): 1st and the 10th house

Exalted: Aries 10 deg; Moolatrikona sign: Leo 0-20 deg

Directional strength: 10th house

Natural friends: Jupiter, Mars and the Moon

Represents: Father, government, authority, temple

Represents (physical): Bones, heart, eyesight, head

Lordship of nakshatras (lunar mansions): Krittika, Uttara Phalguni, Uttara Ashada

Dasa length: 6 years

Favorable in houses: 3, 6, 10 and 11

Aspects: the 7th house from itself

Yogas: budhaaditya , veshi, voshi and ubhayachari 

Represents: devotion to lord Shiva

Navagraha Kirtana: Surya murte namostuthe by Muthuswami Dikshithar

Temples: The Sun Temple at Konarak, Orissa, India

Suriyanar Koil at Thirumangalakkudi, Tamilnadu, India

Mantra to chant: Om suryaya namah

Note: You may copy the kolam for your personal use.




~ I'd like to thank Indira Govindan, DharmaKarmaArts, for sharing this wonderful post with us ~

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Meditating Through Noise

I was beginning my meditation session the other day when the crane that was working down the street started up it's engine.  I chucked to myself and thought - well, that figures.  I didn't dwell on the noise though, and aside from that one quick thought the sound quickly faded away.  I drifted into my meditative state not bothered or interrupted by the crane or anything else around me.

When my meditation ended I found myself once again thinking about the noise from the crane.  It made me reflect back to some of the classes I have taken over the years and the varied approaches different teachers would take whenever some sound, noise or vibration would filter through the walls during our periods of meditation.

I had one teacher who would always hastily apologize to the class at the end of the session for any disturbance.  And there were always several students who would stand in front of her nodding right along, as if they really needed to hear her say those words.

Another teacher I had would not say anything if an unwanted noise made it's way into our class.  But if a student would mention the noise she would just shrug it off and answer - We don't live on top of a mountain in Tibet, do we?  It is what it is.

Then I had another class a few years ago where the students would never, ever mention anything about an unwanted noise...except one time.  I remember it so well.  The student was new and our teacher 'answered' by just standing there - with the sweetest most benevolent smile on his face that I have ever seen.  He didn't say a word.

Why did he do that?  Well, no we don't live on top of a mountain.  Our lives are and never will be completely serene.  Sure, going into meditation, among other things, will help us be able to get into a more calm receptive state - but it, as with everything else in life, is fluid.  Not perfect.  The conditions are not always as we may want it to be.  So you deal with it because meditation time is just another facet of life.  Smiling does help though ~

enjoy your day
:)


 ~ diane fergurson

'Flower Mandala, Lavender Pink Peony - Love is Within' courtesy of Karen Casey-Smith.

Prints are available in her shop on Etsy.

         

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The Green Man

It's a magical, in-between time.  Right after a rain storm, at dusk.  The plants and flowers take on a wonderful glow, caused by the moisture on the foliage reflecting the fading, muted light.  It's during those times that I like to sneak away, down to the park close to my house.  I live in a very urban town, but when it rains or snows our normally very crowded park suddenly becomes vacant and it becomes an even 'more' enchanting place to walk, observe, meditate and explore.

If you take the time to stop, look and connect with what's around you, you might be surprised at what you can find.  For example during on recent walk during an 'in-between time', I found that 'The Green Man" or 'Men' must have been particularity pleased with the rain storm that had just passed through.  I was happy to have spotted them, but even more excited that they agreed to be photographed.  Can you find them?

 

~ diane fergurson

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Artizen Magazine Interview - Diane Fergurson

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to interview with Artizen Magazine about my artwork, the Mandala Series, Connecting Heaven and Earth, qigong, creativity - and a whole variety of other interesting topics!  Artizen Magazine is an absolutely 'gorgeous' award winning, online publication.  If you are not familiar with it, take a few minutes to look around - enjoy!

interview link

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Gemstones of the Zodiac - Part 3 - Amethyst

Welcome to Part 3 of our “Gemstones of the Zodiac” series.  

The third sign of the Zodiac is Gemini (May 21 -June 20).  The Mystical Zodiac stone for Gemini is Amethyst.


                                                                                                                       ~ Giani

Origins



The word amethyst is derived from the Greek word “amethystus”, which means “sober”.  Ancient Romans actually crushed amethyst as a way to ward off intoxication.  Ancient Greeks believed that drinking from a goblet carved out of amethyst would prevent you from getting intoxicated.





Both Greek and Roman lore have a similar story of how amethyst got its name.  According to Roman legend, Bacchus, the god of wine, had been insulted by a mortal, and vowed that he would unleash his sacred tigers on the next mortal he passed.  That mortal was a maiden named Amethysta. In order to protect her from Bacchus’ tigers, the  goddess Diana turned her into a quartz statue.  Upon seeing this, Bacchus was so remorseful that he wept tears of wine over the maiden. The grapes from the wine turned the statue of Amethysta purple.  And thus was amethyst born.




Historical Beliefs/Uses



The Egyptians used amethyst as a talisman.  Soldiers wore it into battle to help them stay calm during battle.

In ancient times, amethyst was often used in rosaries. It was thought to have a soothing presence, and bring calm to the person, as they prayed on the rosary in hard times.  

St.Valentine was said to have always worn amethyst.  In the Middle Ages, if a knight presented his lady with an amethyst, then the pair would be blessed with good fortune and earthly happiness for the rest of their lives.



Formation



Amethyst is a quartz, and its color comes from trace amounts of iron.  A tiny trace of iron, as small as the head of a pin, or smaller, can color an entire cubic foot of amethyst.   Its natural color runs from a pale lilac to a vibrant purple.





The color can change, however, if exposed to too much heat.  If heated too intensely, amethyst will turn yellow.  This yellowed amethyst is what we know as Citrine.



On those occasions when there are deposits of the amethyst and citrine banded together, we get the stone known as Ametrine.





Healing Properties



Emotionally, amethyst is a very calming, peaceful, meditative stone.  It helps provide calm, balance and peace.  It can also help with grief and other personal losses.  As a result, it can be used to help rid the body of addictions and compulsions, returning it to a more balanced, peaceful state.

Spiritually, amethyst can help increase intuition and psychic powers.  It does this by creating a calm, balanced center, which can then attune itself to other planes.  This makes it a good stone for meditation and lucid dreaming. 

While it assists you in reaching into other realms, it will also protect you from others trying to do psychic harm while you are doing this meditative, psychic work.

Physically, amethyst can help with headaches, as it helps cleanse the mind. It is also used to help with arthritic, insomnia, pain relief, and phobias.  Some also believe it can used during pregnancy to help prevent miscarriages.




Cleanse and Purify Your Stones

Amethyst needs to be cleansed every 15 days, together with rock crystal and sapphires.



For information on how to cleanse your stones, see this wonderful article by Diane Fergurson, published recently  on Mind Body Spirit Odyssey:  

http://www.mindbodyspiritodyssey.com/2012/03/cleansing-your-healing-stones-crystals.html

You can also read Giani's Tarot reviews in the Review section of this blog.

This is the third article in this wonderful series, and I am definitely looking forward to more of

 in the upcoming months.  I thank Giani

 for his wonderful continued contributions to Mind Body Spirit Odyssey.

                                                                                   ~ diane

 

Series Article Part 1 - Opals 

Series Article Part 2 - Sapphire

Series Article 4 - Moonstone

Series Article 6 - Agate

 

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Mind Body Spirit Artist Series: Celestial Elf

A little over a year ago we received a message posted on our FaceBook Fan Page from someone named Celestial Elf.  He kindly extended an invitation to our readers to watch and enjoy one of his 'little machinima films'.  The film was called Beltane Blessings and I was not familiar with Celestial Elf or his work, so I clicked on the link, sat back, and found myself transported through time to experience one of the most uplifting, enchanting, intelligently written and portrayed depictions of the historic, ceremonial celebration of Spring. I enjoyed it so much that over the next year I found myself watching more of Celestial Elf's machinima film work, and I wanted to know about it.  What are these films?  How does he make them?  Where does he find the material for his research?  Those are just a few of the questions that he answered for me during the course of our interview.  I'm very pleased for the opportunity to interview Celestial Elf, and I hope you find his world and the art of machinima as fascinating and enjoyable as I do!

                                                                                                          ~ diane fergurson

From - King Arthur's Summer Solstice

MBS:  Can you tell us a little bit about your background.  How

did you get started making films?

Celestial Elf:  I have always taken great delight in exploring life, nature, art,

philosophy and spirituality with an open mind, and in drawing and

painting, reading literature and writing poetry of a similar tone.

Following a stint at Art College many years ago however I had found

that the structured Arts seemed to be very restricted to mercantile

purposes such as advertising, the Fine Art's seemed to be more about

intellectual game playing rather than the Arts themselves. Whilst I do

enjoy both of these aspects to some extent, I have always felt that

Art may inspire and perhaps convey some more meaningful messages than

product sales, and could possibly be more accessible than intellectual

extrapolations. For these reasons I decided to follow my own intuition

and to explore paths of my own, believing as I do that part of the

higher purpose of Art is self exploration, the other part being to

share that with others and thus present new perspectives,

opportunities and examples to the community at large.

I came to find the Virtual World environment where I am currently

filming machinima largely by chance, perhaps I was guided by my Muse.

My first experience of these machinima films was to see them on you

tube, and to realize that they had been made on home computers with a

minimum of technology, hardware or software - this was a challenge

that I could approach even on my fairly limited home computer. I was

enthralled by the opportunity to repossess the media which informs our

lives, to re-purpose the cultural misrepresentations which in my view

are propagated by the International Film and Animation studios who

provide a lifetimes worth of constantly running  hot and cold

diversions to entertain us. To provide an alternative perspective to

such sentimentalizing sensationalism and simultaneous dumbing down of

any wider meaning or natural context for the stories we are drip fed

in our daily media, I want to remind people that nature is awesome,

that to take part and create ones own life is more rewarding than to

consume the fantasy of another. Via animated info-tainment then I hope

to re-empower the imaginations of the viewer with my short stories

that if ever so briefly portray a different set of attitudes, to

contribute towards a shift away from the nature neglecting world view.

I hope to begin in a small way to inspire others perhaps with greater

means to reclaim misdirected media, memes and mores by sharing the

simple life & nature respecting moral messages in folk and

fairy-tales, the meanings of traditional mythologies and more....

For my purposes then, a Virtual Reality 'game' environment where one

can fly, become a dragon or a cloud, create environments to film

within that would be far out of reach for any real world budget, other

than for media moguls perhaps, all these factors and the relative

simplicity of the operating system with which to film my stories on my

home computer propelled me with great enthusiasm and excitement along

the path of making machinima.

MBS:  How long ago did you start making the machinima films?

Celestial Elf:  I began making machinima films late Autumn 2009, tentatively exploring

what could be done with the software and being very excited to see the

first results. I carried on intermittently, but found the actual

process demanding and difficult to manage. By Spring 2010 overcoming

my reservations about how to manage the filming and editing, I began

to plan the films in a more organized way and it would be fair to say

that I got the bug, loved what I was doing and became a machinima

hobbyist. Whilst I currently have about 52 films uploaded and online,

I have made a few more than that but as my skills and editing have

improved over time, I have looked back at the earlier films - some

just had to go. A few more of the earlier films may be quietly

retiring soon, thus hopefully leaving my channel at a higher general

standard. In respect of the changes in standards over time, I think

that anyone who applies themselves to any practice should see

improvements over time, but in my case this was helped along by the

helpful insights and constructive criticism of fellow machinima makers

whom I met and shared films with at The Second Life Machinima Artists Guild
an online community of similar machinima hobbyists, and where I

am now one of the Moderators supporting newer arrivals in the field.

MBS:  The films seem very labor intensive.  There really is

quite a bit to them...the writing and research involved combined with

the technical end of it.  About how long does it take you to complete one?

Celestial Elf: In terms of how long these films take to make, there is no easy

answer, but the simple one is that varies. When I first began making

machinima, the planning process and subsequent time spent editing the

film footage was relatively short, I took an idea, found a location

and set about filming, all within a few days.

I have however learned that to spend more time planning ahead reduces

the levels of stress involved for me in making these films and allows

for a better organized film. For a brief example of the time scales

involved, if I am starting from scratch then I have to conceive of and

write an idea, story or poem and could spend a week or more over this

aspect alone. Alternately if I am adapting a film to an already

existing song or story as I did recently with Lynda Tallis' wonderful

short story The Tree Of Life, then this time outlay is not needed. It

may take a week to find or edit a musical soundtrack or arrange to use

a friends music such as that of World Tree Music, or The Dolmen. This

is a very central aspect to my own plotting of a films scenes, as I

try to coordinate the moods and views represented with the timing and

emotional timbre of the music. Up-to a further week may be needed to

plot locations, animations, costumes and props before I can complete

with a few blocks of filming and a day or two editing. I should

mention perhaps that I make these films in my free time at home and so

do not refer to a working week of time but rather all the mornings,

evenings and weekends available to me. From start to finish then I may

hope to complete a project within a month.

MBS:  Tell us a little bit more about the process you go

through to make a film.

Celestial Elf:  Once I have a story, next I research its links and associations and

write a blog post based on this research. This section sometimes gives

rise to new lines of thoughts, for example following my recent

research for my film The Elf Knight and The Faerie Queen, I proposed

that the song which I used in the film, Scarborough Fair by World Tree

Music, may have its origins in Spencer's book The Faerie Queen.

After the content and the meaning are resolved, I begin adapting for

screenplay and this entails breaking all the sections into scenes,

making notes over what each shall contain. This may be the lengthiest

aspect of planing a machinima film for me and I'm happy to say that it

can be managed with a good notebook from an easy chair over an

extended time period. I step into a visualization process to image the

environments and locations needed, the atmospheres and sky settings,

the times of day/night or other  each scene should be. I also consider

the key characters for each scene, the look, outfit and animations

they shall need for each section of the scene ( a finished scene of

one minute could have anywhere from five to twenty sub-scenes

involved). Once I have a general outline of these factors then I find,

make or edit them as needed.

A further word on environments, costumes and animations, wherever

possible I prefer to use relatively authentic props, for example The

Elf Knight dances a historically correct Renaissance dance, The

Wizards Treeing Exercise was filmed in a Virtual Wales, clothes and

other props used are often correct to the period such as those made by

Trasgo Beaumont of Le Grenier du Château and Laufey Markstein of

Trident Historical Designs.

The matter of supporting actors cannot be stressed to highly enough.

Whilst some films work well with only one or two characters, on

occasion more are needed onscreen all at once. It is therefore very

helpful to have a group of friends willing to step up and act at

agreed times, for which I owe many thanks to numerous friends. However

in the Virtual Reality environment of Second Life which I use for

filming, people are online from around the entire world and

coordinating time zones can be a mind boggling exercise. For example

Second Life uses one time zone, I am in another in UK (GMT) friends in

Germany are an hour ahead and friends on the East or West Coast of USA

are on others, so my 3pm in the afternoon maybe be 2am in the morning

for one actor and 10pm at night for another. In consequence I try to

restrict actors for any scene to a relatively close time zone.

Finally moving on to an agreed set of days/times for the actual

filming, this process also requires a fair amount of pre-planning for

example the camera angles and views to use, whether I shall have zoom

shots or panning from right to left and etc etc. Once all things are

in place, perhaps a general guideline might be that twenty minutes or

so to fine tune online settings will enable anywhere from twenty

minutes to two hours of running the camera off and on per scene in the

film. A film of five minutes length could easily entail perhaps five

to eight hours filming, spread over a number of days as the actors and

time zones allow. But filming is not the end of the process as we now

move on to editing the footage. As with the planning, when I started

making machinima I spent minimal time editing as I was excited to see

my story come to life, but have learned that to spend longer over this

results in a better presented film overall.

Beltane Blessing

MBS:  Many of your films that I have seen revolve around

various themes that take place during the Renaissance period.

(approximately) What is it about this particular period in history

that draws you in?

Celestial Elf:  Its true that recently a few of my films have been set in Renaissance

period, particularly The Elf Knight and The Faerie Queen, but in

general I wouldn't say that I'm attached to any specific period as

such. But I do like to present aspects of relatively recent history,

such as the medieval world and soon thereafter, for the simple reason

that these times before the Industrial Revolution and the rise of a

modern mechanized world, still worked hand in glove with nature and

her cycles, valued the older traditions and accepted the immanence of

spirit in all of life. People were still familiar with the association

of supernatural powers such as elves and spirits and respected them in

their daily life. Some even sought their guidance as may be seen in

the interesting life and works of John Dee, trusted adviser to Queen

Elizabeth Ist and one of the most learned men of his age, who

straddled the worlds of science and magic and devoted much effort

attempting to commune with angels and learn the universal language of

creation to bring about the pre-apocalyptic unity of mankind. Such

views are twice as relevant now that science has gifted us with the

ability to start such apocalypse on a moments notice and that our

chemical agro businesses and farming methods threaten to deprive

future generations not only of safe and wholesome sustenance, but of

the very environments that support our rich and diverse world of life

itself.

Whilst many traditional stories, legends and fairy-tales are thought

to contain encoded moral messages and spiritual guidance, perhaps the

clearest presentation of the rich spiritual perspectives that

flourished in our earlier North European heritage might be

E.M.W. Tillyard's book 'The Elizabethan World Picture'. This book

presents the medieval view of The Chain Of Being - the idea of a

hierarchical universe ordained by God and the interrelatedness of all

creation. Links higher on the Chain possessed greater intellect,

mobility, and capability than those lower on the Chain. Accordingly,

the higher links had more authority over the lower. For instance,

plants only had authority and ability to rule over minerals, while

spiritual beings had greater capability than man. Whilst I prefer

terms like co-operate than rule and hold a more pantheistic than

monotheistic view, as I feel that divine energies imbue all of the

Universe, this book nevertheless provides a wonderful glimpse into the

prevailing earlier holistic spiritual perspective. It also shares a

great deal with even older cultural views and these earlier views are

now beginning to resurface in neo pagan theories such as of Lovelock's

Gaia hypothesis which proposes that all organisms and their inorganic

surroundings on Earth are closely integrated to form a single and

self-regulating complex system, that the planet itself is one unified

living organism. In a nutshell then, I believe that looking to earlier

times to inform the present enables people to identify with and act

upon deeper underlying principles which have been occluded in our rush

to scientific modernity, much as sight of the stars and a hushed

appreciation of our place within an astonishing Universe has been

clouded out from our night skies and heart minds by the dazzle of

street lights.

MBS: The first machinima film of yours that I saw was

Beltane Blessing.  I completely fell in love with it. So

beautifully done, it really captured the joyous spirit of that

holiday.  May 1st is Beltane and this interview will be posted sometime in

May. People in the US are probably more familiar with the holiday as

May Day instead of Beltane, although that's not really quite the same.

Would you mind briefly explaining what Beltane is, and also why you

chose to make one of your films about this celebration?

Celestial Elf:  In the Northern Hemisphere May 1st or May Day was the traditionally

the first day of Summer, celebrated with rites and festivities

including Morris dancing, crowning a May Queen and dancing around a

Maypole. Ancient celebrations included the festival of Flora, the

Roman goddess of flowers, Walpurgis Night celebrations in the Germanic

countries and the Gaelic Beltane. The name 'Beltane' originates from

the Celtic god, Bel - the 'Bright One', and the Gaelic 'Teine' meaning

fire, thus 'Bealtaine' means 'Bright Fire'.  Because fire was believed

to have purifying qualities, animals were driven between two Beltane

fires set on the hills to cleanse them of evil spirits, bring

fertility and ensure a good yield, before being placed in their

Summer-land pastures. Similarly the Celts themselves also leapt over

these fires for fertility, purification and blessing.

As the triple Goddess (Brigid) worshiped by the Ancient Britons moves

through her various phases of the cycle of the year, Beltane sees the

womanly-aspect of the Summer Goddess banish the Old Crone aspect of

the Winter Goddess in readiness for the maternal time and the fruits

of nature to follow. As The May Queen, Goddess of Spring and Queen of

the Fairies, she symbolizes purity, growth and renewal.

The May Queen’s male Consort, the May King dressed in spring leaves,

ivy and evergreens, is ‘The Green Man’( a name coined by Lady Raglan

in 1939). also called Jack-in-the-Green, Puck, Robin Goodfellow, in

France- Father May, in Russia - the Little Leaf Man, at Beltane is

reborn with a wild exhilarating dance that celebrates his youth and

this new summer.

The Maypole represents this dance, the unwinding of the spiral of life

and the union of the male and female energies of the Goddess and the

God. The red and white Maypole ribbons are intertwined and plaited as

the dancers weave amongst themselves around the pole, the dancers then

retrace their steps to unravel the ribbons, thus releasing the

blessings of there conjoined energies into their lives and

communities.

I chose to celebrate this great quarter day of the sacred year with a

machinima film because whilst there are many Beltane festivals, there

does not seem to be much by way of story or film that portrays quite

the intimate and personal aspect of magic and wonder that this time

once held. Certainly the Beltane Fire Festival on Calton Hill in

Edinburgh provides a spectacular re-visioning of this ancient Celtic

Fire Festival (on the night of the 30th April-morning of May 1st), and

gatherings such as at Avebury stone circle (although not necessarily

on the day itself) provide a smaller occasion to mark the day. I

wanted to briefly indicate both aspects, the magickal night with its

fires of blessing and the joyful day to follow which leads to the

Summerlands. I was very fortunate to have a piece of music for this

film provided by the pagan band The Dolmen which along with the

incantatory blessing that I modeled after Druid Rhetorics from the

ancient Irish tales, convincingly conveys the Beltane Blessing.

The Night Before Christmas

MBS:  What do you hope the viewer comes away with after

engaging with one of your films?

Celestial Elf:  I would be very happy to think that a viewer has watched with enough

 interest to become involved in one of my films and would hope that they might make some connections between the vaguely Tolkien like imagery and music used with the films content, story and message. That these stories are based in our own traditional mythologies and legends rather than fascinating flights of fantasy, would ideally inspire in some among the viewers an interest in the themes represented, such as of pagan seasonal celebrations of nature, of environmental concerns over preserving and protecting biodiversity such as the bees and the trees, and over more personal matters such as how we show love in our lives....If any of these aspects inspires even one viewer to look further and find the magic in their own life, then I would consider that these films have succeeded in contributing to a brighter and more caring world.

The Song of Amergin

MBS:  What's next for you?  What are you currently working on?

Celestial Elf: I am reluctant to reveal what I am currently working on until such a time as so much preparation has been accomplished that the end is a mere matter of technical details. However I can promise that I am continuing with the exposition and reclamation of magic and mystery in our modern lives by representing of natures marginalized or neglected themes woven into an ongoing appeal to all viewers to celebrate the sacred in their own lives. I think it might be safe to say then that unexpected Elven and Spiritual spokespersons shall continue to set forth diverse enchantments with a view to inspire and delight.

MBS:  What has your experience been with showing your films online?

Celestial Elf: I have been as delighted at the response to some of these films as I

have been with the fun of making them. True I sometimes feel that as a

genre Second Life machinima is somewhat under rated and has a

comparatively small niche audience when compared with the popularity

of for example Japanese Manga animation adventure films, or the

machinima equivalent of a trans national enterprise, the Machinima.com

channel on you tube. Machinima.com accepts films from its contributing

members and hosts them under its own identity, however the majority of

film content seem to be biased towards battle games and similar high

action escapades and whilst they do get good publicity and are widely

seen with he channel getting 70 Million views on you tube by 2011,

personally I feel that it is time for machinima content to branch out

and begin to make a place for itself in the semi serious film world.

Increasingly the medium is becoming to be recognized through

competitions such as the annual 48 Hour Film Project Machinima

Competition and with support of renowned film producers such as Peter

Greenaway (director of The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover with

Helen Mirren, and The Pillow Book with Ewan McGregor, who has been a

judge on the 48 Hour Machinima Film Project ) who describes machinima

as “a very sophisticated tool that combines traditions of painting

with cinema and the graphic arts in present tense terms that permits

visual expression of language like never before.” and said that “The

future of film is in Second Life.” Whilst I do not take part in such

competitions myself, it is encouraging that this medium as a whole is

gaining in public awareness.

Taliesins Battle of the Trees

MBS:  What advice do you have for others who wish to make films or peruse some other artistic endeavor?

Celestial Elf:  Firstly I have to state my belief that everyone is gifted in some way or another and that whilst others may fail to recognize ones creative endeavors to start with, particularly if they are in a less well recognized area of creativity, nevertheless one should have confidence in ones own vision, enjoy what they are doing and follow their own star. I saw this comment recently and I think it is a completely relevant to this question, 'Follow your dreams, they know the way'. The second hurdle for many of us may well be technical mastery of their chosen art and for this nothing but practice practice practice can improve the outcome, as well as perhaps joining a peer support group such as in my case The Second Life Machinima Artists Guild mentioned above, where you will be able to share your arts and hopefully get constructive criticism and supportive feedback over how to improve. Above all have fun, believe in what you are doing and keep on keeping on

MBS: Before we conclude, I know that there were some environmental related things that you would like to mention -

Celestial Elf:  This might be a good moment to invite people to take action and sign

the various E-Petitions that are linked under some of the videos and

then to share those videos so that others may easily find and sign the

petitions too. The Bee Myth has a link to The Friends Of The Earth

petition to save the Bees, Stonehenge Is Our Temple has one calling

for Return Of The Ancestors who were dug and removed from that site,

and The Tree Of Life has a Save Our Ancient Forests petition for The

Woodland Trust.

~ thank you!

You can read more about Celestial Elf and his work on his blog.

Many of his films are available on YouTube.

Links to other interviews in the Mind Body Spirit Artist Series.

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