Painted Myth
Whether fearsome or amusing, ferocious or kindly, animals occupy much of every culture’s symbolism, folklore and mythology. Myth is defined as “a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining some natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural beings or events.” This series of large narrative paintings illustrate such singular “events” from animal myths of several cultures.
The Last White Cow in Wales
Acrylic on Canvas, 48 x 60 in.
At one point, it seems, there was need for an explanation of the lack of white cows in Wales. The story goes that a farmer was gifted a beautiful white cow by the Lady of the Lake and this cow produced many calves. The farmer decides, after many years, to slaughter this mother cow, and gathers the townspeople to watch. As he lowers the axe to her skull, it will not go through, and as ear piercing screams from the Lady of the Lake resound, this cow, and all of her children, lift off the land and disappear into the ether.
Death of the Flower Woman
Acrylic on canvas, 30 x 40 in.
In Celtic folklore, there are various tellings (and spellings!) of the story of Blodeuedd/Blodewedd . In most, she is as much a villain as a victim and this is a cautionary tale of an unfaithful murderer getting her just dues. My take is more sympathetic. She did not ask to be conjured up out of wildflowers for use as a wife, or to be ignored by that indifferent husband. She had few options available when she found true love with another. She was not killed but instead cursed to be an owl forever.
The Raven and the Whale
Acrylic on Canvas, 30 x 40 in.
There are several Inuit stories of Big Raven, (at once a diety, a human and a bird). In the most well known tale, he goes into the belly of a whale, and discovers the suffering and the soul of all things. This painting is of a lesser known Big Raven tale as he tries to alleviate the plight of a beached whale, which he cannot possibly carry. He asks for help from Great Spirit, and after eating some mushrooms by moonlight in the forest as directed, garners the strength to carry the whale back to the ocean.