Into Surrealism

After walking past this painting for several weeks, I could not resist adding just one more thing.  What was just a folk art painting...descended into surrealism when I brought Syd's tail off the canvas, into the bigger canvas.  I looked up Surrealism on Wikipedia and landed upon this phrase.  The aim was to "resolve the previously contradictory conditions of dream and reality".   I regret that I can not submit this painting into the upcoming VSA show.  It is far too large for the perimeters of acceptance.  This is just a modification of what I thought was finished.  I couldn't offer prints to interested parties until I made this modification.  I hope it is subtle...and I hope they talk about my paintings before, rather than after I die:)

Masonic Jewelry

Once upon a time, I worked at the local air base.  I was a janitor by day, and an artist/jeweler by night.  In reality, I worked 2nd shift, so technically I was artist by day and janitor at night.  I had my nights and days mixed up.  This was before cell phones with cameras, and debit cards.  It was an awful way to live.  For instance, I would get my paycheck on Friday about 1 am, and could not cash it unless I used my sleep time to make the 9-5 world.  Occasionally, someone else who worked at the air base would want to show me their jewelry.  My favorite was a man who worked in a cubical and showed me a silver ball on a chain around his neck.  He took it off, snapped the clasps, and it unfolded into the palm of his hand in the form of a cross, with each segment pyramids.

For years, I have searched and asked about this particular piece of jewelry.  I have made drawings of it to aid in my description.  The other day, I found an almost exact version of the one I saw in 1987.  This time, it was made out of gold.  It makes sense to me, that after all this work on a piece, it should be made of the finest metal.  I was looking in all the wrong places.  It is a masonic piece.  This was for sale on eBay, and I found it while researching masonic jewelry.

Ladies Of The Labyrinth

You can find one of the limited edition Labyrinths I made on eBay this week.  My username is skymetalsmith, and I will be posting more eBay auctions throughout the day.  As always, there is quite a story behind this piece.  For a brief period of time, I assisted The First Baptist Church of Granville OH construct a 30 foot diameter canvas replica of the Charte Cathedral Labyrinth.  In addition to the construction of the Granville Labyrinth, I made several of these 50 cent size medallions for the Ladies involved with the project.  The experience was overwhelmingly confusing to me at the time, and only makes sense today because of the obvious masonic roots of the symbol.  I had no access to the internet at the time, but in the years since then have come to understand my trials and tribulations as an encounter with cultists.  Thankfully, I got away from them before I could be pulled into any of their traps.  I realize that these people were deluded and do not seem to know that the secret of their religion results in the worship of Lucifer whom they believe is the one true god.  They were and are elitists who promote The New World Order.  They are dangerous in that their purpose is to bring about a highly reduced population on earth, centralized world government...and of course, they believe they will be permitted to live, while the majority of the rest of the population will be sacrificed.  They were pretty "hoity toity" as my kin folk would say.  I have never been so happy to be done with a project and the people associated with the project in my life.  I have no idea if the 30 foot canvas labyrinth we made sill exists.  I do know, the revisionists have done everything to wipe my name off their project, changed the church "cult" name at least once.  Supposedly there is a concrete labyrinth at Denison University near Swazey Chapel.  I seriously do not know, as I stopped believing a word of our local paper many years ago.

   

Subliminal Teaching Through Music SING ALONG

Just try to sing the Canticle (red verses)....this just might be my first introduction to subliminal messages (1970 something or other)....through song.  What a gentle song....with a brutal reality delivered behind it.  I have yet to run into a musician who can sing the canticle while I sing the main song.  Brilliant.  Just try to sing the red verses with the song.  It will cause dissonance in your brain, as it does mine.  Sort of like the Irish being made to dance....so they did it on the bottom part of their body, while holding the upper part of their body stationary.  Rebellion through the arts.  That's all I am sayin.  Just try it.  Sing loud and strong along with Simon and Garfunckle.  If you didn't get what they were trying to convey way back then, maybe you will get it this time around.  Who knows....maybe you will come up with something that says it better.    

"Scarborough Fair / Canticle"

Are you going to Scarborough Fair:
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
Remember me to one who lives there.
She once was a true love of mine.

On the side of a hill in the deep forest green.
Tracing of sparrow on snow-crested brown.
Blankets and bedclothes the child of the mountain
Sleeps unaware of the clarion call.


Tell her to make me a cambric shirt:
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
Without no seams nor needle work,
Then she'll be a true love of mine.

On the side of a hill a sprinkling of leaves.
Washes the grave with silvery tears.
A soldier cleans and polishes a gun.
Sleeps unaware of the clarion call.

Tell her to find me an acre of land:
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
Between the salt water and the sea strand,
Then she'll be a true love of mine.

War bellows blazing in scarlet battalions.
Generals order their soldiers to kill.
And to fight for a cause they've long ago forgotten.

Tell her to reap it with a sickle of leather:
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;
And gather it all in a bunch of heather,
Then she'll be a true love of mine.

EIEIO Made The Cut

Last year, this painting was not finished in time for the VSA 2015 Accessible Expressions Exhibition and Tour of Ohio.  Fortunately, it made the cut for this years show.  I look forward to attending in March, and I am hoping to connect with friends from Columbus and Facebook friends that day.  Most folks agree it is a pretty painting with a dark message.  After I completed EIEIO, I realized how influential The Geography Of Nowhere by James Howard Kunstler influenced the thinking behind the painting.  

 

Hapipness Is....

Happiness is...

a blank canvas.  Happy New Year and Cheers:)  This is my prediction for 2016, for myself, and others.  No tellin what I might come up with.  Back to work!

My Masonic Roots

It is no accident that within my jewelry and ornaments that there is a strong masonic component.  My first exposure to the Masonic was through learning to cut stones 30 years ago.  After a couple years of learning to cut stones, I wanted to learn silversmithing.  I simply made the objects that I couldn't afford.  But all along the way, I became aware that everyone around me was being influenced by symbology. These are powerful influences in our society....logos, symbols, artifacts.  I had to study them in order to make them...and to remake them.  I can make anything you can imagine.  I doubt that you can imagine something that has not been manipulated in order to influence you though.  This is a collection of practice.  From now on, I will make ornaments that the "globalists" can not make.  My eBay score hit 400 today.  I am proud of that.  It means 100% satisfaction.  Let me know, if you want something that I can make for you.  The rest of what you see here, will be marketed this coming year...through eBay, and otherwise.  The other methods are much more powerful.  I still cut stones.  I still study symbols, and I still try to make objects that you can not buy in the mall.   Thank you for continuing to inspire me.