Monkey Cowboy

Monkey Cowboy

Show down in the French Quarter. Lucky Dog is about to get a free ride to Boot Hill.


I Am Confused, is that a Problem?

I have been using the question, "I am confused, is that a problem?" as a personal 'catch phrase' when I meander and twine with the internet.

Before I read a certain book, I didnt really know what the phrase meant, because I was, you know, confused.

The saying does express something that I feel about life, art and personal philosophy. I do not intend for the phrase to have a negative interpretation. It sounds negative, but I saw it as somehow positive.

Confusion is generally seen as a state of mind to be avoided at all cost. Even delusions are preferable to confusion. When we dont understand things, we invent explanations. NOT KNOWING is usually experienced as an uncomfortable state of mind.

In the movie, "Empire of the Sun", a doctor yells at the protagonist, "Stop thinking so much. You think too much." Eureka. Hmm, is that my problem? Maybe, I think too much.

I thought, Maybe, I will read some philosophy, maybe that will help with the confusion.

Soon, the book, "A Parliament of Minds", came my way. I bought it for twenty five cents at the Franklinton Public Library. They sell donated books, when there is no more room for books on the shelves. I love coincidences.

Printed in 2000, by the State University of New York Press, it is a book of relatively current philosophical thinking.

So I read it. And now I will quote from it.

This statement comes from David Rothenberg, associate professor of philosophy at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Philosophy doesn't make you settled, you know. In that sense it's different than meditation; it makes you more and more confused and through that confusion you can be much more alive and sort of wonder about the world. You know, wonder is the best thing philosophy has to offer. You have to wonder about this amazing planet, this amazing place where we are, and not get bored and not think there are too easy answers. Just keep asking, keep exploring.

Rothenberg expressed what I had sensed in my muddled, thinking brain. The concept has been there, in my cranium vault, it took Rothenberg to give me the words.

I had thought and thought, going in circles, back tracking, jumping forward, interweaving and tangling, untangling, and retangling.

Eventually, I arrived at an acceptance, even a celebration, of not knowing. I embraced mystery.

John Wayne Moses

John Wayne Moses
The Persistence of Worship Art Series

Through the ages humankind has venerated deities, celebrities, and rulers. There are historical streams of worshipful entities who display similar characteristics. The characteristics stay the same, but the entities change. I have been working on a series that explores the persistence of character streams that people worship.

After doing a Bacchus image of decadence. And painting images of Mary, representing compassion. And a Venus Sex Goddess image. Something was missing. I had done all "soft" libertarian images. My cosmogony needed balance.

I thought to balance things with this John Wayne, Moses, Sky God image. A disciplinarian would add needed weight to this art series. All that yin needed some yang. This image stream of masculine rulers, goes all the way back through Zeus to the Etruscan Sky God, Tinia. I associate this worship stream with rules, law and discipline.

Moses handed down the law. John Wayne was an alpha 'good guy' character who tromped the 'bad guys'. I associate Sky Gods with authoritarianism. Rule breakers are punished.

I will refrain from writing about how my father experiences relate to this subject. OK, I will just say, that Daddy Dearest liked John Wayne. Also, Father handed down strict law and meted out lots of punishment.

But, hey, you guys, you alpha males, hey! A few laws and some bit of discipline go a long way. You guys are control freaks. Hey! loosen up! Lets dont have any more rules and laws than are necessary for keeping people from hurting each other.

Apologies to Michelangelo for borrowing his Moses statue. I hope that he is not turning over in his grave, when he sees what I did with his beautiful art.

Silver Creek Garden Notes

It is getting warm to hot here. Temperatures in the 80's. The amaryllis that Lois gave me is blooming, red with creamy stripes. I take as much time as I can outside while the weather is beautiful. Mornings are perfect, in the 70's. I have a new raised vegetable bed with good soil that I have planted. Bunching onions, edge the bed. If you manage bunching onions well, you never have to buy them, or even plant them again. They are very low maintenance. Also planted peppers, tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, basil and parsley. The bed is only about 48 sq ft. I plant everything on top of each other. Most of the property here floods once or twice a year. In addition most of the property is shady with forest. There isnt much room for a sunny bed.

I am planting a hydrangea bush by the porch steps. So exciting. The blooms are stunning fresh and obtain a special fragile, faded look when dried.

Happy Spring,

Peace, Love and Art,

Janet

Zatay, Goddess of Art, Music, and Spring

Zatay, Goddess of Art, Music and Spring

Spring is popping here at Silver Creek. The huckleberry bloomed and has lots of tiny green berries. The wisteria is blooming. violets, Carolina allspice, snow drop, all are blooming. The trees have that beautiful spring yellow green. I want to garden. I had lettuce over the winter. The fig trees are hanging on. We are making a new veggie bed.

The last flooding of the creek broke down the beaver dam. The frogs sound like a bell symphony.

If you are having nice weather, I hope that you have time to enjoy it outdoors.

Angelina Jolie as Medusa

"Snake Mandala", by M. C. Escher

Angelina Jolie as Medusa

So, here is Angelina Jolie as Medusa. Medusa, with her writhing snake hair. This px popped into my TV monkey mind a few weeks ago as I was trying to fall asleep. While waiting for sleep, I watch the Art Chanel of my brain. Over the week, the px kept creeping into the screening room of my head. So, yes I thought, I will paint this.

But, I addressed my Muse, I do not understand the connection between Jolie and Medusa. You know that the picture should "hold together". It does not have to be rational, but it should have an irrational harmony. I like px's with somekinda meaning.

Also, I think that I should paint px that are full of light and love. Confucius say, "That which you give attention will increase." I want happiness to increase. Those snakes, they are not pleasant.

And, what, I said to my muse, is the connection between the movie star and the ancient Greek mythological woman? As usual, my Muse won this disagreement. As I painted the px, I began to see that there is a connection between Angelina and Medusa.

Angelina can vaporize bad women, evil men, robots, monsters and the living dead. BUT-- Medusa can turn anyone that looks at her into stone. Angelina, you may be bad, but Medusa is the baddest of the bad. So, I began to see the connection. Score one for the unconscious mind, or the collective unconsciousness, my muse, or what ever it is that provides the slide show of art that my mind exhibits.

Medusa, a Greek Goddess, or chthonic monster, (deities of the underworld) was, is, celebrated as a guardian and protectress. Kind of like Diana, the huntress, but more scarey. Kind of like Angelina but badder.

So, here we have women warriors. Protectors, Guardians. Kick ass females. These image help us to fight for a good life. Help us cut down, drop, any thing, or anybody, that would interfere with creating a Life of Peace, Love and Art. By bringing these images into our consciousness, we have role models for fighting for right.

To make this px I gleaned images from the web. I am omnivorously foraging the web for images that help me to express my quirky take on life. I downloaded a few images of Angelina, a few of Medusa, and about a dozen images of snakes. Two of the images illustrated hundreds of snakes all knotted together. The snakes freaked me out. Even tho I have killed snakes with a machete here in the Louisiana swamp, I downloaded so many snakes, that it was creepy. I put all the images together, via Photoshop, into what I think is a beautiful picture. I found the image by Escher towards the end of working on the px. It works beautifully as a sort of crown.

In the process of making the picture, I thought about accessing my inner protectress and guardian. I hope that you too, will find you inner warrior.

This is what Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell were talking about. Ancient myths that resonate with us, as we try to create a life, ancient times and now. The challenges of life as a human on Earth, remain the same. For all the change zooming at us at a zillion miles per hour, it is reassuring to remember that the basics never change.

Take a look at the Widipedia entry, "Medusa", to see the full story about this interesting chthonic
Goddess.

Peace, Love and Art,

Janet

Foot Bridge

FOOT BRIDGE

Evonne and Yvette purchased the first camera that they ever saw. In 1888, the camera was an exciting novelty displayed in Evan's General Store. They saw it in the store. They had heard about cameras, new fangled contraptions that captured a visual moment in time, freezing it forever. They admired it in the store. That night they chirruped in their private musical language about the new invention. Their talk is translated here. "We can stop time in its tracks", Evonne exclaimed. "We can still the slipping away," Yvette said. "We will purchase it tomorrow", they sang.

Their older brother, Emmett said, "You cant work that newfangled contraption, you two are just air heads. You will never be able to make it work."

The twins ignored the insulting remark. Emmet was always trying to put them down. His sarcasms went in one ear and then evolved, in the crystal mist of their heads. "Poor, dear Emmet, he really is trying. But he has a long way to go", the girls sang.

Behind the plantation mansion, to the west, there was swampy forest acreage that was not suitable for growing cotton. A wooden foot bridge crossed over a bog to a light trace of a path. The forest was said to be haunted. People said that a giant hairy wild man lived there.

Estelle, mother of the twins, died during their birth. Her blood leaked out, followed the babies out of her body. The double childbirth was the crowning achievement of Estelle's life, there was no need to go on after that. Her vital fluid slipped away. The twins did not need her. Servants cared for the two infants. The twins did not need anyone but each other.

Over the years, the father, Esau, occasionally saw the girls in the dining room. When Esau was home from the hunting camp, or home from doing business or dissipating in New Orleans, father and daughters happened to be taking meals at the same time. He noted that they were healthy and happy. Except for the unusual heads, they were normal.

One time, after he had been at the hunting camp for three months, in New Orleans for six months doing business and another six months doing dissipation he came home. His sweet strange twins were eighteen years old. Surprised, he was, to see that they had turned into young women. "I should have obtained tutors for them years ago", he thought. "Time just slips away."

The servants and town people considered the girls strange, but sweet. Once the people got used to the bubble heads, they realized that the girls were pretty. And that weird singing was beautiful.

Evonne and Yvette were happy to be left on their own. From the time that they first learned to walk, they spent hours alone together, in the forest, beyond the footbridge. Once they were gone for three days. The cook happened to notice that she had not seen them, that they had not eaten for three days. The kitchen gardener was sent to find them. When he saw them coming back, over the foot bridge, they seemed to be levitating. "But", he thought, "sometimes my vision is blurry".

Emmet was wrong, they were not air heads. Their minds were clear light. Cloud free. No shadows. Their minds were gently humming with the atmosphere of immediate intimate impressions.

Emmet was a block head, a normal person, his brain constipated with notions and resentments.

They took the camera to the footbridge behind their house. For the twins, the wooden walk way was a bridge between two different ways of being. A short stroll over the bridge was always a clearing remedy for the occasional heavy concepts that were impressed upon them from the world at large. In this way they erased unwanted thoughts. They could control the data in their brains and maintain a Zen calm.

In the end, ironically, Emmet was correct. They could not make the contraption work. They aimed and pressed the button. The negatives were mailed to New Orleans to be be developed.

The photographs arrived back by mail. Evonne opened the mail with keen anticipation. Yvette carefully removed the photographs from the box. Together the twins gazed at the beautiful photograph paper, which had a satin finish. They saw white. Softly shining white. Simultaneously they said, "Ahhhh-haaaa". Yvette said, "It is so beautiful". Evonne said, "This is perfect!"

Emmet stomped into the room. "So, your photographs arrived, let me see." He snatched the pictures. "There is nothing here, no picture, blank white."

"We know, they are perfect," the twins chimed.

One last time, the twins strolled over the footbridge to another reality. They evaporated. They slipped away. Their bodies were never found.

Mother and Child

MOTHER AND CHILD

MOTHER AND CHILD

This painting, as you can see, is heavily influenced by the Christian Mary and Jesus. It is an updated version of the historically popular image. The mother here, looks like a model with exuberant, fan blown hair. The baby is mischievous and spunky. He is a hand full, looking for trouble.

I think the halo, a kaleidoscope of comb like sea shells, is beautiful. In the background is a Gothic church, another allusion to Christianity.

The painting is called "Mother and Child", because my intention was to represent universal, ideal mother love. The picture references Christianity, but portrays, not specifically Mary, but the yearning desire for a loving mother. It serves as an illustration and receptacle for our human longing for unconditional love. Mother Mary and Child pictures are a personification of human needs. They are a concept made visible. The concept that is illustrated is that vacuum in our minds, in our spirits, in our physicality, that desires unconditional love. It is the vacuum within, the yawning hole, the deep void, that is seldom satisfied.

When people worship Mother Mary they may internalize the love that she signifies and experience some relief from the desperate desire for love. Compassionate love Goddesses are universal. In China she is Quan Yin, in Tibet she is Tara. These images used as a spiritual practice can facilitate blissful meditations.

The archaic Italian word madonna was originally a formal address to any woman. (Wikipedia)

Lately, the past year or so, my art has been exploring, "the human need to worship", Historically humans worshiped deities, currently many worship CELEBRITIES. Humans have a worship need. A psychological need for a bigger than life entity. We need heroes to identify with, to emulate, or in order to express deep psychological issues.

Lead by my muse, my art work has been exploring the persistent attributes of worshipees, a term that I have coined to group deities and celebrities together.

My picture "John Belushi was the Human Incarnation of Bacchus", draws attention to the hedonistic characteristics of both these entities. They are a sublimation of our wish to throw caution to the wind and embrace decadence. We enjoy Belushi acting like an undisciplined slob. Watching "Animal House" satisfies our desire to eat, drink and be merry, but, with out the hangover. Bacchus, as the patron God of Mardi Gras, permits unrestrained acting out during a prescribed period of time. After the holiday most of us return to sober work a day behavior.

"Oprah is the Reincarnation of Cleopatra", correlates the Queen of Egypt with the Queen of Television. And plays on the exotic African similarity. We desire the power of Oprah and Cleopatra.

Many of you may note the influence of Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell. I read these authors a few decades past. Their theories sounded a note of truth for me. Their principles have been deeply entwined in my personal belief system. They expressed these concepts much better than I can.

This series of art has afforded me much food for fantasy, contemplation, and expression. I am curious to see where it will lead.

Peace, Love and Art,

Janet

(File under the "I am not going there category": what happens to people who emulate Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton. Both got their start from a sex tape. Both are now famous for being famous. Both have no fear of being tacky.)

Oprah is the Reincarnation of Cleopatra

OPRAH IS THE REINCARNATION OF CLEOPATRA

Maybe, I am loosing my mind? I am seeing things, are these episodes hallucinations or visions?

(Do you know the difference between a psychotic and a psychic? Answer: The psychic knows who to talk to.)

It happened again, another visitation. This time I was on the back ten acres of our land, across Gold Creek, an area which is almost a wilderness, rarely visited by humans. I had a kukri with me. A kukri is a quality type of machete. I carried it, just in case I ran into a wild hog. I could use it for protection. Heehee. Like, I could stop a 300 pound muscle pack of charging hog. Anyway, I was kind of prepared, and the kukri helps cut through the tangles of vines.

I crossed over Gold creek, wearing my leopard print rubber boots. Made my way through thickets of brambles. Admired the landscape, which is making a wonderful recovery after being cut for timber eleven years ago, before we bought the property. I love seeing the land recover as nature does her beautiful work. There were many deer tracks. I startled a doe and a fawn, and watched them sprint away. They move with dance like grace.

When I got to the sandbar area, I sat down, to take a big refreshing drink of mother nature. Silver Creek is constantly changing. Sandbars appear and disappear. One year a magnolia tree had eroded to fall over the creek. In the spring it was dazzled with big creamy magnolia flowers. The next year, it had been washed away by seasonal floods.

I was sitting there, on the sand. Listening and watching the currents of water. And then...A woman appeared to be walking on the water. Coming toward me. I was not that surprised. I knew that it was just another visitation from the spirit world.

It was easy to recognize Cleopatra, because, she had assumed a Hollywood version of her image. Who knows what she really looked like, back in the day, because there has been so much spin put on her image. She has been idealized and glamorized by painters and sculptors and movie makers, since her ancient Egyptian rein. She never goes out of style.

Her manner was gracious, and, I knew that I would follow her regal request. She commanded that I paint a picture of her, illustrating her two most famous incarnations. Paint her as Cleopatra and Oprah, the Queen of television, all in the same body. "The people need to see this. I want them to know that I have been working for the betterment of humanity, through all my incarnations, for as long as humans have been on earth. It will give them hope. And Isis knows, they need hope, in times like these."

"And, please, dear Janet," she continued, "tell them that all women are Queens. (And some men are also Queens). Tell them to own their power. Tell them to get off their butts and create a Queendom, of peace, love and art."

I protested. "You are so beautiful. I am just an artist of lowly talent. I cannot do you justice."

"You may be right about that," Cleo said, "but, you are the best I can find, talent has kind of gone down the drain, these last few years. So you MUST paint it!" She is such an alpha female.

So here is the picture. It came out a bit better than I expected. Hope you like it.