Stones Tell Stories

There are many myths about stones and one of my favorites comes from the Seneca Indian Tribe. It’s about the origin of stories.

A few years ago, our neighbors created a dry stream bed that mimics a natural watercourse and I have often admired these stones on my daily walk.

I love the colors and texture of the stones and I thought I would try to capture this in a painting.

Stones Tell Stories

“I will lift the stone as Mary lifted it for her son, for substance, virtue, and strength; May this stone be in my hand till I reach my journey’s end.” – John Gregorson Campbell

“Have not all nations had their first unity from a mythology that marries them to rock and hill.” W. B Yeats

Myth Makers

“Myth must be kept alive. The people who can keep it alive are the artists of one kind or another. The function of the artist is the mythologization of the environment and the world”. – Joseph Campbell

“The job of the storyteller is to speak the truth. But what we feel most deeply can’t be spoken in words alone. At this level, only images connect. And here, story becomes symbol; symbol is myth. And myth is truth.”  – Alan Garner

The Swan Maiden

I have been working on this painting since February of this year. The inspiration for this piece came from reading the novel “Daughter of the Forest” by Juliet Marillier. She is a very gifted writer and folklorist. This beautiful retelling of the traditional seven swans fairy tale set in ancient Ireland, sent me on a quest of inquiry into a myriad of myths surrounding swans.

During this research, I was drawn to the Irish legend of a beautiful swan maiden “Caer Ibormeth”. Daughter of Prince Ethal Anbuai of Sid Uamuin in Connacht. Legend has it that every other Samhain she would change into a swan and would remain in this form for a year before becoming human again the following Samhain. This romantic Irish myth has become the main focus of my painting.

I have done several preliminary sketches of flying swans and will be adding these later when I have finished painting the maiden and the background. Sometimes when I am working on a painting, it becomes necessary for me to plan, to mull, and let some of my ideas percolate for awhile before I can proceed.

I will post this painting again when I am finished.

The Swan Maiden – Combined Media – 16 X 20 inches

The Swan Maiden – Sketch Charcoal & 2B pencil – 16 X 20