Lately I've been thinking quite a bit about the significance of the holidays...Why do we devote so much time and energy to certain occasions? First we may look at the word 'holiday' or 'holy day', one set apart and worthy of reverence. Many of us have favorites and love to honor them in our own ways (Yours truly happens to be a big fan of Halloween).
One of the most enjoyable parts of these occasions is the joy of blessing each other. We give candy on Halloween, gifts on Christmas, and prepare feasts for Thanksgiving. The greatest reward for me is seeing the glow from someone who truly finds themselves within mythical artwork. My mission is to transform the mundane into mythical, bringing out a potent sense of aliveness through creativity. In honor of the holidays, I'll be running a sale on all items: 20% off everything November 15th-December 25th.
If you're seeking an epic art gift for a loved one of simply want to treat yourself, I invite you to check out a selection of what's on offer here at www.quantumkeyholestudio.com
Greeting Cards: $8
T shirts: $40
Prints: $45
Tapestries: $150 - Payment plans available
'In the Garden of Her Eyes' featuring Eve
Available as greeting card, print or tapestry
The story of Eve from Genesis is incredibly fascinating to me. She is all at once the myth of the original woman from whom beauty came into the world, torn from grace for her curiosity, awoken to both good and evil. She embodies surpassing magnitude of worldly knowledge, indelibly marked where curiosity dared venture. Born from the cosmos, mixed with the earth, where we come from and return in the end. Magnanimous, she holds ageless truths of pleasure and pain in the garden of her eyes.
'Awakening Vision of the Sun' featuring Hercules
Available as print or tapestry
Hercules was born from Zeus and Leda, a mortal and the supreme divine being of Olympus. He was conceived outside of Zeus' union with Hera who was fiercely and understandably jealous of the infamously promiscuous king. Hercules' existence was indelibly marked with a tear between worlds; Both divine and mortal, ever a half breed. On one hand he wasn't truly a pure Olympian, on the other nor was he really like the Greek mortals. Hercules could've been the next ruler of Olympus if not for Hera's intervention by making her own son Eurytheus come before him, which Hercules would have to serve for a time. Eurytheus sent Hercules on a series of 12 seemingly impossible trials. To be clear these weren't meant as a test of Hercules' ability, they were meant to break him. The torture was the entire point. Nevertheless, Hercules succeeded in overcoming each trial set before him. This is as much a testament to Hercules' realization of his own potential as it was about the act itself.
'Sovereign Breath of the Eternal' featuring Freya
Available as greeting card, print or tapestry
Viking warriors were known for their ferocity in battle; Men and women fighting alongside each other for themselves, for each other, for greater ideals beyond the two. Odin, ruler of Asgard, presided over Valhalla where fallen warriors would be reborn to revel in a life of feasting and fighting. His queen Freya ruled over Folkvangr, the “Field of the People”. She brought magic to the Norse, possesses captivating beauty as well as the ability to shapeshift, embodies free sexual expression, presides over 8 runes attached to universal qualities of the “Futhark”, and brings half of the fallen to live in her kingdom where she rides around on a chariot pulled by two magic cats. You can decide for yourself which afterlife you'd prefer to live in.
'The Prodigal's Way Revealed' featuring Ganesha
Available as print or tapestry
It's said that an elephant never forgets...The head of the largest mammal representing the most expansive intellect. The trunk reaches the ground as far as it extends into the sky, and can smell water sources 12 miles away; The symbolic representation of the spine, stretching from the base to the heavens. The ears, in conjunction with its feet can pick up another elephant's call 2.5 miles away; All the better to hear the prayers of nations. Ganesha's father Shiva breaks the ground with his dance as well. Like father, like son.
'Liberation of the Eternal Source' featuring Bodhisattva
Available as print or tapestry
The ultimate ideal is for beings to become enlightened by attaining harmony within themselves. One who is abundant has excess to give to others, and to provide for themselves. To one who's truly at ease with themselves, these motives come from the same place because humans are part of the same system. The Boddhisattva is the Buddha stage which chooses to stay behind on earth until suffering is relieved from the world. A boddhisattva is one who gives freely and knows their needs are accounted for. They share wisdom and compassion without being tied to external expectations. This awareness may be realized by those who search for truth. Some seek it out for themselves and make the trek up the tree of knowledge. Others opt to take the harder path through undue pain and learn the braille of the universe with burnt fingers. Then again, aren't we all one or the other from time to time? “No tree can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell”.
'Bond of Immaculate Grace' featuring Quanyin, Mary Magdalene and Isis
Available as greeting card, print or tapestry
Some pieces are so special that they reverberate across time, in this case spawning a whole goddess series! This commission brought together the recipient's love of Quanyin, Mary Magdalene and Isis. Little did I know when I set out on this one just how deeply they're connected and form a symbolic triangle between them. In fact, one of Quanyin's epithets is the 'Mary Magdalene of the East'. Mary Magdalene has been believed to be connected with the Temple of Isis. I often find that the goddess pieces reflect a conjunction between the terrestrial and cosmic, as shown here with Quanyin and Mary standing on the back of a turtle shell and the starts emanating from Isis' crown.
All of these and more are available at: www.quantumkeyholestudio.com/
Wherever you go and whatever you do, I hope the magic of life finds you open to its mysteries. Appreciating art is one of the most powerful ways to remember the childlike sense of wonder that's always available to us if we simply open ourselves to its gifts. I'd like to close out here with blessings inspired by Freya:
May prosperity arise all around you
May strength run through your blood
May any trials come with valuable lessons
May each word carry the Truth of your heart
May every step align with intention along your path
May the flame of enlightenment burn bright
May gifts fall from the sky into your lap
May harmony touch all around you
Blessings on you and may your celebrations be filled with joy!