Art, Books, and Joy

First of all, here is my new Deviant Art page.  I still have a lot of dolls to upload (not to mention some profile tweaking) but those are the most recent works.  I'm currently stitching a new fairy doll.  Fairies were the most popular (as far as sales and compliments went) at Wellspring, and I realized that I haven't made a fairy in a long, long time.  Last summer I made a pair of fairy wings out of nylon with the help of my friend/sister-in-law.  I need to take those semi-new skills and apply them to my dolls!

In other news, I've been working hard on the study programs.  Still no word about my muse essay, but I've been reading and organizing notes for Art History and Magic I.  The study programs fill the void that was college.  I miss academia and, though I'm planning to go to graduate school next year, I feel lucky to be part of a religious tradition that values study just as much as it values spirituality, artistry, and magic.  I'm currently working my way through Real Magic by Isaac Bonewits and the gargantuan Janson's History of Art. I recently finished The Magic Arts in Celtic Britain by Lewis Spence.  I found it to be helpful in better understanding some aspects of Celtic belief, such as the Otherworld, fairies/spirits, and the "second sight," and was mildly, if wryly, amused by the out of date nationalism and/or racism.  The author kept talking about how amazing Britain is and how superior the Celtic beliefs/practices/philosophies are to other "barbaric" cultures.  Yay for 1945!  The art history book is proving to be interesting and inspiring even though I've barely put a dent in it.  Uncle Isaac's work (his first published book) is also interesting.  I dig his humor and even his mild elitism (and older and wiser Bonewits apologizes for it in the forward), and find it heartening to know that I'm not the only crazy who believes in multiple truths and universes.  I'm only up to chapter three, but I'm really gaining a lot from his insights.

While in the shower this evening, I realized just how much I get back from ADF and the study programs.  I feel like I've learned so much and I know I will learn more.  The beauty is that it's learning for the sake of it.  I'm not doing it because society tells me I need a job or because it's "the logical thing to do" after high school.  I really enjoy it and want to make it a bigger part of my life.



[ For my LJ friends, please visit me at: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/ ]