Midsommar Moth Flower Crown Collection

Presales start today at 12 PM EST at

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Salem's Spells for World Domination

"Salem's Spells for World Domination"

acrylic on birch panel

8 x 10 inches framed to 13.5 x 15.25 inches

2016

$600.00

gallery1988melrose@gmail.com

TONIGHT in LA!

"Idiot Box 2" opens at Gallery 1988, featuring works based on TV shows.

Here's my "Salem's Spells for World Domination", based on Salem Saberhagen from Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

The painting has Scot's thistle, which symbolizes retaliation, vengeance and Never forget in Floriography, the Victorian era Language of Flowers.

Wild Spirit

"Wild Spirit"

acrylic on deep cradled birch panel

12 x 18 inches, unframed

2015

$950.00

Available HERE

Here's my painting, "Wild Spirit" for Gristle Gallery's "Libertine" show, opening Saturday, July 18th in Brooklyn.

I was greatly inspired by the definition of a Libertine; a being unrestrained by moral, religious and sexual boundaries.  I wanted to portray such a being; a fearless spirit that exists outside of the realm of the more timid creatures.

I chose lisianthus flowers to place amongst them as their meaning in Floriography (the Victorian era language of flowers) is "showy".

Departure

"Departure"

acrylic on birch panel

8 x 10 inches, framed

2013

$500.00

SOLD

Here's another newly finished painting that is off to it's new home, thanks to one of my new collectors.  

Bats perch upon the backs of gray foxes, perched upon human skulls.  

The Ouija planchette, the mystical oracle, a portal to communication with the departed, dangles a scrying crystal.  The sweet pea flowers symbolize "departure" in Floriography, the Victorian language of flowers.

Here To Watch Over You Print

"Here To Watch Over You" print

(original 2013 painting has sold)

image size approx 7.5 x 9 inches, paper size 9 x 11 inches

white border matte

archival acid free rag smooth fine art paper by Craine

100% pigmented and archival ink

150+ years life

EDITION of 10

each print is signed/numbered/titled by the artist

$30.00

Available for purchase HERE

A fawn guards it's new sibling with the help of a squirrel and bunny.  Lily of the valleys (representing return to happiness in Floriography, the Victorian language of flowers) and blackberries (dangerous pride) flank the scene.

The Wish

"The Wish"

acrylic on birch panel

5 x 7 inches

2013

$250.00

SOLD

A fawnicorn (mix of unicorn and fawn) sits among foxglove flowers, (which represent "a wish" in Floriography, the Victorian era language of flowers) while the white moth that she made her wish upon flies up to the moonlit, starry sky.

Sentinels

"Sentinels"

acrylic and silver leaf on birch panel

11 x 14 inches, framed

2013

$600.00

email info@augusteclown.com for purchase inquiries

Here is my painting, "Sentinels", which I created for Auguste Clown Gallery in Australia.

The original is available online and in the gallery itself.

The albino doe, barn owl and fox keep watch under the sparkling full moon, with champagne colored roses (symbolizing effervescence, vitality and devotion in Floriography) and starflowers (hope, vigilance) below them.

The unicursal hexagram insignia found between the wings symbolizing,

"As above, so below".

Fox Magic

"Fox Magic"

acrylic on birch panel

8 x 10 inches framed to 13.5 x 15.5 inches

2012

email corylou311(at)yahoo(dot)com for availability

A gray fox and a white, arctic fox converge around the pentacle made of pussy willows (representing never-ceasing remembrance in Floriography, the Victorian language of flowers) while an owl sentry flies above, and one perches on a skull below.  

Dark and light; as above, so below.

Here To Watch Over You

"Here To Watch Over You"

acrylic on birch panel

8 x 10 inches, framed to

2013

$400.00
(SOLD)

Here's my spring-themed painting for Flower Pepper Gallery's "All Things Bright and Beautiful" show curated by Nicole Bruckman.

A fawn guards it's new sibling with the help of a squirrel and bunny.  Lily of the valleys (representing return to happiness in Floriography, the Victorian language of flowers) and blackberries (dangerous pride) flank the scene.

Here's the postcard images, I was honored to have my image make it to the card!

There's a fantastic lineup of artists, and it's sure to be a breathtakingly beautiful show.  Check it out this Saturday if you're in California!

Many thanks to Nicole Bruckman for inviting me.

Springtime Pride

"Springtime Pride"

acrylic on birch panel

5 x 5 inches framed to 7.5 x 7.5 inches

2013

$200.00

(SOLD)

Two albino robins gaze upon their carnation nest of new, blue eggs.

One clutches sprigs of rosemary, the other, bunches of blackberries.

The pink carnation symbolizes maternal love, lively and pure affection, beauty and pride in Floriography, the Victorian language of flowers.  

The rosemary stands for devotion, and the blackberries for dangerous pride.

I wanted there to be a duel way of seeing the painting; the birds are both gazing lovingly at the eggs and fearlessly guarding them against predators.  Poised on either side, they are ready to defend the young ones at all costs.

This piece is headed to Modern Eden's show, "The Language of Flowers", which is a subject near and dear to me. Floriography is something I've been using in my paintings for years now, since I first discovered it.  The show opens 5/11/13 in San Francisco.

Several of my other Floriography-themed paintings from my 2012 solo show, Talisman will also be on display for this show.

Here's the flyer, featuring the amazing work of Redd Walitzki.  

The artist lineup is incredible, sure to be a beautiful show just in time for spring.

Charming (The Spirits)

"Charming (The Spirits)"

acrylic on birch panel

18 x 24 inches, framed

2012

SOLD

In this piece, a young fox wears the Seal of Merbeulis talisman, which is used for captivating and controlling all those they encounter. It is best suited for rituals and spells that involve charming others. This amulet enables the wearer to be more charming and charismatic, enhancing their attraction energies.

Here, the fox is conjuring, or charming the spirits of several departed animals; a peacock, a raven, a mourning dove and a fawn. Around him are red roses symbolizing charm, and foam flowers which mean “attractive” in Victorian Flower Language, or Floriography.

This painting will be included in my solo show, Talisman, opening this Saturday, August 11th from 6-10PM at San Francisco's Modern Eden Gallery

403 Francisco St

San Francisco, California

The Language of the Birds

"The Language of the Birds"

inspired by The Language of the Birds, Russian folk tale

acrylic on birch panel

10 x 10 inches, framed

2012

$325.00

for "Myth", Modern Eden Gallery

(SOLD)

Here's my painting for the group show, "Myth" for San Francisco's Modern Eden Gallery.  It's based on the Russian folk tale of the same name, "The Language of the Birds".

In the tale, a young man yearns to learn the language of the birds upon hearing the sweet song of a nightingale.  After saving some baby birds, the mother of the babies agrees to teach him the language.  He then traveled home and could understand the nightingale's song; it is foretelling his future.  

Later in his life, when he has been separated from his parents, a king vows to award anyone the hand in marriage of his daughter if they can get three troublesome cawing crows away from his window.

The young man listens to the crows (a mother, father and child) and hears that they are arguing about which parent the child crow should follow.  The king tells the crows that the child should follow the father, and they fly away.

As a reward, the young man receives the hand of the princess and they live happily ever after.

In my painting, the nightingale sits singing in the upper left, and the crow family (albino in my version) perch chattering in the king's window, discussing which parent the child should follow.  The power triangle amulet hangs from the top of the window, which is for developing personal power.

The light pink colored cyclamen mean, "I understand you" in Floriography, the Victorian language of flowers.

The show, Myth opens July 14th, 6-10pm at

Modern Eden Gallery

403 Francisco St

San Francisco, California

Conjuring

"Conjuring"

acrylic on birch panel

16 x 20 inches

2012

I've been ignoring this blog for a while because I've been working my ass off in preparation for my August 11th solo show at Modern Eden Gallery, called "Talisman".

 As the name Talisman implies, this show is about the magical amulets typically worn around the neck which protect and help the wearer. I'm fascinated by these amulets, I have been interested in them since I was a kid.  I wanted to make a series incorporating them into my favorite animals' lives.

Here's a new finished piece called, "Conjuring". This one portrays a male fox who has lost his dear wife and is conjuring her spirit using her skull and the Magic Hexagram amulet.  I found online that "although it is not as famous as the pentagram, the hexagram has been used as a magical symbol for thousands of years.  It is frequently viewed as a form that can act as a portal to the spirit world.  As such, the the Magic Hexagram amulet is a great tool for anyone seeking to invoke or evoke spirits, angels or demons."

The barn owl also is assisting the husband fox with a heart-shaped Ouija planchette which bears the symbol of the pentacle.  Between the wife's ghostly image and the husband's solid one is the flower astilbe, which means "I'll still be waiting" in Floriography, the Victorian language of flower meanings.  Astilbe leaves float down from the sky around them.  Beside the husband fox are white tulips, which mean "lost love".

For My Little One

"For My Little One"

acrylic on birch panel

8 x 10 inches, oval

2012

SOLD

For my August 11th solo show, Talisman at San Francisco's Modern Eden Gallery

Progress shots:

Here's my latest painting, "For My Little One".

It's a piece that I've wanted to make for a while; since a horrific scene that I witnessed from my living room window last year.  It all happened so fast that I didn't even really know what happened at first.  I was sitting at my drawing table and heard a loud sound outside.  I looked out to see a hawk with something in it's claws and a squirrel chasing after him.  

Apparently the hawk had snatched up a baby squirrel from the power line from where the mother squirrel had it with her.  I screamed and pounded on the window at the hawk, hoping he would let it go, but it flew away before I could run outside.  

I could hear the mother squirrel crying from the tree for what seemed like days later.  

I know that this is just one of the many natural occurrences in the brutal reality that is nature, but it was so excruciating to see it happen; especially when I had seen the mom running around with the baby in it's mouth the day before.

So, I had been wanting to make a painting where the squirrel gets revenge on the hawk that took her little one and brings back his skull, and for it also to look like she's keeping a vigil or visiting the baby's grave.  

She's holding forget-me-nots, which obviously mean "Do not forget me!" and remembrance, and the hawk skull is flanked by peach roses, which symbolize immortality.

Love, Uncaged

"Love, Uncaged"

inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds"

acrylic on birch panel

11 x 14 inches plus frame

2012

inquiries:

corylou311(at)yahoo(dot)com

Here's the finished painting of my contribution to the Hitchcock themed group show for 

Gallery 1988 Venice.  

The show opens this Friday, April 13th

214 Pier Avenue

Santa Monica, CA 90405

Here's the progress shots:

I love many Hitchcock movies, and was very inspired by seeing The Birds again recently.  

I was going to do something with the obvious choice of crows, but never having painted lovebirds before, and seeing how docile and cute they were in the movie (they were actually the only birds to NOT harm anyone), I decided I would go that route instead.  

The lovebirds were a gift from Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren) to Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor) that were supposed to be for his sister Cathy.  They are present in Bodega Bay for the whole bird attack fiasco, but mysteriously remain docile throughout (except for in my version!).

The flowers, tuberose, signify "Dangerous Love" in floriography (Victorian flower language).

Also, I wanted to add that the final image of the painting is a professional scan, so there may be some prints available in the future! ;)

WIP: For My Little One

(almost there!)

Here's my progress so far on "For My Little One".

It's a piece that I've wanted to make for a while; since a horrific scene that I witnessed from my living room window last year.  It all happened so fast that I didn't even really know what happened at first.  I was sitting at my drawing table and heard a loud sound outside.  I looked out to see a hawk with something in it's claws and a squirrel chasing after him.  

Apparently the hawk had snatched up a baby squirrel from the power line from where the mother squirrel had it with her.  I screamed and pounded on the window at the hawk, hoping he would let it go, but it flew away before I could run outside.  

I could hear the mother squirrel crying from the tree for what seemed like days later.  

I know that this is just one of the many natural occurrences in the brutal reality that is nature, but it was so excruciating to see it happen; especially when I had seen the mom running around with the baby in it's mouth the day before.

So, I had been wanting to make a painting where the squirrel gets revenge on the hawk that took her little one, and for it also to look like she's keeping a vigil or visiting it's grave.  

She's holding forget-me-nots, which obviously mean "Do not forget me!" and remembrance, and the hawk skull is flanked by peach roses, which symbolize immortality.

Flight/Foresight

"Flight/Foresight"

acrylic on birch panel

11 x 14 inches plus frame

2012

SOLD

For my August 11th solo show, Talisman at San Francisco's Modern Eden Gallery

The progress shots:

"Flight/Foresight" deals with symbolism pertaining to flight (the owl ghosts, dove wings, golden bat skull) and foresight (the scrying crystal, runes, holly and wild strawberry). I'm finding that the themes of divination and Nordic culture are becoming more and more of interest to me, and this painting reflects that.

A golden bat skull flanked by dove wings overlooks two albino owl ghosts that each hold plants (wild strawberry and holly) symbolizing foresight.  The rune on the bat skull's head is Ansuz, symbolizing Odin; true sight, signals, insight.  The runes flanking the skull are Kenaz (vision, knowledge) and Mannaz (forethought, creativity).

A tool of divination, the skrying crystal hangs down from the bat skull's mouth.