Ars Nycticorax

Cornix

Valerie Herron — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 17:00:00 +0000

Written back in 03/07/2019. I wanted to share some of the ideas that went into my painting “Cornix.”

Cornix by Valerie Herron © 2019. Image Description: A mixed media painting of two, green-blue-purple iridescent crows against a rough textured, ochre background. One crow is in the foreground, with a writing quill in it’s beak. It writes in the Theban script upon the parchment it is standing on. (Transcription: Please send corn) The crow in the background stands upon a coyote’s skull. The crow holds in their beak a ruby hued, Corvia¹ stone. In the upper right hand corner of the composition, a sigil comprised of runes and alchemical symbols forms a pictographic sigil of a crow. It is surrounded by a circle of faint, crow foot prints.

This is my ode to crows, most beloved of our common place scavengers. My love for them is both hilarious and sad in a old-cat-lady sense, and has been an endless source of amusiment for the people in my life. I will attempt to explain it here:

Crows are ambassadors and thieves. They fly between the wilderness and humanity and decode the secrets of both. I think this is inspiring to folks who feel alien in various aspects of life, and I’m certain this is one reason these corvids are loved by many people. Like many city dwellers, I often feel bereft of the natural world. At times when I feel the most removed from nature, one of these scamps will fly into my view to attack a pile of trash and it brings me a delight I can’t readily describe to you. My perspective is transformed in an unexpected, perhaps unhelpful way to see the oil slicks in the streets reflected in their plumage. Without their ravenous nature, that roadkill feast sustaining some excited squawkers would just be an animal robbed of it’s life by some asshole in a pickup truck.

When I see a small murder of them team up to ward off a massive bald eagle from their roost (a common sight here in western Washington state), part of me is inspired. It’s such a beautiful allegory of a world where community can surmount the threat of a larger authority. In an unjust world, it is something tremendous to see a murder everywhere

Anyway, these are just a few examples of the ridiculous things that go through my head as I watch these incredible birds. I honestly rewrote this a few times trying desperately not to sound like a sad, bird obsessed crazy person, but I give up and figure I’m just gonna roll with it. Every creature on this planet is worthy of obsession. Every nasty, little purifier and worm is fucking miraculous in their own right. We might as well revel in the glory of all of them now, we have already lost so many species due to human interference, and so many more to come as we sit here without solutions. The crows will outlast us, though. It’s scavengers that win the long-game of evolution. I take a strange comfort in the fact the crows will feast on humanity’s remains. Crows give me an odd joy in this maladjusted world. Wherever they go, crows bring a comforting paradox. They are the most charming little savages. I hope this painting does them some honor.

Cornix is part of my ongoing Familiars series and prints are available in my Etsy shop. Follow the link to get yourself some birbs!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MysticMedia

¹ A “corvia” or “corvia stone” or “crow stone” is a relic of medieval, European folklore. It was described as a red stone that could be procured from from a crows egg. It was believed to “increase wealth, bring honors, and permits the prediction of future events.”² It was believed to have the power to turn iron into silver, as well as open locks, and obtain victory in court cases! As this extraordinary stone was ascribed so many qualities in common with crows themselves – and to acknowledge crows’ propensity to snatch up shiny objects – it felt like a necessary addition to my painting.

²Lecouteux, Claude, and Jon E. Graham. A Lapidary of Sacred Stones: Their Magical and Medicinal Powers Based on the Earliest Sources. Inner Tradition, 2012.

Brigid

Valerie Herron — Sat, 25 Jan 2020 19:54:52 +0000

Brigid © Valerie Herron
[Image: painting of Brigid. Radial composition with Brigid/Six of Brigid’s aspects in the top-center, set in a liminal cross section of the earth and the Otherworld, accessed through a sacred well. Visual details of the painting are fully described in the following essay, piece by piece.]

It is flattering when people are drawn to one of my paintings without knowing the mythology that influences it. By far, this painting is the one I have been asked to talk about the most. “What is this about?” Or often “What the hell is going on here?”

The short answer: This painting is my veneration of art itself. I can not express in words the ways that artistic work gives my life meaning, and the act of creation and creative flow is the state of existence that I strive to be in daily. It is the closest I personally feel to sublimity.

Now, if you are curious about the symbolism in this painting, I shall unpack it in the following essay. I haven’t so much worked on this for months as much as I’ve put it off for months because I loaded way too much conceptual material into the original painting.

Friendly warning: Please, do yourself a favor and do not go to artists for facts! Any artist worth their salt will research their subject matter, but art is a synthesis between the history informing the subject matter and the artist’s vision. It’s also important to understand that many artists work within existing visual-vocabularies to discuss ideas. They are often not speaking literally about the subject matter within their work.

[Image: photo of Bjork facing the viewer, saying “You shouldn’t let poets lie to you.”]

That is to say this painting (or subsequent blog post) should not be used as a text book to teach about Irish mythology or culture. I am neither a scholar, nor Irish. If you would like to know more about Brigid, I urge you to seek out academic sources – specifically from Irish authors when possible. I will do my best here to delineate between influential sources and my personal expressions within the work. I also provide a ton of links throughout this cursory essay so that you can further investigate these topics.

Who is Brigid? the tl:dr version

Brigid (also spelled Brig, Bric, Brigit, Brighid, Bríd, and Bridget) is the name of a goddess from Irish Mythology as well as one of the patron saints of Ireland, Saint Brigid. Depending on who you ask, “Brigid” is an amalgam of all these divinities, or they are all distinct beings/historical people. The commonalities between all of these versions of Brigid is her connection to fire, smithing, poetry, warriors, and healing. I will speak more on these in the painting description. There are numerous living traditions dedicated to Brighid the goddess and Saint Brigid. People all over the world are devotees to the goddess and/or the saint.

That is a painfully concise explanation! If you are interested in learning more about Brigid, please take a look at the list of sources I have provided at the end of this post (thank you to Orlagh Minxie Costello and the Brigid’s Forge community for this list!). If academic texts scare you, I highly recommend Brigid: Meeting the Celtic Goddess of Poetry, Forge, and Healing by American author Morgan Daimler. It is solidly researched, very accessible, and includes many of Morgan’s direct translations of the original source material.

“The Cauldrons are Turned by Joy and by Sorrow”
[Detail from Brigid by Valerie Herron: Fiery Brigid (Human form composed of fire and flame ripples of ancient Irish designs) holds a scroll of birch bark. Inscribed in ogham, the scroll reads “The Cauldrons are turned by Joy and Sorrow”]

Initial Goals and Concepts

As someone who has only experienced Ireland from the outside looking in, I have always been moved by the importance that artistic work seems to have in Irish culture. To many Westerners who are steeped in a classically Greek view of the Humanities, we see the essence of a subject to be it’s Philosophy (hence PhD.) For Irish culture throughout the centuries it would appear that Poetry holds this place of distillation for all subjects. This always made sense to me. Art is philosophical in it’s own right, it can be logical and direct. Yet it is also a mutable and multifaceted Truth. Being a radiant presence within Irish culture throughout history, Brigid becomes the natural embodiment of these themes for my painting.

I knew that I wanted to make this painting a triptych. There is a long history of triptychs used in Western religious paintings, namely because they function well as stand alone altar pieces and because of the importance of the number three in Catholicism. Threes are very significant in pre-Christian Ireland, which is demonstrated throughout the original mythology. The number three is consequentially very significant to Brigid in her lore as a goddess and as a saint.

Brigid’s traditional mythology largely informed this piece, as well as a traditional piece of Irish literature: Coire Érmai / Coire Goriath or “The Cauldron of Poesy.” This 7th century poem speaks about the emotional currents that fuel creativity. This is a narrow explanation of the text, really The Cauldron of Poesy is an exploration of divine inspiration. My personal favorite translation of this poem is by author and poet Erynn Rowan Laurie. I wanted to tie this evocative poetry about the paradoxical source of creativity (from within and without) into the painting’s imagery.

Lastly, the reason I often work in the visual elements of antiquated literature is that I find the contrast to our present reality forever interesting. Not in the same neo-classicist lens of folks who pine away for a fictional past. I truly do appreciate computers, vaccines, toilets, and a bevvy of basic human rights many of us get to enjoy here in 2020. The past was not “better” for most people. There are, however, some philosophical gems that I have found in ancient literature and folklore that I think are worth examining through a contemporary perspective, so I explore them in my work.

Translating the Visuals

Fe and Men
[Detail from Brigid by Valerie Herron: two oxen with golden, jeweled crowns. The oxen are walking toward the viewer and looking at the center of the painting toward the Brigids. They walk underneath a hawthorn tree with white and red rags tied unto its branches.]

Livestock

Brigid was said to own two oxen kings (Fe and Men) a king of boars (Triath) and a king of rams (Cirb) An interesting thing I learned from Daimler’s book is that these animals were symbolic of the class distinctions in early Irish clan society. I thought that fit nicely with the notions that art and artists transcend barriers of class.

There is a lot tying sustenance and hospitality to Brigid in her folklore as well. She is referred to as Brig Brigiu or “Brigid the Hospitaller.” I learned what a Brigiu was from a presentation on Brigid by Orlagh Costello. A Brigiu was a wealthy landowner who was expected to provide hospitality to travelers and workers on their land. Perhaps our modern day equivalent would be Brigid the Landlord. Think on that contrast for a second! If there are other lives in your demesne (on your property or in your place of work) that you depend on for your livelihood, how do you help sustain them?

I think about the agricultural setting of these ancient texts in contrast to present day factory farming. Our way of life diminishes the intrinsic value of the creatures who sustain us. We torture them and we lock it all away in abattoirs where we don’t have to see or think about it. This is precisely how we treat ourselves and our creative stores: as commodities and nothing more.

It dawned on me one day that I had to start tending to my creative practice like livestock. While imagination may be boundless, my creative bandwidth is a limited resource with its own needs. If I try to commodify and exploit my creative resources – namely my brain and my body – without rest and without sustainance, they/I will keel over. Part of this painting’s function is to remind me to periodically tend to the livestock (my brainmeats.)

Triath and Cirb
[Detail from Brigid by Valerie Herron: with mossy stones in the foreground, focus is in the mid ground on a ram and a tusky boar by his side. The ram has strong horns and is wearing a golden lunula around his neck with a thorny-flame icon I designed as an insignia of Brigid. The boar wears a golden, jeweled diadem on his brow. Both creatures direct their rapt attention to the center of the painting, toward the Brigids. Behind them is a gnarled oak tree with Brigid crosses of various styles tied onto its branches]

Rag Trees and Brigid’s Crosses

I would be remiss if I were take all of these themes from ancient Irish culture into my work and not nod to the living traditions in Ireland in honor of Brigid/St. Brigid. First, on the left hand tree there are Brigid/St Brigid crosses. These are traditionally woven out of rushes and function as protective blessings. There are regional variations on the styles and traditions surrounding these crosses, but all over the world people weave these in celebration of Imbolc, a day dedicated to Brigid/Saint Brigid.

On the upper right hand side of the image you will see rags tied to the branches of a hawthorn tree. Irish scholar and sacred site tour guide Lora O’Brien unpacks this beautiful tradition right here. While you are at it, please go check out all of Lora O’Brien‘s work! Lora is an invaluable educational resource on all things Irish, particularly in regards to Irish archeology, mythology, and living folk traditions. They likely have site-visit videos of some of the holy wells mentioned in the next section.

Enter the Upside Down
[Detail from Brigid by Valerie Herron: this is the bottom half of the painting which depicts the Otherworld from Irish myth. It is upside down in orientation to the top half of the painting depicting the earth.]

Holy Wells and the Well of Mystery

Seamless segue. It was always weird to me that there is a dearth of well representation in Brigid art. Why? While she is linked to fire in the literature, there are actual wells dedicated to Saint Brigit that you can physically visit. There are several sacred wells dedicated to Brigid, a few better known examples are:

‘Dabhach Bhríde’ in Liscannor, Co Clare
‘Sruth Bhríde’ in Faughart near Dundalk, Co Louth
‘Tobar Bride’ in Oughtaragh, near Ballinamore, Co Leitrim

Katherina Elizabeth of the Brigid’s Forge community pointed out this resource to me: a map of all the documented holy wells in Ireland! I love it when ancient and current technologies converge. Anyway, the well in my painting isn’t any one specific well, but certainly representative of Brigid’s many wells.

This is also a nod to the various wells from Irish myth referred to as The “Well of Wisdom” or “Well of Knowledge.” I have encountered these titles most often designated to Connla’s Well in Irish myth and poetry. In myth it is said that Connla’s Well is in the hall of otherworld king/god Manannán mac Lir. It is surrounded by nine sacred hazel trees, whose potent magical hazelnuts fall into the well. These hazelnuts feed the Salmon of Knowledge who lives in the well. This well has been sought out by poets and gods alike, imbibing in the wells water is purported to grant one ecstatic inspiration.

There are numerous cautionary tales of the many who have sought out the well and drowned in the process, which is fairly straight forward symbolism. The pursuit of Poetry, Art, and/or Truth is not without its hazards. I find it fascinating how often notions of enlightenment are conflated with notions of happiness. Yes, the truth will set you free, but the truth is also horrifying. This makes the mythological Otherworld an apt literary mirror for our own, waking reality.

In early Irish literature, it can be concluded that people viewed creativity as having an otherworldly source. The Otherworld in this context is essentially where all of the Gods and supernatural beings dwell. It’s contrast to our world is often depicted through time: when it’s day here it is night there, when it’s summer here it is winter there, etc. Time also works differently there. There are many myths and anecdotal historical accounts of people being spirited away to the other world, and after spending what felt like days there, they return to find years have passed in our realm. Anyway, this is to explain the visual choices I made here depicting the otherworld in this painting.

We tend the fires lit by those who come before us.
[Detail Brigid by Valerie Herron: a red-hot cauldron (The Cauldron of Warming) containing the molten substance of prima materia is held up by the hands of countless ancestors. To the left of the cauldron, Brigid is in the form of a black, desiccated bog mummy floating in the waters of the Otherworldly well. To the right of the cauldron, cloaked Brigid (in the form of a living woman with copper-blond hair) weeps/keens for her dead lamb which floats from her arms in the waters of the Otherworldly well.]

Brigid is also connected to death and grieving. In the mythology Brigid had two sons, both of whom she outlived. She is considered to be the inventor of keening. I feel that this speaks to the cathartic function of creative work. I won’t dissect this bit too far, it’s personal. Suffice it to say I have lost many loved ones to early, violent deaths. Being able to channel that grief through creative expression has saved my life on numerous occasions. I feel that this is true for everyone. Everyone has music or movies or literature that serves as a light in the darkness for them.

Like all saints she is also considered an ancestor, so I depicted her here as a bog mummy. It is, after all, the work of many ancestors that inform all of our art. Culture is the conversation we keep with the dead, we examine historical works and contribute to this dialogue with our own work. We tend the fires lit by those who come before us.

The Healer, the Smith, and the Poet.
[Detail from Brigid by Valerie Herron: Brigid is shown in three separate aspects. On the left is Brigid the Healer (woman with copper-blond hair in a blue dress.) She wears an adder around her neck and a bundle of medicinal plants on her hip. She heats the herbs that she has crushed in her iron hot hand and scatters them into the well. On the left is Brigid the Smith (woman with copper-blond hair in blue dress.) . The sword she holds is made pliable in her fire hot hands, behind her is the anvil and hammers used to shape it. She plunges the iron hot sword into the well to quench it. In the center is Brigid the Poet (nude human woman form composed of fire and flame ripples of ancient Irish designs.)]

It wouldn’t be a Brigid painting (or a recognizable one) without the iconography of Brigid’s most familiar aspects. The theme that repeats itself throughout this painting is creativity expressed through the juxtaposition of Fire and Water. This is the concept connects everything in the image, including the central, triform figure. On the upper left we have Brigid the Healer, on the right we have Brigid the Smith, and in the center there is Brigid the Poet. In the imagery I chose here I made sure depict Brigid as source of the fire/heat in each aspect, each interacting with the water welling up from its otherworldly sources.

The Exalted One
[Detail of Brigid by Valerie Herron: Brigid the Poet (nude human woman form composed of fire and flame ripples of ancient Irish designs.) Brigid is afire and rising from The Well of Wisdom. Rising from The Cauldron of Warming is the ogham alphabet, wrapping around her form like DNA helix and flowing into her right hand. In her left hand she holds a scroll of birch bark. Inscribed in ogham the scroll reads “The Cauldrons are turned by Joy and Sorrow” The Cauldron of Motion is depicted on the surface of the well water in many positions at once, moving the water like a water wheel. The Cauldron of Wisdom frames is behind her, lit dramatically by her fiery head.]

Again, there is much information regarding the various aspects of Brigid, and I point you to the work of actual experts to learn more about them. I would, however, like to speak a bit about the central figure in painting. This is the form that represents Brigid the Poet, but also Brigid as the living embodiment of creativity. The word Imbas roughly translates to inspiration. “The fire in the head” is a term that shows up a lot in Irish literature and refers to the visionary experience of creative flow.

Writers, visual artists, and musicians often talk about the phenomena of “flow state” where they find themselves in a different state of consciousness and the work flows forth from them unencumbered. They take a look at the work afterword and think “Who authored that? Where did it come from?” To quote contemporary Irish artist Blindboy Boatclub “Creative flow is the drug that artists chase.” For me, this is church. I tried to create a visual representation of imbas with this central figure. This is how I feel when I am “on fire”, when ideas and words and images flow forth from me unhindered.

There is so much more I could speak on, but I should conclude what turned out here to be a dissertation. Like, I didn’t even get into the snakes (Please note: the adders are very much a Scottish Brigid lore thing, not at all Irish. They happen to be part of my personal vision of Brigid, and that is why they are there.) If you have read this far, wow! Thank you, I appreciate your interest in my work. If you celebrate, Happy belated Imbolc.

~~~

If you would like to purchase a giclée print of this Brigid painting, please visit my Etsy shop here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MysticMedia/items

~~~

Brigid Sources

Orlagh Minxie Costello, Thursday, January 28, 2021:

“Please see below the list of books, websites etc as resources for Brigid. This is just off the top of my head to start with, comment on items you think should be added and if I agree, I’ll add them

Morgan Daimler’s Pagan Portals book: Brigid, Meeting the Celtic Goddess of Poetry, Forge and the Healing Well

Courtney Weber’s Brigid History, Mystery and Magick of the Celtic GoddessClann Bhríde’s resources list: https://clannbhride.org/articles-and-essays/clann-bhride-resource-list/ (one thing I like about this resources list is that places where caution might be advised are clearly outlined! Also – I have no affiliation to Clann Bhríde, but I do refer to this website at times. In fact the whole damn website is a resource really!)

Seán Ó Dúinn’s book The Rites of Brigid, Goddess and Saint (this is apparently out of print now, but if you can get your hands on it, it’s worth it!)

Brian Wright’s book Brigid, Goddess, Druidess and Saint

My own website: https://mybrigidsforge.wordpress.com/

Irish Pagan School has a selection of courses on Brigid, a few of them taught by me: https://irishpaganschool.com/

Mael Brigde’s website http://brigitssparklingflame.blogspot.com/p/brigit-courses.html (also got links to courses) Also here for those interesting in flamekeeping: http://www.obsidianmagazine.com/DaughtersoftheFlame/ “

Additional Sources:

Bitel, Lisa M, Landscape with Two Saints: How Genovefa of Paris and Brigit of Kildare Built Christianity in Barbarian Europe. Oxford University Press, 2009.

“Got Milk?”: The Food Miracles of St. Brigit of Kildare https://academia.edu/resource/work/12818517

Brigit: Goddess, Saint, ‘Holy Woman,’ and Bone of Contention https://academia.edu/resource/work/738469

Several academic articles on Brigid by Casey June Wolf https://independent.academia.edu/CaseyJuneWolf

Bladey, Conrad, Brigid of the Gael: A Guide for the Study of St. Brigid of Kildare, A Sourcebook for Classroom Use. Hutman Productions, 2000.

Hutton, Ronald, The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles: Their Nature and Legacy. Blackwell Publishing, 1993.

McCone, Kim, Pagan Past and Christian Present in Early Irish Literature. National University of Ireland, Department of Old Irish, 1990.

Harrington, Christian Women in a Celtic Church: Ireland 450-1150. Oxford University Press, 2002

Dang, it’s been a while!

Valerie Herron — Sun, 05 Jan 2020 04:15:12 +0000

Hello! I’ve decided to clear the dust off of this blog and start writing about my work regularly once more! Well, semi-regularly? Certainly with greater frequency than before.

Over the last year, loads of folks have been asking me to write more about my work. I’ve always struggled with this because I am most definitely not a writer. I am terrified of words, this is why I make images. The problem is that many of these images are confounding! So now that people are actually looking at my work, I must explain my bizarre creations.

This blog was initially a project for college. It was a way to document all of my studies in art and share my work with friends and family. I kept it going for a little while after I graduated. I am very amused by where it leaves off, because I recall it being point where my career truly started. For the following six years I had been so freaking busy, I don’t know that I could have stung two words together about my work even if I had wanted to.

In that time I moved to Seattle(ish), started working in the gaming industry, illustrated many publications, got so busy with illustration work that I had to move to a part-time day job, started working in the mortuary industry, and have been in numerous art exhibitions. Like one does.

Finally having adjusted to the hustle, I think I can carve out the time to talk a little bit about the work that I do. I will certainly try to keep this blog active. I aim to at least write something up for each of the images that I put out into the world. You can, of course, follow me on social media where I speak much more frequently, and display a lot of in process photos.

That’s it for now!

Updates: Shows, Morpheus Ravenna, Totems, and more!

Valerie Herron — Wed, 11 Jun 2014 21:09:29 +0000

Greetings! I am busy as ever, and I am thrilled to announce the following updates. I will blog about each of these projects individually as they unfold, but in the meantime here is a dangerous barrage of updates!

Isis – work in progress. Valerie Herron 2014

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/photo.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/photo.jpg?w=920" class="size-medium wp-image-1181" src="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/photo.jpg?w=300" alt="Isis - work in progress. Valerie Herron 2014" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/photo.jpg?w=300 300w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/photo.jpg?w=600 600w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/photo.jpg?w=150 150w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />

Isis – work in progress. Valerie Herron 2014

I have 2 shows coming up in the next 30 days! I will be showing my soon to be finished Isis piece at Gargoyles Statuary in their Goddess show on June 20th. If you are unfamiliar, Gargoyles Statuary is Seattle, WA’s one stop shoppe for all things dark and dreamy. They have the best selection of gothic statuary that I have ever encountered, as well as beautiful art, handmade fragrances, jewelry, and all manor of accoutrements for the dark arts and decor. If you can’t make it to the show, be sure to check them out online!

Custom Cranium storefront. Sign art by Stephan Maich, photo by Darien.

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/10468700_748312265192227_4579182315280929503_n.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/10468700_748312265192227_4579182315280929503_n.jpg?w=920" class="size-medium wp-image-1182" src="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/10468700_748312265192227_4579182315280929503_n.jpg?w=300" alt="Custom Cranium storefront. Sign art by Stephan Maich, photo by Darien. " width="300" height="168" srcset="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/10468700_748312265192227_4579182315280929503_n.jpg?w=300 300w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/10468700_748312265192227_4579182315280929503_n.jpg?w=600 600w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/10468700_748312265192227_4579182315280929503_n.jpg?w=150 150w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />

Custom Cranium storefront. Sign art by Stephan Maich, photo by Darien.

I will be at the grand opening of Custom Cranium in Eugene, OR on July 1oth with originals, prints, and cards. Custom Cranium is owned and operated by the most fabulous Darien and Adam Prawlocki, proprietors of Custom Cranium online. Be sure to check out and support your local taxidermy artist

Click to view slideshow.

This is the first of a new line of creations I shall be making, 6″x6″ mixed media on canvas. This one is already sold, but I will be making more. My vision for these pieces is that they will be totemic paintings, shields, and charms. I can already see a million animals, plants, runes, and more items that I will feature in these apotropaic images. Soon I will also be open to taking commissions for these totemic images. I will keep posting them as I create them, so stay tuned!

Perhaps the announcement I am most excited about: I am thrilled to be illustrating in the upcoming book by Morpheus Ravenna : The Book of the Great Queen. Soon to be published by Concrescent Press, this is a book about the Morrígan, Irish raven goddess of sovereignty, battle, and prophecy (also my personal Matron. DREAM PROJECT.)

The IndieGoGo campaign to fund this amazing tome is at this link. I encourage you to contribute! Support independent authors and publishers, and you know, illustrators

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-book-of-the-great-queen

I will try to find time to keep you all updated in the midst of all this madness!

Welcome to Night Vale Listening Party

Valerie Herron — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 20:46:33 +0000

Allow me to use my blog to shamelessly promote a local event that I’m co-hosting:

The Welcome to Night Vale Listening Party is happening THIS SATURDAY! You don’t want to miss it. Hosted by Matthew Carr and myself, hang out and listen to the 2 latest episodes of WTNV on the stellar sound system of the Lovecraft Bar. There will also be a raffle of official WTNV swag.

graphic design by Valerie Herron

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/fliersz.jpg?w=232" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/fliersz.jpg?w=389" class="size-medium wp-image-1177" alt="graphic design by Valerie Herron" src="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/fliersz.jpg?w=231" width="231" height="300" srcset="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/fliersz.jpg?w=231 231w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/fliersz.jpg?w=116 116w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/fliersz.jpg 389w" sizes="(max-width: 231px) 100vw, 231px" />

graphic design by Valerie Herron

A bit of background info for those of you scratching your heads: Welcome to Night Vale is a brilliant podcast. Influenced by the writing of H.P. Lovecraft, conspiracy theories, and community radio, WTNV is a hilarious and beautifully written production. Narrated by Cecil Baldwin as the Night Vale community radio announcer, WTNV illuminates the strange happenings in the desert town of Night Vale. I recommend it highly, so highly that I think you should listen to it in a group setting!

The Lovecraft Bar is Portland’s own “horror-themed” bar. With tentacles and sigils on the walls, this is the best place in town to get a drink or pot of tea, in my humble opinion. Matt and I thought it was the perfect venue for a WTNV Listening party. So go check it out. What a perfect way to punctuate the romance or disappointment of Valentine’s Day! See you all there

Darwin’s Dilemma

Valerie Herron — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 00:02:51 +0000

“What a book a devil’s chaplain might write on the clumsy, wasteful, blundering, low, and horrible cruel work of nature!” – Charles Darwin, correspondence with Joseph Hooker (1856)

“When we reflect on this struggle, we may console ourselves with the full belief, that the war of nature is not incessant, that no fear is felt, that death is generally prompt, and that the vigorous, the healthy, and the happy survive and multiply.” – Charles Darwin, On the Origin of the Species (1859)

Charles Darwin, photographed by Julia Margaret Cameron. 1868

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/477px-charles_darwin_by_julia_margaret_cameron_2.jpg?w=239" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/477px-charles_darwin_by_julia_margaret_cameron_2.jpg?w=477" class="size-medium wp-image-1158" alt="Charles Darwin, photographed by Julia Margaret Cameron. 1868" src="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/477px-charles_darwin_by_julia_margaret_cameron_2.jpg?w=238" width="238" height="300" srcset="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/477px-charles_darwin_by_julia_margaret_cameron_2.jpg?w=238 238w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/477px-charles_darwin_by_julia_margaret_cameron_2.jpg?w=476 476w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/477px-charles_darwin_by_julia_margaret_cameron_2.jpg?w=119 119w" sizes="(max-width: 238px) 100vw, 238px" />

Charles Darwin, photographed by Julia Margaret Cameron. 1868

Charles Darwin (1809-1882) was and English naturalist and geologist who solidified evolutionary theory with his work On the Origin of the Species. While Charles Darwin continues to be a polarizing figure long after his death, many people are unaware of how polarized Darwin was in his own life. Darwin was heavily involved in the church throughout his life, and even initially attended college to become a clergyman. It was his close observation of nature that brought him to question the concept of intelligent design, specifically the abundance of what he deemed “cruelty” throughout the natural world. His faith continued to dwindle up to the day in 1851 when his daughter Annie died.

Darwin’s Dilemma, 24”x30” mixed media
Valerie Herron 2014

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/dscf6024.jpg?w=250" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/dscf6024.jpg?w=855" class="size-medium wp-image-1159" alt="Darwin’s Dilemma, 24”x30” mixed media Valerie Herron 2014 " src="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/dscf6024.jpg?w=250" width="250" height="300" srcset="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/dscf6024.jpg?w=250 250w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/dscf6024.jpg?w=500 500w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/dscf6024.jpg?w=125 125w" sizes="(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px" />

Darwin’s Dilemma, 24”x30” mixed media
Valerie Herron 2014

In this piece I wish to explore Darwin’s attempt to reconcile his discoveries in nature with his pre-existing faith. As an artist with a strong reverence of nature, I ask fellow nature-worshippers if these images fall into their visions of veneration. Last, I ask with this piece if cruelty is an inherent quality of nature, or if cruelty is a human projection upon nature.

I created this piece for the exhibition in Curious Gallery PDX. I felt it was in theme with the Victorian’s and their complicated relationship with science. Each image was presented as a separate photo plate within the piece, digital paintings combined with photo elements and treated for vintage effects to create a hybrid of painting and photography. Contemporary and antique visual elements, contemporary and antique sensibilities.

Plate 1: Orcas Hunting.
Valerie Herron, 2014

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate1.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate1.jpg?w=750" /> Plate 2: Locked Antlers.
Valerie Herron, 2014

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate2.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate2.jpg?w=678" /> Plate 3: Fox in Hen House.
Valerie Herron, 2014

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate3.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate3.jpg?w=713" /> Plate 5: Crocodile drowns Prey.
Valerie Herron, 2014

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate5.jpg?w=182" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate5.jpg?w=437" /> Plate 6: Armadillo with Leprosy.
Valerie Herron, 2014

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate6.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate6.jpg?w=727" /> Plate 4: Rabid Dog.
Valerie Herron 2014

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate4.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate4.jpg?w=510" /> Plate 7: Rat Snake raids Nest.
Valerie Herron, 2014

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate7.jpg?w=244" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate7.jpg?w=353" /> Plate 8: Ocular Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
Valerie Herron, 2014

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate8.jpg?w=274" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate8.jpg?w=441" /> Plate 9: Annie Darwin.
Valerie Herron, 2014

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate9.jpg?w=209" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate9.jpg?w=481" /> Plate 10: Infanticide.
Valerie Herron, 2014

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate10.jpg?w=291" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate10.jpg?w=597" /> Plate 11: Sexual Cannibalism.
Valerie Herron, 2014

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate11.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate11.jpg?w=484" /> Plate 12: Sparrow with Ticks.
Valerie Herron, 2014

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate12.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/plate12.jpg?w=723" />

Curious Gallery and FaerieCon West

Valerie Herron — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 00:02:12 +0000

Hello! So, I’ve been a busy bee this last month. I was part of a fantastic local show organized by Lupa called Curious Gallery.

Curious Gallery PDX 2014 logo graphics.

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/1601215_10152178653783627_308519368_n.jpg?w=300" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/1601215_10152178653783627_308519368_n.jpg?w=480" class="size-medium wp-image-1145" alt="Curious Gallery PDX 2014 logo graphics." src="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/1601215_10152178653783627_308519368_n.jpg?w=300" width="300" height="300" srcset="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/1601215_10152178653783627_308519368_n.jpg?w=300 300w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/1601215_10152178653783627_308519368_n.jpg?w=150 150w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/1601215_10152178653783627_308519368_n.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />

Curious Gallery PDX 2014 logo graphics, by Fennec Design

“Long before public museums became a feature of many cities, private citizens in Europe and elsewhere formed their own extensive collections of scientific specimens and cultural artifacts meant to educate and inspire their beholders. A longtime collector of natural history specimens, Portland artist and author Lupa wanted to increase awareness and appreciation of wunderkammern (“wonder cabinets”), or cabinets of curiosity, and their eclectic contents. Curious Gallery is the result, a weekend of exhibits, presentations, hands-on workshops, and special programming for lovers of taxidermy, natural wonders, and strange treasures old & new.”

– from Curious Gallery PDX website

This exhibit contained all sorts of curiosities. It was as if H.P. Lovecraft helped to curate a natural history museum. Loads of taxidermy art, objet d’arts arranged from wood and moss and bones, art boxes filled with lovely and horrid treasures, jewelry created from scorpion claws and beetles, and lots of intimidating and beautiful metal art. Plus a full line up of entertainment, lectures, and workshops on a myriad of interesting pursuits. I was privileged to be amongst the 2D artists there. It was a very successful event for me, and such a stunning experience. I must congratulate and thank Lupa Greenwolf & Stephen Couchman (organizer of GearCon) for producing such a magnificent show.

Click to view slideshow.

FaerieCon West is in but a few weeks! What makes this even more nerve-wracking than usual for me would be the fact that I am on a panel this year! Why did this happen? My boss thinks my tears are delicious. I’m stoked to be giving the talk with the illustrious and endlessly fabulous Maxine Miller. The talk is “ART & SPIRIT: A conversation with Maxine Miller & Valerie Herron” and will be 4:00-4:45pm on Saturday, February 22 in the Mythic Forum Area 3.

Productivity!

Valerie Herron — Fri, 06 Sep 2013 18:02:26 +0000

Hello, everyone! Some quick updates:

I now have two jobs! Plus art!

I am now the Social Media Manager at Faerieworlds LLC, and a trembling Neophyte at Invisible Alchemy Kombucha Brewery. Between all this and my art commissions, I have definitely fallen behind in my blogging, but I shall soon be acclimated.

Book cover for Eros and Touch from a Pagan Perspective by Christine Hoff Kraemer

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/kraemer-eros-touch-cover.jpg?w=203" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/kraemer-eros-touch-cover.jpg?w=430" class="size-medium wp-image-1137" alt="Book cover for Eros and Touch from a Pagan Perspective by Christine Hoff Kraemer" src="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/kraemer-eros-touch-cover.jpg?w=203" width="203" height="300" srcset="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/kraemer-eros-touch-cover.jpg?w=203 203w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/kraemer-eros-touch-cover.jpg?w=406 406w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/kraemer-eros-touch-cover.jpg?w=102 102w" sizes="(max-width: 203px) 100vw, 203px" />

Book cover for Eros and Touch from a Pagan Perspective by Christine Hoff Kraemer. Cover illustration by Valerie Herron

My first book cover commission will be out in print soon! To phrase that more appropriately, Check out this new academic text by Christine Hoff Kraemer: Eros and Touch from a Pagan Perspective. I just happened to illustrate the cover

You can read a review of the book in today’s TWH:

(Pagan) Books to Look For: Raven Grimassi, Brendan Myers, Christine Hoff Kraemer, and More!

Le Fata Morgana

Valerie Herron — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 03:00:15 +0000

Greetings,

My triple super secret painting was a success! My buddy Jason had a landmark birthday this year, and so I wanted to commemorate this with a painting of Morgan Le Fay. I’m happy to say he was very pleased with it.

Morgan le Fay by Frederick Sandys, 1864

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/sandys_frederick_-_morgan_le_fay.jpg?w=213" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/sandys_frederick_-_morgan_le_fay.jpg?w=729" class="size-medium wp-image-1130" alt="Morgan le Fay by Frederick Sandys, 1864" src="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/sandys_frederick_-_morgan_le_fay.jpg?w=213" width="213" height="300" srcset="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/sandys_frederick_-_morgan_le_fay.jpg?w=213 213w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/sandys_frederick_-_morgan_le_fay.jpg?w=426 426w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/sandys_frederick_-_morgan_le_fay.jpg?w=107 107w" sizes="(max-width: 213px) 100vw, 213px" />

Morgan le Fay by Frederick Sandys, 1864

Morgan has been interpreted by so many artists over the centuries, it was definitely challenging to come up with an image that was largely original. I tried mostly to stay true to my personal vision of her, as mutable as that happens to be.

Sushila Battagione (incase you haven’t heard, she has great hair.)

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/320486_10150371749727065_7585892_n.jpg?w=208" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/320486_10150371749727065_7585892_n.jpg?w=498" class="size-medium wp-image-1131" alt="Sushila Battagione (incase you haven't heard, she has great hair.)" src="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/320486_10150371749727065_7585892_n.jpg?w=207" width="207" height="300" srcset="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/320486_10150371749727065_7585892_n.jpg?w=207 207w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/320486_10150371749727065_7585892_n.jpg?w=414 414w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/320486_10150371749727065_7585892_n.jpg?w=104 104w" sizes="(max-width: 207px) 100vw, 207px" />

Sushila Battagione (in case you haven’t heard, she has great hair.)

As I mentioned before, I was so fortunate to have the lovely Sushila Battagione model for this epic role, and she was absolutely perfect. Conducting this photo shoot reminded me how much I love photographing people for reference in my paintings, and I decided that I want to create a series of devotional paintings of Goddesses that I have found connections with over the years. I have already scheduled the photo shoot for my next painting, which will be of Isis. I will continue to post updates here as that process unfolds.

" data-medium-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/morgan-la-feywm.jpg?w=217" data-large-file="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/morgan-la-feywm.jpg?w=573" class="size-medium wp-image-1132" alt="Fata Morgana, mixed media, ©Valerie Herron 2013" src="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/morgan-la-feywm.jpg?w=217" width="217" height="300" srcset="https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/morgan-la-feywm.jpg?w=217 217w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/morgan-la-feywm.jpg?w=434 434w, https://valerieherron.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/morgan-la-feywm.jpg?w=109 109w" sizes="(max-width: 217px) 100vw, 217px" />

O sweet illusions of song
That tempt me everywhere,
In the lonely fields, and the throng
Of the crowded thoroughfare!

I approach and ye vanish away,
I grasp you, and ye are gone;
But ever by night and by day,
The melody soundeth on.

As the weary traveler sees
In desert or prairie vast,
Blue lakes, overhung with trees
That a pleasant shadow cast;

Fair towns with turrets high,
And shining roofs of gold,
That vanish as he draws nigh,
Like mists together rolled —

So I wander and wander along,
And forever before me gleams
The shining city of song,
In the beautiful land of dreams.

But when I would enter the gate
Of that golden atmosphere,
It is gone, and I wonder and wait
For the vision to reappear.

Fata Morgana, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

P.S. If you love this Morgan Le Fay painting as much as I do, you can obtain a print of it from my website! Check them out here:

http://www.valerieherron.com/buy-prints.html

Recycling Myths

Valerie Herron — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 17:55:26 +0000

No, not as in the claims that recycling is bs. Think Joseph Campbell.

I finished the super secret painting. Unfortunately, I can not show you this piece until its great reveal, so stay tuned for next week: the return to aquarelle!

3 weeks ’til Faerieworlds! I am still enjoying my internship as the social media extraordinaire for Faerieworlds LLC. This weekend I will be at an exciting pre-event celebration for FW down in Eugene, OR doing live tweeting, facebooking, and enjoying myself. If you are in the area, or are within driving distance, you should come out. All the details are here on this lovely flier:

Since I haven’t any of my own art that I can share with you at the moment, I thought I would share this beautiful piece of video art that I came across last week. Even though it is old news in the world of fine art theory and practice, I can never get over the many ways that mythology is recycled and manifests in the arts. I definitely subscribe to the Jungian and Campbell-ian theories about myth, in the sense that studying mythology is the path to understanding the human psyche and the human experience. This exercise is one of the biggest inspirations behind my work.

This video is a contemporary rendition of the Actaeon myth recreated in a Victorian setting. It was inspired by the painting Diana and Actaeon by baroque artist Titian. I would also like to point out his painting The Death of Actaeon for further context. The video was created by Tell No One for the National Gallery in London.