Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Burgeoning Life Force


Hares and rabbits have long-standing associations with spring, especially the month of March. . . . [They] represent the burgeoning life force of spring, with its boundless exuberance and fruitfulness.

– Elizabeth Barrette


Image: "Spring Hare" by Helen Musselwhite.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Tan Lines XX


Image: Subject and photographer unknown.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Morning Light XXIX


Image: Subject and photographer unknown.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Merman


Introducing a new series that explores and celebrates artistic depictions of a unique form of male beauty: the merman.

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Mermen are mythical male legendary creatures who are human male from the waist up and fish-like from the waist down. They are less commonly known than their female counterparts, mermaids.

In Greek mythology, mermen were often illustrated to have green seaweed-like hair, a beard, and a trident. In Irish mythology, mermen are described as extremely ugly creatures with pointed green teeth, pig-like eyes, green hair, and a red nose. In Finnish mythology, a merman (vetehinen) is often portrayed as a magical, powerful, handsome, bearded man with the tail of a fish. He can cure illnesses and lift curses and brew potions. But he can also cause unintended harm by becoming too curious about human life. The river dolphin (or boto) of the Amazon River regions is described according to local lore as having the ability to take the form of a human or merman, also known as encantado (“enchanted one” in Portuguese), and the habit of seducing human women and impregnating them. Chinese mermen were believed to only surface during storms or, in some cases, were believed to have the ability to cause storms.

Much like sirens, mermen would sometimes sing to people and enchant them, distracting them from their work and causing them to walk overboard or run their ships aground. Other stories have them squeezing the life out of drowning men while attempting to rescue them. They are also said to take humans down to their underwater realms.

The actions and behavior of mermen can vary wildly depending on the source and time period of the stories. They have been said to sink ships by summoning great storms, but also said to be wise teachers, according to earlier mythology. A merman, like a mermaid, attracts humans with singing.

Source



Image 1: daekazu.
Image 2: Artist unknown.
Image 3: Artist unknown.
Image 4: The Ban Bana.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Running Hare VI



Taking designs from quilting, rosemalling, applique and flat perspective folk art, Jim Shore creates an intricate and colorful work of art that reflects our shared cultural heritage yet is unmistakably Jim Shore. “I can’t imagine myself ever tiring of this,” Jim says of distinctive combination of themes and motifs, “I get to create two designs every time I develop a new piece – what the item will be and then what colors and patterns will go on it. The variety keeps me inspired.”

Friday, March 12, 2010

Tan Lines XIX


Image: Subject and photographer unknown.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Running Hare V



Image: “Hare Running in Pimpernel” by Mary Philpott.

Friday, March 5, 2010

More Tea?


Tim Burton's fantasy adventure film Alice in Wonderland opens today in the U.S.

An extension of the Lewis Carroll novels Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, Burton's film uses a technique combining live action and animation.

The character of the March Hare is computer animated and voiced by Paul Whitehouse.


See also the previous posts:
The March Hare of Wonderland
A Computer Animated March Hare

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Out on a Limb


Image: Subject and photographer unknown.