Callisto's Tide

 Callisto's Tide.  44"x30" watercolor. 

When Hera found Callisto out as one of Zeus's (Jupiter's) lovers, she stripped the nymph of her youthful grace and made her walk the earth as a bear.  Zeus removed her heavy body from the earth and immortalized her in the sky as Ursa Major.  We perceive her revolve around Polaris (the Pole Star) throughout the year, only ever dipping her toes below the horizon (some would say into the ocean). 


In our more recent mythology, Callisto takes the form of metal and ice as the outermost of the Galilean moons (those in Jupiter's orbit.)   Galileo's discovery of Jupiter's moons became a pivotal point in his argument against a heliocentric universe.  The universe is comprised of many central bodies, exerting force over their environment.  The moon Callisto is the oldest astrological body humans have observed; astronomers theorize that her surface has remained unchanged for over 4 billion years.

the prints are here!

Hello friends!

I have finally found someone making fine art prints that I love, so I can offer high quality reproductions of the recent two series (Dream Medicine and Dreamscapes) at least through the holidays.  The first round is now available through the Loki collective's Etsy account.  Alternatively, you can email me (email below).

These are the beautiful images Douglas took of my paintings with his fancy camera:

Heron Moon.  giclee reproduction 24" x 18" (8 color archival pigments on 100% cotton rag paper)

Back to the Web.  giclee reproduction 8" x 8" (8 color archival pigments on 100% cotton rag paper)

 

Hive Home.  giclee reproduction 8" x 8" (8 color archival pigments on 100% cotton rag paper)

The Magician.  giclee reproduction 8" x 8" (8 color archival pigments on 100% cotton rag paper)

A Rearrangement of Things.  giclee reproduction 8" x 8" (8 color archival pigments on 100% cotton rag paper)

Sky beneath Sea.  giclee reproduction 18" x 24" (8 color archival pigments on 100% cotton rag paper)



I want to share a little about my first experience with good reproductions, as this process has consistently been a struggle for me
throughout my journey towards a career as a full time artist.  Prints are a necessary part of the game, but I've never once been satisfied with the quality of a reproduction of my work.  But it was so exciting picking up the prints yesterday!  Douglas treated my art with such care throughout the whole process, restoring my brutalized paper to its calm, flat state in the vacuum press, literally handing back the originals in better shape than he'd received them.  His camera is up to museum standard, and the pigments in the prints are so vibrant and accurate that I can hardly tell the difference between the print and the original.  And he has excellent taste in paper, which I am super picky about. 

I am all for affordable art, and happy to have found a financially viable means of offering it.  If you have any questions or feedback about these prints, I would love love love to hear from you.  Maybe you have a different size in mind for one of the paintings, or would really like to see a different painting in print, or want framing ideas.  Please feel free to email me at jacquelinekmaloney@gmail.com. 

the places that need no names

 

Sky beneath sea.  22" x 30" watercolor.  675$

My work is not inspiring words as easily these days.  I think in part because it's a little scary exploring the mystery of my heart or spirit through my artistic practice, letting the boundaries between these previously very distinct aspects blur and even fade entirely.  My process is changing; truth and intimacy is finding its home in these images.  I would go so far as to say my art has come, until recently, from a mental or intellectual perspective of this world and my life in it, and now it is coming from emotion, impulse, and a captivation with the undefined and mysterious.  My brain is entering my art last, in a state of reflection, sniffing out the threads and patterns and motives that grow throughout these paintings and drawings.

Watercolor has provided an exciting new route of experimentation and discovery; I'm delighted with the history it reveals (of mark and texture and color) through transparency.  And the way it continues to surprise me as it reacts uniquely to different paper, amounts of water or pigment, accidents of my hand.  As a metaphor for an exploration of the Mystery it is just right.  It responds well to total presence, immersion in a moment.  Constant letting go, constant awareness.  It touches ideas of vastness and intimacy, newness and timelessness, this world and all the moments in this world that seem to belong in another.

With these three paintings I am delving into a place that is neither entirely conscious nor entirely spontaneous/subconscious.  Rather, I see the imagery as a fusion of the two, drawing heavily from dreams and visions that occur to me in meditation or physical ritual.  I can offer some perspective by mentioning that, while creating these works, I have been exploring the tradition of animal medicine and spirit guides from a variety of American tribal cultures, spending time with and observing animals,  reading and reflecting on ideas presented in the iChing (such as passive and active creativity, presentness, and a spiral path) and also regularly recording my dreams in writing when I wake each morning.  A major impetus for all of these areas of study and reflection is a strong belief in our responsibility to rejuvenate and contribute to our oral tradition.  The wisdom that will allow a culture or community to become in harmony with each other and our planet is found in its collective memory.  So, today, I think it is crucial to value our stories, whether they come from our waking experience with each other and the earth, or from the realm of dream or shadow.  It is all valuable, all with the potential to teach.

Spinner.  22" x 30"  watercolor and archival ink.  NFS

Heron mother (slight detail) 22" x 30" watercolor and archival ink.   SOLD

a show!

Hello!  Two weeks ago my friends in The Takeoff, one of the apartments at the Landing in Asheville, converted their living space into an art gallery and performance space.  They host these Salons every few weeks on a Wednesday night, providing a great opportunity for us local creative types to invite our friends and get our work a little exposure.  It was a beautiful evening;  I had space to put up everything I've been working on for the past few months, and besides the art there was a performance piece by Eddy, (getting his nails did!), an enthusiastic storytelling by Nat, and acoustic set by Max and an electronic one by Peter.  Good food by all.  Thank you to everyone who came out; your support and feedback meant so much to me!

Here are some pictures Nat took :)  I will be taking some better shots of the larger work and putting it up for sale on Etsy in a few days.

Dream Series, second installment

I've been day and night dreaming some intense visions of animals, art forms, and landscape all of which feel tribal and old to me.  These images have been an impetus for and a reflection of a recent exploration into animal medicine from several tribal traditions; various native american groups, pacific islanders, and the maya all have left rich mythologies that teach a strong relationship between people, animals and habitat.  Many stories illustrate how one may learn skills and solutions from careful observation of animals and the earth's cycles that apply to surviving and thriving in our communities and individual lives.  People make sense of and navigate their lives by finding, or creating, meaning of all that we can sense.  A snake may shed its skin to cleanse itself of parasites and allow for physical growth, but for a long time humans have included this process as an important metaphor in our own mythology.  A reminder to allow parts of ourselves to die when they no longer serve us, and to revel in the fresh energy, or rebirth, the letting go of things kindles.  As I seek to apply this method of learning to my own life, I realize that seeing animals and ecosystems as teachers directly impacts my ability to nurture and live in respect of my environment.  So this tradition becomes a cycle of sustenance, reminding me that self-sustenance and sustenance of my environment are not separate, but co-dependent.

Fox Sighting 4"x4" acrylic/archival pen on printmaking paper. 45$  

The Magician 8"x8" watercolor, india ink and archival pen on bristol.  200$ (available for purchase during/after Little Dog show Feb 2013)

A rearrangement of things 8"x8" watercolor and archival pen on bristol. 200$ (available for purchase during/after Little Dog show Feb 2013)

Someday Space approx 4" x 6" watercolor and pen on printmaking paper (NFS)

Dream medicine series, first installment

This work is from the last month of my time on the Spes Bus (lokithespacebus.blogspot.com) and has been keeping me grounded as I rearrange plans for an individual trip in the upcoming months.   I've been day and night dreaming some intense visions of animals, art forms, and landscape all of which feel tribal and old to me.  These images have been an impetus for and a reflection of a recent exploration into animal medicine from several tribal traditions; various native american groups, pacific islanders, and the maya all have left rich mythologies that teach a strong relationship between people, animals and habitat.  Many stories illustrate how one may learn skills and solutions from careful observation of animals and the earth's cycles that apply to surviving and thriving in our communities and individual lives.  People make sense of and navigate their lives by finding, or creating, meaning of all that we can sense.  A snake may shed its skin to cleanse itself of parasites and allow for physical growth, but for a long time humans have included this process as an important metaphor in our own mythology.  A reminder to allow parts of ourselves to die when they no longer serve us, and to revel in the fresh energy, or rebirth, the letting go of things kindles.  As I seek to apply this method of learning to my own life, I realize that seeing animals and ecosystems as teachers directly impacts my ability to nurture and live in respect of my environment.  So this tradition becomes a cycle of sustenance, reminding me that self-sustenance and sustenance of my environment are not separate, but co-dependent.

These pieces, and eight others which are not yet finished, will be for sale towards the end of the year, if you are interested in keeping one.  They are 8 inches by 8 inches, made with watercolors, india inks, and archival pen.

Night serpent (8"x8", watercolor and ink on bristol).  200$ (available for purchase during/after Little Dog show Feb 2013)

 Bird Doctors (8"x8" watercolor and ink on bristol). 200$ (available for purchase during/after Little Dog show Feb 2013)

Hive Home (8"x8" watercolor and ink on bristol). 200$ (available for purchase during/after Little Dog show Feb 2013)

Back to the Web (8"x8" watercolor and ink on bristol). 200$ (available for purchase during/after Little Dog show Feb 2013)

Spring Cleaning (sketchbook update)

 

Images from daydreams and nightdreams, and collected curiosities from long gazes into trees, bark, fungus, clouds, and fences.  Max collaborated on the first image (above) which spawned the recent mural at Snaggy Mountain Farm.

  

 

The Dreamer and his Vision (mural collaborative by Jackie Maloney, Max Doyle, and Rabbit)

 

The Dreamer conjures a gentle mare.

 

The Dreamer asks that the mare water and weed all of his dream.  Much is thriving here that needs to be nurtured and protected.

 

Equine roots, and the atomic fabric of fungus and the sea..the stone that holds enough of the sun and moon to feed all its children.

Many here will sleep safely...until they feel the sunrise on their strength and wake up to join the dance. (...and the dance will wake so many it will outgrow the dream.)

The Dreamer sees his feathered muse and laughs, because she reminds him of the secret about feathers and leaves...

 

...he follows her to the solar web and together they drink moonrise before the mountains.

birds

When I was going through a rough spot earlier in my journey with the bus, I began drawing birds.  I had been doing a lot of research into animal totems, and various birds would appear to me throughout my days walking around Asheville or exploring the riverbeds at the edges of town.  I was missing Bri bird a lot too, so ultimately the creatures of flight developed into symbols for my mental and emotional states...and I drew them again.  It feels like a series I will be revisiting over and over again for a while as I cycle through more times of tough love for myself and personal growing pains.