From Mythic Painting

“Bringing Her Back To Life” by Bea Garth, copyright 2018

I just recently started work on this new painting which I am now calling “Bringing Her Back To Life,” by Bea Garth, copyright 2018. Its for a show I will be participating in this September called “Stories We Could Tell” at The Cave here in Vancouver, WA.

"Bringing Her Back To Life" acrylic painting in progress by Bea Garth, copyright 2018
“Bringing Her Back To Life” acrylic painting in progress by Bea Garth, copyright 2018

Of course I have plenty of stories in my paintings, but this one is calling to me given my recent health crisis  that became a crescendo the last  couple of years. Fortunately my broken wrist is healing and is becoming stronger and more flexible with each passing month. Ditto with my knee. In addition, I have gotten clues studying genetic snps that have proven to be very helpful regarding dietary advice. That plus taking Maca and Ashwagandha is  making a positive difference with counteracting some of the effects of underlying Lyme Disease that I have been struggling with the last few years.

Fortunately, I am in the process of bouncing back. I am nothing if not doggedly persistent looking for and finding  remedies. That and, of course, the Painting Gods are healing me. I honestly often feel a direct connection with the healing powers of the Earth and Sky (represented here by a  couple of their emissaries in this painting), especially when I am in my creative element.

I have more to do with the painting of course. Basically it is just blocked in with no shading or anything. However I really like the basic color scheme and feel like it could be  very strong  once completed. In many ways it reminds me of my ceramics. It has that playful yet structured character. The main thing for me is to stop before going too far!  A lesson I keep needing to learn it seems in my life. Hopefully by this time I am getting better at it.

“Trap Door,” work in progress by Bea Garth, copyright 2018

I am finally beginning a new series about the effects of radiation from Hanford etc. from a personal child-like point of view. Here I am falling through a trap door into the waiting arms of Pluto (God of the Underworld–and of nuclear radiation) with my  cat falling with me at my side.

I am still  planning to put in some shading etc. Otherwise I think this new 2′ x 3′ acrylic painting is close to done.

The pink represents invisible radiation that blanketed the area outside of the Hanford Nuclear Reservation the night of December 2nd and 3rd, 1949 — including where we lived in Walla Walla, Washington. Apparently it rained when it wasn’t “supposed to.” Twice the amount of radiation was released than they had originally planned.  I have read they secretly released between 8000 and 12,000 curies of radioactive iodine–and that this was not the only “green run,” i.e., where green uncured uranium was used at Hanford. The scrubbers for the effluent were turned off at night for 12 hours.  It was part of the Cold War race for nuclear  superiority with Russia.

There was no notification to the locals so none of us knew about any of this, and thus we did not know we needed to protect ourselves. It wasn’t discovered until years later when mention of the “green run” was found inside mountains of paper-work that was given to an enquiring reporter from Spokane (Karen Dorn Steele). The paper-work was supposed to prove Hanford had nothing serious to hide.   As it turned out, it was far more serious than anyone ever thought.

"Trap Door" w.i.p. acrylic painting by Bea Garth, copyright 2018
“Trap Door” w.i.p. acrylic painting by Bea Garth, copyright 2018

Now I realize my recurring dream of falling through a trap door was my child self representing what actually happened.  After being a very healthy baby, at age 4 months (coincident with the Green Run) I suddenly became severely  ill with pneumonia for close to a year.

Eventually I was taken to the hospital and put in isolation to figure out what could be done. I was given special treatment since my parents were  local celebrities for their work as  archaeologists finding and carefully uncovering Fort Walla Walla. I was  taken off  gluten, sugar and milk fat, plus  given gamma globulin for my “failure to thrive.” Fortunately I bounced back! Much later I learned that some of the Chernobyl victims were also given gamma globulin and often special diets. Like me, they got better.

It makes me sad to think of all the other babies who could have been helped like me, but weren’t. Quite a few ended up in the cemetery.  Babies are a lot more sensitive to radiation than anyone else.  Clearly we need a new paradigm where the health of the Earth and those who live on it needs to come first rather than continuing a focus on an  insane arms race that forgets we all live together on a fragile planet.

This makes me think of the continuing problems at Fukishima and, similar to Hanford, how real news coming from there is largely suppressed. And the very real threat of bringing back the Cold War–or a hot one, possibly started in the Middle East ,rather than focus on how we can restore our ailing planet.

Meanwhile, here in Washington at the Hanford site, problems with the clean-up  continues to be a sore point.  The numerous open radiation pits, leaking cannisters and the fact spent fuel rods are stored just 400 feet from the Columbia River,  leaves us  open for trouble.  I wish it would all just go away, but it looks like Hanford’s old demons will stay with us for some time.

 

 

 

 

“The Fool” Tarot card in progress with acrylic on faces etc.

I worked on my tarot card (“The Fool”) late last night after the debates. Somehow this card seems very appropriate at this time of crazy politics from both sides, IMHO!

I had to enlarge the width of the painting a tiny bit so it will make the right size card when reduced down. Thankfully I could since its on watercolor paper…and I just use blue painters tape to hold the paper down.

I decided to go ahead and use acrylic paint.  I have found that acrylic is much more durable than watercolor or gouache.  For instance, I have a wonderful painting of the almost mythic Wild Ox that got ruined due to my studio being too damp, and that was in San Jose, CA!! (Yes sometime I need to make another one…).

"The Fool" acrylic on faces & appendages work in progress by Bea Garth copyright 2016
“The Fool” acrylic on faces & appendages work in progress by Bea Garth copyright 2016

Plus if I need  to go in and change things, with acrylics I can do so without sweating it. I have found the acrylics stay cleaner and are easier to frame too.

So as you can see, last night I decided to work on the faces etc. first. And in a few, I will be working on it again. Maybe work on the Sun and background before the rest..  We will see! I let my subconscious guide me in these matters. Its always fun to see where it takes me!

On Changing the Designation of my Art

I have been musing about what style is it I exactly have–at first I thought it should be called  “Ancient/Modern/Surreal Art.” But now realize  “Goddess/Surreal Art” is better. “Goddess” is inclusive of both the ancient past and issues of ecology as well as how we feel and relate. In addition, often the women depicted in my art are powerful in subtle ways (though its not just the women!), thus incorporating both ancient and contemporary feminist values. And Surreal given how much I tend to add extra joints plus combine personal or mythic  symbols and  unusual environments and color.

Intensity acrylic Bea Garth LR
“Intensity” acrylic on canvas by Bea Garth

Yes it is true, I  obsessively focus on feelings expressed in body language.  To tell the truth, part of my obsession no doubt is influenced by the fact my mother  simply could not read body language at all.  I have thus had to learn what body language means on my own. It has not been a given like it is for most people. My art thus helps me  figure out what this or that movement or expression means. In so doing I believe it is also helps the viewer since many of us may miss these nuances of expression otherwise.

Both of my parents worked as archaelogists when I was very young. Thus I have been influenced by ancient art from an early age–and certainly its influence shows up in my artwork. I was  exposed to Native American art here along the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest as well as ancient and indigenous art from around the world as a child.  In addition I was very much influenced by my great Aunt Lottie’s amazing artwork and rugs she brought back from the Philippines.

Further I’m  very much interested in  imagery inspired by Carl Jung‘s notion of the Collective Unconscious as well as the New Age Arts such as Astrology and the Tarot.

I see the changes beginning everywhere: spontaneous expressions of Love rather than Hate, Renewables rather than robbing the Earth of its finite resources, values of Nurturing the Earth rather than killing off its plants, animals and oceans etc. The thing is that we are all connected.

I believe the Alienated isolated individualist is becoming an Icon of the Past. Of course, the old Paradigm is not going out without making a huge struggle to stay Top Dog. So this is not an easy time. But I believe we are winning on the side of making progressive change simply because we have to in order to survive.

"Dragon's Lair" pencil and ink sepia by Bea Garth, copyright 2000
“Dragon’s Lair” pencil and ink sepia by Bea Garth

It is my hope my art can make some small difference in helping create this paradigm change by expressing some of these new values while reconnecting with the ancient Goddess  in a new and contemporary way, by having the Goddess and the patriarchal God finally begin to work together rather than be at odds.

It is my opinion we simply cannot forget what we have gained through science, technology etc. However we have to temper those gains with the realization we live in a finite world and must learn to take care of it and each other as stewards rather than continue to destroy our world out of greed.

Now finally back in the Northwest, I am   focusing on being the  full time artist I was meant to be, and was, many moons ago. Though now hopefully, both healthier and wiser.

To keep at it, I will need your support, whether  just as a friendly “like ” or note, or a purchase of some of my sinuously expressive Goddess/Surreal art.

If you get a chance, please check out the blog pages as well as the art pages too of course! And feel free to contact me at bgarthart@gmail.com in case you would like to purchase (or show) some of my artwork.

Blessings,

Bea Garth

bgarthart@gmail.com

“The Fool” my first tarot card — in progress

"The Fool" pen and ink by Bea Garth, work in progress for the tarot card, copyright 2016
“The Fool” pen and ink by Bea Garth, work in progress for the tarot card, copyright 2016

I finally went and did it and now I think there is no turning back! The other day I decided to go ahead and begin drawing and painting my own tarot deck. Christine Payne Towler suggested it might be a good idea since my work is “so iconic.”

The truth is after feeling a bit daunted by the prospect, by plunging ahead I have just discovered I am loving it. With this project I can combine my love of astrology and tarot  with my passion for making visual art.

So tonight I really went at it. I definitely am combining symbols from astrology and the  tarot as well as other sources, including symbols I like using in my work. I have decided to throw out objective reality and combine realities to create a feeling of the inner and outer planes of existence–which of course really befits the Fool.

Meanwhile I am looking at Christine’s beautiful and  definitive new in depth book on the tarot (TAROT OF THE HOLY LIGHT) as well as her new deck with her husband, Michael Dowers as guides.

I am very inspired! So thank you Christine and Michael, as well as the heavens for helping me take this step!! Since yes making 72 cards is quite a project. But now I see how I can do it, using watercolor paper and pen and ink with a pencil drawing first–and just let my imagination go.

I’ll be adding in color as I go of course. I will likely start with water color… I may end up with gouache or acrylic, but we will see.

New Art Studio in Vancouver plus the Vicissitudes of Having EDS

I had some excitement today–finally got most of my studio together! Am looking for just a couple more things (my paint pallets and some of my paints etc.) and I should be back at it likely sometime tomorrow. Tonight sitting there, I was feeling a rush of bliss! Fortunately my friend Graeme was able to capture this wonderful moment with my phone camera.

"Bea in newly created art studio with her cat" photo by Graeme Jones, copyright 2016
“Bea Garth in newly created art studio with her cat” photo by Graeme Jones, copyright 2016

This after having had a very painful couple of days. I made myself a new table and then tried to move my heavy studio furniture around by myself the other day. Moving the furniture was a big mistake for me. I was in intense pain the last two days. I just am not strong enough to move things like that likely due to my old injury to my L-5 vertebrae and sacrum as a kid. Plus EDS (Ehrlos Danlos Syndrome) as it turns out. It makes me super flexible, but not as strong as I might otherwise be due to having weak joints.

After joining a couple of EDS groups on FB, I have just been learning however how to increase my collagen, which should gradually help strengthen my joints a lot. And some of it is working already, since normally my neck would have been out too, but it wasn’t!! Taking diatomaceous earth and d-ribose appear to be godsends for me.

The other good news here is that I went to see a new chiropractor today who was able to adjust me better than any other chiro I have seen. Turns out she has 5 other EDS patients. So she knows gentle is the way to go.

The fact I am still very flexible at age 67 is why I am usually able to adjust myself using yoga, or my sacro-wedgy, or get Chris to pull on my leg. But it does not always work since sometimes something gets stuck, mainly I think due to that pesky childhood injury.

My plan is to slowly get stronger again. I go for walks almost daily. And do yoga at least every other day. Next I need to use my modified pilates chair again to create more strength. The nice thing is that these days I can do modified push ups and crunches too, when I haven’t gone and hurt myself over again, that is! To be an artist, I have learned, its important to be strong. It just won’t do to have joints etc. that don’t work. Thankfully through persistence and figuring out that I need more silica, plus of course, avoid things like gluten and, in my case, also high histamine, it has really paid off, and will likely just keep getting better.

Turtle's Complaint To Gaia by B Garth June 2015 f
“The Turtle’s Complaint To Gaia” acrylic on canvas by Bea Garth, copyright 2015

My artwork, as you might be able to tell, has a style that exaggerates but really expresses this EDS condition. I think of how we are often like mermaids and mermen, lol!! It is kind of amazing that I created this style without knowing I had EDS. It just came out of my being. Although of course I discovered my body was super flexible since I can’t remember when.

Now finally after a year of getting our house ready to move, selling it, finding another and moving into it in another state, I can express that flexible sensitivity I have again in my new art studio. I believe I have earned it!!

I am very much looking forward to completing my painting of the “Music Genie”–inspired by my husband (Chris) playing music. Its the painting you can see me sitting next to in the pix above. More on that and lots of other art projects as I go along, eh?

The Mermaid’s Dilemma

I just got my new art biz cards in the mail. I am jazzed! I used this image on it which I call “The Mermaid’s Dilemma” by Bea Garth.  I finally completed it late last year. Its based on a coastal Native American myth here in the Northwest. The mermaid princess has fallen in love with a landlubber. As a result the weather changes; it stops raining. Trees are falling and people are beginning to die. Even the ocean water is at an all time low! The whales try to beckon the princess, come home! She needs to return to the sea to be with her own people, but its breaking her heart…

I definitely think of this piece as being related to current day ecological issues.

This piece shows the great ability of  gouache on paper to capture subtleties of color and feeling.

If you are interested in buying (or showing) this or other artworks of mine, please let me know at bgarthart@gmail.com.

The Mermaid's Dilemmagouache by Bea Garth
“The Mermaid’s Dilemma” gouache on paper by Bea Garth, copyright 2015