just proud of this one.

[moonvoice]

I've gotten re-obsessed with firebird / phoenix imagery of late. So I present:







The photo didn't pick up the detail very well, or the colours, but I'm really happy with my first foray back into coloured pencil on black background (presentation board for this, not really great for this sort of work, but it will have to do for now).

Comments

Just Dropping By

[perzephone.livejournal.com]

It's absolutely beautiful!

I was wondering, maybe you'd know... are dingos similar to the Native American Coyote or even Fox, or do the Australians ascribe any totemic value to them at all? Who would the Australian 'trickster' be, I wonder?

Re: Just Dropping By

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

In Australia, the Aboriginal cultures are so incredibly diverse that while one tribe or peoples may think that one animal is a trickster, others may not. I know white people have ascribed 'trickster' as a meaning to dingo, but I believe that was simply because someone heard about coyote's wisdom and then assumed that dingo must mean the same because it looks the same and it's the only mammalian dog that we have living on the mainland in a 'wild' state.

Australian Raven is also considered a trickster in some communities, and Crow is a prominent trickster, as is goanna (a large monitor lizard) and some other birds. I also believe that Thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger has also been considered a trickster spirit. That said, I'm not sure how many Aboriginal peoples had a conception of the 'trickster' in the same way the NA peoples did.

Aboriginals ascribe much totemic value to many animals, for example, Bandicoots and Kangaroos were here before humans and helped to create us in many mythologies, and before Bandicoots and Kangaroos, the Rainbow Serpent created all life - and then the Waugals (other divine Serpents) came and created all water.

As for Crow, he's probably the most prominent trickster I can think of, and a significant bird in the Aboriginal mythos (or at least, some of them). The Kooris believe that the Crow stole fire from the seven women guardians. He wouldn't give this fire to anyone, and when people asked, 'hey give us back the fire,' he said 'waa, waa.' One day he was pestered so much he threw some coals at some men, and caused the first bushfire.

This bushfire burnt him up black. But he survived, and now calls 'waa, waa,' to the skies in his eternal form. Crow was also made into a star - Canopus - by the All-Father Biame (in the same Koori mythos).

Re: Tricksters

[perzephone.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I know Raven & Crow are also considered tricksters (as well as fire-stealers) here in the Americas. It just seems like quite a few of the small wild dogs carry that connotation both here & in Africa, so I wondered if the same went for dingos in Australia.

Haitian Vodou also has the Snake & his Rainbow consort (Damballah & Ayida W'edo) as creation spirits - I've always thought it interesting how that intersected with the Rainbow serpent in Australia. I'm not as well-versed on Australian myths and shamanism as that of here in the southwestern U.S., so its mostly my own curiosity.

Re: Tricksters

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

:D I'm glad I could help.

There's not a 'huge' amount of good information on Indigenous mythology, because - thankfully - very few people are getting away with getting crap information on the tradition published (like Sun Bear, for Native American traditions). So while I think there are one or two authors writing about the totemic meanings of the animals, most of the actual stories - particularly the sacred ones - are kept pretty silent in their traditions.

Re: Just Dropping By

[sunvenus.livejournal.com]

Good timing- if you don't mind I'll chime in on this as well. :-)

Not all Native American tribes have the concept of a "trickster" god; like moonvoice pointed out, just as with Australian indiginous tribes, there is no one "pan-tribal" religion that all Native Americans follow. In other words, there is tremendous diversity in the art, stories, beliefs, practices, legends, lore and spiritual practices of the various tribes across the United States, Canada and Mexico. (For good, solid information on what the various Native American tribes think of the "new age" appropriation of their spirituality, check out the resource page I created here (http://www.geocities.com/css_witchcraft/CV). Be sure to click on all the links, some of them need to be updated or removed but I haven't had a chance to do so.)

I'm not just talking off the cuff- I am originally from Arizona and my biological father is Cherokee & Chickasaw author and lecturer Gerald (Geary) Hobson. :-) I now live in Australia where I work as a wildlife rehabilitator.

Coyotes and dingos (speaking as a professional vet nurse, wildlife rehabber and former dog show handler) are different. They share some "doggy" characteristics, but don't look quite the same. Coyotes are finer boned, dingos are a bit larger boned. The texture of the fur and coloruing are a bit different too, but some of that may also be variations individual to the animal. I've not dealt with dingos close up (I don't rescue or rehabilitate them they aren't one of my specialties) but I have seen them in the wild. Coyotes I've seen lots of back in Arizona though, and I like 'em- feel awful the years we had to cull 'em back on the mountain preserve where I lived. They are clever and not aggressive unless nature causes them to be (i.e. encroachment into their territories, starvation, fear, etc.) They have a lovely song- I can hear it now in my mind and it makes me miss the Sonoran Desert. :-)

Re: An Apology

[perzephone.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry if I offended you with my somewhat simplistic question.

[sunvenus.livejournal.com]

That is stunning! Do you sell you art work? Are you showing it anywhere? You are really talented. :-)

I owe you an email- haven't forgotten! But I've had the most hectic day here. I am about to put another post on my journal telling about tonights wildlife adventure, and then I've got to try to sleep. Got the exterminator coming tomorrow as part of spring cleaning, and must finish moving stuff out of closets and such in the early hours. Can I send you an email tomorrow evening when things return to "normal"?

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Certainly, take your time! I know what it is to be busy. :)

As for the artwork, I'd love to show it. At the moment I have my DeviantArt account: http://ravenari.deviantart.com/

But otherwise it's difficult to break into galleries. I do a lot of shamanic animal artwork, and am about halfway through illustrating an Australian Animal Oracle Deck. It will be 75 animals. I should have a post about it somewhere...

*looks*

Preliminary animal meanings are here:

http://moonvoice.livejournal.com/161781.html#cutid1

If there's anything you think is missing, let me know. I've asked quite a few Australians / rehabbers / etc. already, but I need to check these things. I can't make any promises though. :)

(my icon for this reply is an example of the shamanic artwork, this is the illustration, or part of it, for Willy Wagtail)

[sunvenus.livejournal.com]

I LOVE that icon. LOVE IT!!! You really are a birdy person after my own heart! (((HUGS!)))

I am going to go check out the links. From just the bit I've seen so far of your artwork, you need to be in a gallery- your talent needs to be shared with the world. I know it is hard to break in, but this needs to happen. :-)

Have you considered galleries overseas? Sometimes going into an international arena is a good starting point.

Will talk to you again soon- have a great evening!

[sunvenus.livejournal.com]

I lied- am back again! Am running down the list of animal meanings and came across Kookaburra. I am stunned - have you read my (long-winded) new post about Poseidon and the revelation I had last night? It speaks of the kookaburra, its weird tie to Poseidon (strange but true) and I mention that the kookaburra is the closest thing I've ever had to a "totem animal" in my life!

The description of kookaburras energies that you gave is PRECISELY what I've dealt with in the past two years! Every bit of it has been an issue I have had to face and learn from. To say I am blown away at this second would be an understatement.

Thank you- you have just given me a bit more confirmation of the big picture I am painting in my life right now!

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad. The interpretations of the animals energies are largely my own (if you can call being informed by my spirit helpers / gods / meditations / the animal itself 'my own.' Maybe it's just my own interpretation, lol), and so it's always a great confirmation that I'm on the right track when someone tells me that an animal they empathise with is depicted well, or accurately, or just in a 'true way' in the words that I write.

I'll send you the link to my shamanic depiction of Kookaburra too, it's not strictly accurate in terms of markings, but I like the colours. Not sure if you'll like it though, it's very bright! :D The artwork is designed as much to be a 'mandala' or a meditation image as it is to be aesthetically pleasing.

http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/41594230/

[zvezdichka.livejournal.com]

BEAUTIFUL :D

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

thank you! :D

[wide_worlds_joy]

That really is good hon. I like it a lot.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Thank you. :)

[aloiis.livejournal.com]

Amazing! :)

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

thanks, coming from an accomplished artist such as yourself that means a lot. :D

[adamdobay.livejournal.com]

Goodness, this is beautiful. I wasn't aware of your artwork before, and now I'm just flipping through your pages at deviantART, and it's great.

I would like to ask you something. I will start working on the DVD version of my mythology series early next year, and for the TV version we couldn't get together any illustrations from or about Australian mythology. I wonder if we could use one or two of your paintings for the show. (You would be fully referenced in the credits, of course.)

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I would be honoured.

The only thing I'd like to say is that it's not Aboriginal artwork. While I consider my work shamanic and 'native,' it's not Aboriginal nor is it trying to derive from any specific Aboriginal mythos. I do my own journeying to find the meaning of an animal, because I mean no disrespect to the many Indigenous cultures around me.

But otherwise - completely honoured. :D Would you be interested in being added to my Art filter? I put up updates here for things that I post on DeviantArt.

[teriel.livejournal.com]

beautiful...the picture speaks to me.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

*smiles* I'm glad.
I have decided I want to do a few more finishing touches, because it's not very 'bright' depending on which way the light hits it. But then I'm wondering if that works in favour of the image, that if you look at it a certain way it's very bright, but another way, you can only see the wings and not the body of the bird.

*hmm*
Decisions. :)

[istari.livejournal.com]

Oh it's magnificent!

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Yay! Thank you.

[chasingtides.livejournal.com]

Oh wow! That's stunning. I love the upper wings; they truly look as though they are made of fire.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Yay! It was an experiment that paid off for me (the firey wings), though the left wing looks a bit more 'scratchy' on the photo because I applied oil pastels to make it brighter.

[filia-seal.livejournal.com]

Lovely. :) Very dramatic. I hope you'll eventually be able to make a larger scan and post that to your gallery.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Ooo, it's already there:

http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/43356811/

[jazzpizza.livejournal.com]

That's absolutely gorgeous. Great detail. I adore it.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Aw, thank you! :D

[tanwyn.livejournal.com]

ohhhhh SHINY!

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Yay teh shiny!
*huggles*
How's work going?

[rainsingingwolf.livejournal.com]

Lovely! Thank you for sharing.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Thank you for looking!
tehe.

[sidheblessed.livejournal.com]

It's STUNNING!

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

YAY! :D

[halyn.livejournal.com]

I really like how you made some of the end primaries look like they're flaming. That's a great detail!

[happiestphantom.livejournal.com]

to add another accolade, that is awesome. and totally understandable that an image like that revitalises obsession.. or is a product of..? :)

[(Anonymous)]

O.O

Those wings are freakin' gorgeous. I'm in love. I want to see a better picture sometime with full detail and colour. I demand it! *Shakes a fist*

And someday, years from now, I'll be able to afford to buy one of your artworks. :-P

-Azure