Jack Frost is knocking

It is that time of year when heat begins to find the cracks and crevices to seep out of the interior of this house, built in the 1840's.  The old pane windows upstairs and unused-in-winter doorways get coverings of glass or plastic.  Here is the beginnings of a new storm window hall window upstairs, in the still-unfinished room, which serves as a gallery for my works.  The stairwell connecting it to the downstairs dining room has been closed off for the season.
Here is the beginning of the design on the worktable:

 Silver Solder, Gold Foil Stages

Center panel for Storm window

14" Circle, Gold bubbled & Champagne Water Glass

(Early Afternoon Sun from the South)

And here it is completed in place in the Hallway

25 1/2 " x 40 3/4"

Morning Light from the East

The Lotus in Blossom

Still inspired by the last Lotus meditation window with I did for my partner, Chuck, I began this smaller variation, of the beloved water lily. Red signifies the heart, open, filled with love and compassion in the Buddhist tradition. The white rays emanating from the flower represent the soul seeking enlightenment.  It is often associated with the goddess of compassion, Kuan Yin.  Here it is, in the glow of the Southeastern sunlight, foiled and ready for solder, then cleaned after which a patina will be applied to approximate the lead that is the base metal enfolding the glass.

And here is is, complete, in the sunlight of late afternoon.  Size is 14.5" x 14.5".

The Compassionate Heart Lotus

copyright by J. M. Frase-White, 31 August 2015

Sketches: the dance without the music

Some Works in Progress

  On Sunday I had the priviledge to visit the garden and studio of Dorian McGowan, Professor Emeritus of Lyndon State College. at his home in East Burke, Vermont, with his good friend, and mine, watercolorist Joan Harlow.  I had been snared by the wit, integrity and beauty of his work from an exhibit at Northeast Kingdom Artisans Gallery a year before my own show there.  His garden, studio and home is all a pure garden of delights, like a forest of ripe fruit and flowers all in bloom . . . even the lawn was covered in sage, so that each footstep created an aura of beauty.  I could go on for hours describing that enchanted afternoon, and his lifetime pursuing art, purely for art's sake.  

   The reason I begin this intro with the visit, other than pure enthusiasm, is that Dorian has been enraptured by the story of the Minotaur, and the Greek tale, appears throughout his yard and in his artwork, a loving obsession.  My work and thoughts lately had been taking on a theme of Greek divines and mortals.  Below are some cut paper experiments trying to develop the idea that is preying on my subconscious.  Though hardly as refined and deep as Dorian's, it shall be interesting to see what evolves. it would be wonderful if some of his inspiration, curiosity and talent merge into my work!   I have spent a good part of the morning altering them from what you see them in the photo.

4 Greek Heads

 with feathers and finery 

    Meanwhile, in the glass studio, I have begun another water lily window:

Paper into Glass

 

     This work is shows the pattern cut out and assembled over the base outline which shall be my guide when laying out the pieces of colored glass.  Beneath them is the designfor a small decorative window (14 x 14).  I have begun cutting out the flower (of antique German) red glass for the lotus and a cloudy white for a backdrop.  The goal is to have a serene and beautiful flower, for enjoyment, and contemplation, as all things beauty aspire to that goal. 

Hildegard's Feather

I have begun trying to rebuild my painting skills after many years of neglect, and am beginning to feel more confident with my work.  With humankind reaching the far edge of our solar system, dancing around Pluto, this work ponders destiny, and the miraculousness of creation.  The phrase "a feather on the breath of God", seems to encapsulate the human condition.  It is from Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), who as a poor lass had no idea of where her destiny would lie, and recorded this remark upon her placement in a convent by her lord and master.  She must have breathed a sigh and embraced life to the fullest.

Here is the first step, blocking out sections with blue painter's tape, a startling image in it's own right.

blocking with tape, blue and white paint

And the finished work:

 Feather on the Breath of God

16 x 12, Gouache, August 2015

copyright J. Frase-White 8/2015

"The Assumption in Narnia", Tryptic

paper cutting glass: "The Assumption of Aslan", Tryptic, cut paper, pai...: jimfw420@gmail.com


       C.S. Lewis chose in his Christian parable closeted in a magic land called Narnia, he chose as the Christ figure a lion, named Aslan.  A mystical lion seemed to emerge from my scissors and X-acto knife playing, as well as two angels, and this formed the basis of The Assumption (Ascension) of Aslan in Narnia.  As the New Testament tales display Jesus, the Christ ascending to heaven, this apparition seemed a perfect placement of my paper creations.

Swan Song to fly from Childhood

In Childhood we hear stories that affect our lives and how we grow to adulthood.  This tale, The Ugly Duckling, from The Brothers Grimm was a favorite.  I did not realize that I was identifying with this cygnet, and how true its story would resemble my own life, and the need to break the mold of what I was supposed to be, according to the norms of society,  as to who, and what I am.  A poem of tribute follows.

Duckling

July 15, 2015

Gouache 12 x 16

Duckling

Felt ugly did I

They said so

some blunt, commanding

many

with looks and sighs, too polite

in pretense of civility that I

did not fit

in the landscape

nursed on Jim Crow milk spiked

 with Johns,  Calvin and Wesley

parsimonious with kindness

cursed from birth by a loving god

(He slyly bargained a deal)

Bordering the green or fallow fields

of the farms, of the town

is the forest, the  mysterious forest

where creatures, not human, live

(far away you are told

 is the fright of cities

where they flock)    

inherited lies of the good news

to be reaped at death

it has taken those who have gone before

weighted down with rocks carved with their names

silently waiting for the return

of the ancient godly one

off to heaven

off to war

off to work

off to the store

voices, looks

 sound the malaise

you are ugly

your words cannot chant their song

cannot dance to their rituals

though you try and try

and try

you are ugly

lost among others, like you

with arms and legs and eyes and mouth

hearts

 and minds

some minds

have stopped thinking

stopped questioning

while yours spins and flies

a circling bird

looking for the coveted

source

someday

you will be a pretty bird

flying free

flocking  with others

the good citizens of the world

all the same flock

a rainbow of colors

of wing shapes

beaks that sing different songs

eat different foods

whole as one

together

you will fly

all free

in the sky

and nest on land

in trees and forests

mountains and prairies

soar into and above the sea

free birds

all of you

flocking

in one habitat

one parent

one planet

home

J. Frase-White

With thanks to the Brothers Grimm and one special cygnet

15 July 2015

Lotus, the flower of wisdom, the radiance of compassion

In the decades I have worked in glass, I had not done one specifically for my partner, Chuck.  I had made windows for our homes, which first ignited my interest in doing stained glass.  I have produced several water lily themed windows for other patrons and friends.  When he suggested doing another, to aid in his meditation, I was unsure of how to approach the subject. Working with various designs, multiple sketches and several prototypes in clear glass, it evolved into this, now hanging in our study, inspired by Buddhist and other spiritual resources. The colors all represent aspiration: the red of wisdom radiating the white light of compassion, bonded to the growing green of earth, and the deep blue of spirituality over materialism.

Lotus the Light of Heaven and Earth

(for Chuck)

22 x 39

When doing a window, working from sketch, to choosing glass, to cutting, assembly, there are always moments of uncertainty (& always the one where the work looks horrible).  I was in for a surprise we hung the window and the inner circle behind the white rays emanating from the lotus, which I had chosen for the dense white color, radiated a green light (from outside it appears as the white I had chosen).  Here is a photo of the window, in the final stages of assembly as it looked on my work table.  Part of the enchantment of working in this medium is the wonder that happens as light filters, glistens or glares, through the panels of glass.