Larissa H. Johnston: Art, mystique and musings in a faery realm...

The Hunt for the Green Man!

2010-06-04T22:04:00.028-06:00

So... Natalie and I were in Baltimore MA for the first RenCon (Renaissance Convention 2010) and enjoyed it immensely! One of the most striking experiences there was hearing the B.O.G. (Beneficent Order of the Greenman) chant their catchy tune ("Green Man" - words and music by Jennifer Cutting) while marching through the market place (and the rest of the convention center!) then, attending a panel about the "Green Man" with Steve Winick, John Matthews, Brian & Wendy Froud & Shane Odom. We learned that there are Green Men everywhere! You just have to find them - usually somewhere above you looking down and smirking...

Here is a picture of one who bears a striking resemblance to Brian Froud!

Another picture that I took at RenCon just outside of our hotel in Hunt Valley is of this Green Man - can you see his face? He was definitely watching over us and partaking in the magical atmosphere of the event. We found him while out taking pictures of the beautiful trees that were dripping in white flowers and the beautiful, warm delicious sun (there hasn't been much of that in Calgary lately!).

Yes, so now back in Calgary we've been on the look out! Actively hunting and seeking the magic close to home. We've seen one Green Man for sure and a couple other very likely candidates - for if they aren't Green Men they're definitely still some kind of faery being!

The first one I found was hiding out at Heritage Park in one of the town houses - he's on the back of a chair. The next one could be a Green Man - or perhaps a wind spirit - Natalie found him on a man hole cover downtown by Olympic Plaza.

We encountered a new version of the Green Man on a quilt (at Heritage Park for the Quilt Show) I love the leaves intermingled in his hair. This quilt actually reminds me a bit of Shane Odom.

I came across a modern Green Woman - true she was advertising for a hair salon in Northland Mall, but she still felt unique.

I came across this next lady in Calgary's North East quadrant on the side of a hill. She's a little more 'earthy' than our Green Men but most definitely 'there' all the same.

I like that every day - every time I step out my front door - it's a new adventure and I feel like I'm more aware of the world around me - the parts of it that make my heart sing and inspire passion and life, creativity and imagination. Life is decidedly good.

"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door," he used to say. "You step into the Road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to."

J.R.R. Tolkien

New adventure on the horizon...

2010-02-28T10:20:00.004-07:00

I'm very excited! In April we (Natalie and I) will be heading out to Baltimore Maryland and Wilmington Delaware! Why you ask? To go see the amazing art of James Gurney creator of Dinotopia! AND to attend RenCon! So excited!

More inspiration of the magical persuasion!

2009-12-10T14:57:00.008-07:00

More inspiration of the magical persuasion! I just read a really lovely book "Korgi (Book 1: Sprouting Wings)" by Christian Slade, a former Disney animator. Korgi is a graphic novel that's all pictures. There are basically no words except for a little introduction at the very beginning by Wart, the Scroll Keeper of Korgi Hollow (who is a toad!). The illustrations are all sketched in black and white and convey the emotion and activities of the characters lovingly. Words are not needed or missed! I'm excited for more in this series! I love finding new books that make you excited to share your own stories, by being so good at sharing theirs!

Tony DiTerlizzi, D&D and the geek that is me!

2009-12-10T10:00:00.009-07:00

So I just finished reading the last book in the "Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles - The Wyrm King" by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. I really like it - the whole series! They're good modern day fairytales with trials and tribulations and it shows both the good and the bad of faery. Well worth reading! Superb art as well! I actually started the series in 2008 after I got back from my first adventure to FaerieCon because Holly Black was there! When I came home I ordered all the books that the two have written together and individually and read them all! I'm now on to the second book of "The Good Neighbours" graphic novel series.

Actually, a transitional side note here - while looking up the links for Holly and Tony I realized that Tony has a blog and from his blog - that he got a start at Dragon magazine and Kobold Quarterly (hehe I play D&D with a Kobold every Saturday!) and did some drawings for Dungeons & Dragons Planescape as well as some monsters. Ah! *excited squeel* while I write this I'm listening to a great podcast (there's a play button to click once you're on the page) with Kobold Quarterly and Tony DiTerlizzi talkinging about inspirations and Brian Froud and D&D! About 30min of the podcast is talking with Tony... how cool is that? I'm such a geek I know - but I love it! Speaking of looooove - this is a picture that our great DM took of the birthday cake I made for my boyfriend as it was his birthday on our D&D night... Our DM worked it into that nights campaign and we played on top of the cake! Ooo- and that sparkler there, that's not a sparkler - it's a fireball!

A Pirate's life for me! Or perhaps a Cavalier?

2009-11-02T23:49:00.010-07:00

Arrr! We had loverly weather on Halloween - Calgary is well know for having enough snow and cold by now that you have to plan for room for your snowsuit under your costume, but it was gorgeous this year! I worked so I clanked around the Library (hehe sooo loud... in a library...*snicker*) with my dungeon keys clattering and had a great night of handing out candy and playing Dungeons & Dragons. Our host's house had amazing black lights set up at the door so that all the trick-or-treaters glowed! We thought it was pretty cool! Oh, and that delicious smelling pesto cheesecake didn't taste as amazing as it smelled. I was rather disappointed in that.

I thought I'd put up a couple pictures... And yes - even I think I'm a little scary in my battle stance, but ooooh the fun! So from the bottom up, nice tall boots, you can't tell in these pictures but I've got amazing purple tights, the capri's I made, two scarves and two belts, my dungeon keys from Heritage Park, a flouncy shirt my mother made from when her and my father used to have Halloween parties, the vest I made out of loverly tapestry fabric and the pirate hat I reused from a costume I made for my boyfriend last year - it's an official Disney Captain Hook hat - best pirate hat I've ever encountered. I love it!

October 31st...the plan

2009-10-31T01:03:00.004-06:00

So things have been busy lately! I'm going to do some back-dated posting soon - right after I've finished celebrating Halloween... which will be over on the 8th of November! I usually have my Halloween party in October - it just doesn't seem right otherwise... Oh well, I'm going to try to make it as magical as possible! Silly busy life! This years theme is faerie land - now where did that inspiration come from? Oh FaerieWorlds we love you so! Today however I am going to dress up as a pirate, possibly an elfin pirate, but we'll see - that might be a last minute decision! I get to present a Halloween themed Storytime at work, then run home pick up my delicious looking "Pesto Swirl Cheesecake" that I made last night (well, actually just a couple hours ago! And mmmmm it smelt soooo good! I can't wait to try it!) for a Dungeons&Dragons potluck tonight. Then run and dress my sweetheart up in a pixie costume - he looks so cute with a cornucopia hat on his head! Then, spend the evening indulging in extraordinary imaginations, delectable food and divine company!

More pictures and updates soon! Happy Halloween!

Arkiemedes Tams... a wise little man

2009-09-28T22:00:00.009-06:00

This little old fellow is Arkiemedes Tams. Arky loves contemplating nature and gardening. He has been a scholar in his life and has known and seen much. This never weighs him down though. You can regularly see him skipping down a path and whistling a jaunty tune - don't be fooled by that walking stick he is by no means feeble. Arky is a bit of a tease and can be very mischievous, there is always fun sparkling in his eyes.

I always find it interesting to know where names come from - Arky received his name from one of my aunts. She informed me that he looked like an 'Arkiemedes' the first time they met and she was right, though to me he feels like 'Arkiemedes'. The second half of his name 'Tams' is in honour of Charles de Lint after after the magical 'Tamson house' in his novel Moonheart - full of secrets and magic.

These pictures were taken when we had gone out for a walk and we found a walking stick - as if it were made just for him. The angle of the handle and the height were so perfectly matched - it was meant to be!

Magical Movies

2009-09-21T04:18:00.000-06:00

These are some of the movies that I absolutely love and thought I would share. They all have a bit of a dark fairy tale undertone to them which I find very satisfying.

"Alice in Wonderland" (1985) This version is the best I've seen. The scene with the Jabberwocky terrified me when I was little. A very good portrayal of a monster. I'm excited to see that Tim Burton is creating a version of Alice coming out in 2010 - with Johnny Depp, Alan Rickman (how I love his voice!) and Anne Hathaway! How wonderful is that? The next movie "The Fall" (2006) is one that was recommended to me by a friend just recently. It takes place in the 1920's and has an intriguing duality to it - similar in a way to the movie "MirrorMask" (2005) based on Neil Gaiman's book by the same title. Which I also think is amazing! "Into the Woods" (1991) is now one of my favourite musicals thanks to another friend with esquisite taste in the genre. It's full of what if's, and incredible lyrics. I can watch that all the way through and then start again! "Knightriders" (1981) I love because the setting and some of the characters melencholy remind me of one of my favourite books by my favourite fantasy autor Mercedes Lackey. The book "Bedlam's Bard" has the world of faerie, magic, renissance fairs and modern day motorcycles all intertwined. Could you ask for more?

"Labyrinth" (1986) Most favourite movie ever? Yes, yes just perhaps. It's pretty hard to beat. "Neverwhere" (1996) I actually listened to this on a Book CD (where Neil Gaiman read it - he has a lovely voice!) and found out that the book was written after the tv series. Very very good - but I've very biased, I love anything and everything he does. There's a whole world of magic underneith and above and around you that you just don't realize is there. "Pan's Labyrinth"(2006) a very dark fairytale, it reminds you that there is an unseelie court of darkness and some of the creatures here you might see there... Wonderful imagery. "Snow White A Tale of Terror"(1997) Another version that is the twisted darker telling of the fairytale.

Eolande Ceidkeipyr; a selection from her diaries and journals

2009-09-14T21:27:00.004-06:00

Sticky Satisfaction!

2009-09-07T20:30:00.041-06:00

Yesterday, a friend and I embarked on a grand adventure to quench our thirst for knowledge. This particular quest was also to enhance our skills as domestic goddesses as we discovered how to make jam! Specifically delicious, glowing, peach jam. The peaches we used were so ripe they melted in your hands and mouth. They were the perfect peaches that you read about in books, where the juice drips down your chin... mmmmm...

The whole process of jam making was quite addictive. It felt very nostalgic to me, reminding me of when my mother used to make crab apple jelly. Now jelly and jam are two different matters! The difference happens to be that jelly is clear, free of solid fruit and jam is not. That I learned from The Joy of Cooking. What a wealth of information is in that book! Every kitchen should have something comparable. I wonder why it took me so long to discover this? Another thing about making preserves is to me, it really speaks of an older time. A time when your neighbours were your closest friends and you paid particular heed to the seasons. Canning feels like fall and harvest. Yesterday, along with the peaches, I could almost smell autumn blowing in, and the leaves are definitely starting to turn.

With the end of the peaches, I made a perfectly beautiful peach cobbler - which I proceeded to drop on the floor as it was coming out of the oven! Only half of it was salvageable. It was such a shame that I had to go out and buy more peaches today. Round two, my second attempt, made it out in one piece! I was so proud! It was made with white flesh peaches, so I must also try it with yellow flesh... and perhaps add raspberries to the mix!

Here you see Eolande Ceidkeiypr picking a golden raspberry from my garden. Eolande is a lovely little elf who is responsible for collecting and keeping the perennial seeds safe and planting them again in spring. Watch for Eolande's adventures!

After we spent the majority of the morning and afternoon canning we had our closest friends over for a potluck dinner. I can't even begin to explain how happy events like that make me. I love being able to offer a place where friends can gather. I love feeding them. I love being a hostess and making sure everyone is happy and having a good time. Potlucks are wonderful - sharing food, recipes and conversation with friends. What could be better? Not much! Weeeell, maybe if you added costumes into that mix... Yes - I'd have to say that a potluck gathering at Hallowe'en is the most exciting social event for me to host! It's coming soon too! Every year I host a Hallowe'en gathering for my friends and it's always fun to think up new ideas for this event... Also, the costumes! I love sewing and costuming! There are so many things to do and plan! Though there are events before then that I'd also like to attend:

10/09/09 Art Walks the Runway ~ held at Art Central
12-13/09/09 Heritage Park Fall Fair ~ I've never attended the Fall Fair before, but I am going for the first time this year! I'd like to convince a group of friends to take an old fashioned photo with me
Calgary Corn Maze ~ I've never visited the Calgary Corn Maze. The website makes it look a-maze-ing! I'd really love to check it out!
18-20/09/09 Portobello West ~ an art market with artist from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto with all kinds of art
18-20/09/09 Alberta Art Days ~ many different events around the city
26-27/09/09 Creative Stitching Show ~ textile and fabric, all kinds of crafts involving stitchery exhibited and sold
01/10/09 October First Thursday ~ down at Art Central

As well as all of those, there is tomorrow which is an especially wonderful event. September is full of "Troll Tuesdays" when Natalie (my best friend, studio mate and all around superb adventuring companion) and I will get together to work on trolls and faery folk - like this little fellow to the right - who is but a head... Tomorrow he will receive hands and feet! A body too if he promises to behave. I have a feeling that he's just waiting to get his fingers sticky in my jam...

Peach Cobbler: 6 cups peaches, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 1 tsp lemon zest, stir together in 9x9 casserole dish. Now, stir together 1 3/4 cup flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 4 tbsp chilled butter, 3/4 cup milk, kneed quickly and roll out on a floured board, cut into shapes or lattice and arrange over fruit, then brush with egg white. Bake @ 375F for 45-50min

Bieron Boletus and his grand adventures...

2009-08-31T23:00:00.029-06:00

Books are full of surprises!

2009-08-28T09:09:00.035-06:00

Today I spent the majority of my time perfecting a prize for the staff version of the Calgary Public Library's "Just for Adults - Read All Summer!" contest. I'm so excited! I hope that whoever ends up winning enjoys it! I may have been a bit of a bully telling everyone that they had to read, read, read - for the contest and decided that I ought to supply the prize for their efforts. The children's version this year had an "Eco-Heroes" theme trying to get them thinking of ways they could reduce their carbon footprint and go green. It was a cute story - the Superhero Captain Capable was... a bit of a doofus. Luckily he had two super kids, Clay and Terra (I may roll my eyes just a wee bit here...) to help him right the evil doings of Doctor N. Danger! (he he). Anyhoo that made me think that instead of going out and buying a prize for the adult contest I would make one with the Eco-Heroes theme in mind.

Meet Bieren Boletus! His clothes are made form reclaimed fibers and his accessories are a collection of found objects. I painted a book-box (appropriate for the library I thought!) with a miniature nature scene inside, and some seeds collected from my flowerbed (columbine and a blanket flower) to dry and use next year. Also, I made a batch of ginger sparkler cookies with cream cheese icing topped with golden raspberries from my garden. I'm pretty proud of how it all came together!

Bieren Boletus is a faery fellow who loves long walks, the mushrooms he collects on his long walks and the possibility of serendipitous adventures along the way. Bieren is prone to loosing himself in his adventures, he can be mesmerized by tadpoles for hours or in finding the most perfectly shaped leaves – he plunges himself into the world whole heartedly and appreciates every aspect of it. So, if you are out admiring the beauty of nature and the world around us, look closely… you may not be alone!

I took Bieren on a mushroom hunting excursion before he was cozied into his book - watch for his adventure album!

Ginger Sparklers: 2 1/2 cup flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp cloves, 3/4 cup butter/margarine, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1/4 cup molasses. Bake @ 300F for 8-10 min

FaerieCon 2008 - The First Grand Adventure.

2009-08-27T22:00:00.005-06:00

FaerieCon '08 was a wonderful, magical, experience into a world that you just can't quite believe really exists. All of the Authors and Illustrators we have admired since we were introduced into the realm of books and literature and art as children were there. The event was absolutely amazing. There were vendors, artists, authors, actors, storytellers... a faery fashion show. Bands whose music vibrated magic into your bones. Everyone at the even was like you - wrapped in wonder and radiating friendliness and warmth. As a parting gift everyone was given a moonstone that had been soaking up all of the positive energy at the event to take home. I carry mine with me wherever I go, a link back to faeryland and the perfect sense of belonging.

Art, mystique and musings in a faery realm...

2009-08-27T02:18:00.024-06:00

Here we are... Our grand debut into the great wild web world...

I decided to start this blog because there are so many things in this world that I want to do or try. So many interests, so much to read, to learn, to do and to see... So, I've decided to record some of my adventures, thoughts, findings, inspirations and creations here to share. I hope that anyone that happens upon here will be able to take something useful away.

Firstly I have to say that much of the drive behind my inspiration to make this blog and behind my creations as of late has spawned from my adventures last year to FaerieCon (2008) in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, and this year to FaerieWorlds (2009) in Eugene Oregon. I will share pictures from these events, the costumes that myself and others have made, the art, the artists and the people. The organizers for these events, are absolutely amazing and are following a wonderful dream that I'm happy to have been a small part of. I've been lucky enough to have undergone these adventures with my best friend Natalie by my side.

Some art related notes: Natalie and I went to high school together, and graduated from the University of Calgary's Fine Arts program together. We both have a Bachelors Degree in Art specializing in Drawing and now share an Art Studio at Art Central in the heart of Downtown Calgary. Our studio is named the Flemish Monkey which we may start a blog for in the near future where we'll share some of our current masterpieces as well as upcoming events. Our studio is always open on First Thursdays at Art Central. These events are always something to look forward to - just remember, the First Thursday of every month you can come and experience a plethora of art and inspiration downtown! I'll try to keep you updated on that.

In addition to being an artist, I work at a Library. The Library is full of very talented individuals, there are so many people involved in art, music, drama and performance arts - it's astounding! It's also wonderful source of information and inspiration! There's always a story to escape into that fuels the imagination. Much of the art that Natalie and I have done has had a literary base to it, you can see some examples at our deviantart site currently - soon we will have our own official website once it has been created by our very talented friend at Roz E Creations.

So until the next post... My kindest regards (Trobei's as well!),

~Larissa