“So readily and intensely do human beings respond to symbols that it is hardly a surprise to find symbols deified and divinized in every human culture.” Barbara G Walker, The Woman’s Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects.
This week during lock-down there was a beautiful pink super moon leading up to Easter. The moon doesn’t actually turn pink and it’s super because it’s very close to the earth and therefore appears very large on the horizon - bubble burst - but it is hugely symbolic of spring, hope and renewed growth.
The challenge this week was to create a symbolic image with a mask. I decided to photograph the moon last Tuesday and include it in the finished piece.
I made the animal mask from papier-mache and once I photographed all the elements set to work on hours of post-processing while listening to Kate Bush.
I recommend musically pairing my finished piece ‘Moon Hare’ with ‘Hounds of Love’ by Kate Bush.
‘Moon Hare’ will be available in print after the lockdown up to a size of 36cms x 36cms which I personally cannot wait to see because there’s a lot more detail; including another hidden symbol which will be more apparent in a high quality print (I avoid uploading high quality versions to the internet where possible. Sadly there are people who will screen grab or download images rather than pay the artist a fair price for their work).
I also recorded the editing process for this image but it would really need Kate’s music accompanying it so I’ll look into the cost of licensing it. Wish me luck!
Making the Mask