The Jackalope: Creative collaboration.

Creative Collaboration
Or an idea shared: different artists, different mediums

The plan was hatched after a festival, to create and collaborate all new work for an upcoming show. The players? Jane Star Weils - fantasy and mythic painter and Jenny Davies-Reazor - fantasy and mythic sculptor/jeweler. Two friends, two artists, two redheads. What could go wrong?

I suggested a jackalope. While most commonly associated with folklore of the Wild West, there are horned hares that appear in illuminated manuscripts as far back as Ancient Persia and Medieval Europe. (Further reading on the jackalope here)

Jane sent me this - and it is awesome:

original drawing by Jane Star Weils 

So I headed to the studio and started to sculpt... Originally I planned to do 2 one-of-a-kind tiles... but the Facebook response was so popular that I cast the tile. I can now press jackalope tiles to my heart's content.

Sculpting from my reference photo

SO many glaze possibilities!

Jane and I decided to do this collaboration because we were sharing a space and vending together at the uniquely magical New York Faerie Festival in Ouaquagua, NY. We had special approval from the organizers as sharing usually is discouraged. Our themes of mythic inspiration, gods and goddesses, totem animals and symbolic icons are shared from paint to clay, from colored pencil to polymer. Here we are set up overlooking a babbling brook - I kid you not! 

Our home away from home - Jane on the left and yours truly on the right. 

Our side "yard" and natural installation/altar

 While we did not sell out of jackalope items - it was great fun! I adore Jane's work and was thrilled to have permission to do this - use her images, etc. I think she also enjoyed seeing her creation come to life in beads, and 3d.  I have to state here that I used her image with her express permission - and thats the only way I could have done this. Sure, there are other jackalope images I could have referenced... but that wasn't the point here. It was a motivating, inspiring challenge, shared marketing and the like. (Other artists friends had their jackalopes represented as well - in leather masks... sorry no pictures though...)

Jackalope in situ

The photocopied images transferred to the polymer with a greenish cast that I thought was perfect. I did 2 pieces but tried to kept the colors a bit more neutral to appeal to a wider audience.

Image transfer on polymer with beaded bezel

I would love to hear what you think! What is your favorite mythical animal? Have you ever collaborated with another artist? 

For me - home from FaerieLand- its back to the glaze cave... 

Until next time! 

March Hares - the AJE Themed Challenge Reveal

March is often associated with idioms about lions and lambs... but here at AJE it was the month of the Hare. We had discussed this "theme" idea for a good while before deciding to move ahead. And we, as a team, felt there were myriad reasons to give it a try... We wanted the bead makers, the component people to have an opportunity to be involved in a monthly challenge. I mean art beads - am I right? And we wanted to encourage dialogue on inspiration, and shared inspiration. We wanted to demonstrate individual styles of expression, and the diversity of artist offerings within limited parameters. But enough philosophy - on with the reveal!

This month we have many participants - team members, 2 winners and a great list of artists and designers that hopped to the challenge. Take a look. Enjoy.

Happy Spring!

AJE Team
Jenny
Caroline
Lesley
Linda
Niky
Melissa
Rebekah
Lindsay

Guests
Aural - Woodland Bay Native
Heather - Hidden Ridge Studio
Cindy Martin-Shaw
Keren Panthaki
Jackie Ryan
Karin Grosset Grange - Ginko et Coquelicot
Pamela Traub - Klassy Joolz
Paisley Lizard Designs
Karen at Ditsy Blue
Michelle McEnroe ( 4 pieces pinned on the AJE Pinterest page)

We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Evening...

...with an announcement!

The 2 winners for the March "Hare" theme COM are...

Cindy Martin-Shaw
and
Heather of Hidden Ridge Studio

Congratulations to you - and thank you to all who commented.

Please remember that all are welcome to join us in this Hare themed challenge this month. Please see the original post for details.

Until then - be creative!
Jenny

AJE COM Theme: March Hares

The *new* AJE Theme challenge!
A variation on our Component of the Month feature! 

1. A. Durer - Young hare, watercolor, 1502.  2. Lepus Leporidae   3. B. Flanagan - Leaping Hare, 1982 bronze
 4. M. Ohara - Ivory netsuke, mid 19th century

You, our loyal readers, know us. You know that we are constantly evolving, creating, discussing and challenging ourselves. This year the team decided to initiate four themed challenges, loosely aligned with the seasons. We wanted to offer a creative challenge that was broader in scope, drawing in bead makers, component makers, as well as designers/jewelry makers.

The theme for Spring 2015 is the Hare. 

We are creating hares in our respective mediums - from clay to metal, polymer to resin. We invite you to join us: create a bead, a pendant, a finished piece of jewelry. It may be whimsical, naturalistic, or abstract. Just hop to it. (Details on entry/participation at end of post.)

I selected the hare, as its my totem animal of sorts. In myths the world over the hare is associated with fertility, creativity and rebirth. I wanted to share a few stories here, and I will delve deeper into the myth and symbolism on my own blog throughout the month. I am continually inspired by these legends, myths and lore!

Now it IS March... "Mad as a March hare" comes to mind. This is a British idiom, referencing the antics of hares in their Spring breeding season. They are often seen "boxing" as a courtship display. The March Hare is commonly known from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland".

Image credits: 1. Boxing hares 2. Boxing hares 3. Tenniel illustration from Alice in Wonderland
4. Cheeky hare by  Simon Litten
   

There are many pre-Christian goddesses associated with hares and springtime, including Kaltes, Freyja and Eostre, the namesake of Easter.  Spring is a time of rebirth and fertility, so the connection with rabbits is clear, and was maintained via the Easter Bunny.

Antique Easter postcard, the Germanic goddess Eostre, an antique chocolate mold. 

The Asian folktales and myths offer a wide range of hares, most often associated with the moon. In China the hare is the consort of moon goddess Chang-O, and grinds the elixir of immortality in a mortar in pestle. In Japan - he's making mochi! The hare is seen in the craters on the moon's surface, forging a tangible link between myth and reality.

1. Lunar rabbit netsuke by Eilchi, late 19th cen. 2 & 3.  Lunar hare in the moon diagram and noren 4. Ivory netsuke  5. Embroidery, Chinese Imperial robes, 18th century

Here is what the team has been up to: (I'll let the pictures do the talking!)

Rebekah's trio - arctic hare, hare, and jackalope! Melissa's molten morsels in progress. 

Caroline's stunning silhouettes in raku. 

Karen has work in progress! Available soon - complete with the iconic spiral of life stamped on these totem beads. 

Lesley has etched, and soldiers, and cast and fired... 

Lesley is glazing these beauties now! Niky, although new to the team, has jumped in, sawing these  pieces/WIP.  

My own old and new: casting a 3d detailed hare, my hare and lunar hare ceramic pendants . 

The *new* theme challenge details:

 

1. Giveaway - This theme challenge DOES include a giveaway! ( This will vary each time.) 

I will be giving away one hare and one lunar hare pendant - winners selected randomly from comments on this post. 

• Winners selected Sunday March 1.
• You must have an active blog. 
• Email and blog address requested in comments. 

2. Goal - Have fun! Try something different! Hop to it! Be inspired by the creative nature of the hare! Make something that fits within this theme. This can be an artist bead, a component, or a finished piece of jewelry.    

       *You are free to use any artist bead/component in your design -

• from an AJE team member 
• of your own creation
• from another artisan bead maker... 

3. Share/Reveal - Reveal date March 31st! 

If you would like to be included in the blog reveal at month's end, please email Jenny at jen.davies.reazor (at) gmail.com. Since this is open to all, this is the most efficient way to be included. Emails need to be received by March 29th  to be included. 

Rabbit manju

Resources:

• The Symbolism of Rabbits and Hares by Terri Windling (a brilliant overview of myths and literature from the world over!)
• A reprised Windling article on her blog 
• The Jakata/Buddhist tale of the selfless hare
• Japanese hare mochi
• Japanese myth and folklore: the hare

Bunny Beads, Pendants and Jewelry

With Easter decorations already in the stores and the White House opening their lottery for tickets to the 136th annual White House Easter Egg Roll, I thought I'd get into the spirit of things by sharing some history about the Easter Rabbit and showing off some cool rabbit themed jewelry, beads and pendants.

The whole thing about a bunny bringing eggs has never made sense to me.  And what in the world does that have to do with the Christian meaning of Easter?  It seems even more far fetched than Santa Claus.  Here's what I found out.

Long ago, people noted the links between a woman's cycles that were linked to birth, and the cycles of the moon. Very old records from Asia indicate that the hare was the symbol of the moon. So it followed that the moon and the hare both became the symbol of birth, rebirth and life after death. 

Lunar Hare by Jenny Davies-Reazor

Many ancient cultures held spring festivals to celebrate the renewal of life and to promote fertility. One of these festivals, in what is now Northern Europe, was in honor of Eostre or Eastre, the goddess of dawn, spring and fertility. Her symbol was the rabbit, a most fertile animal and a symbol of new life.  Many people think that the modern feast of Easter had its roots in the springtime feasts to honor Eastre.

 Hare cabochon by Blueberribeads

Later, as Christianity spread, it was common for missionaries to place some of the popular ideas and rituals of the day, within the context of Christian belief.  The Eostre festival occurred around the same time as the Christian celebration of Christ's resurrection, so it would seem only natural that the people would bring the hare and egg images with them to their new faith.  Germanic, pagan, spring traditions and Christian resurrection traditions were quickly melded together as Roman Catholicism became the dominant religion in the region around the 15th century.

Little Bunny Rabbit Bead by Tree Wings Studio

The first Easter Bunny legend was documented in the 1500s. By 1680, the first story about a rabbit laying eggs and hiding them in a garden was published. These legends were brought to the United States in the 1700s, when German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania Dutch country and brought their tradition of an egg-laying hare called "Osterhase" or "Oschter Haws."  Their children made nests in which this creature could lay its colored eggs. 

Sweet Bunny Bracelet by Linda Landig Jewelry

The children would build their nest in a secluded place in the home, the barn or the garden. Boys would use their caps and girls their bonnets to make the nests. The use of elaborate Easter baskets would come later as the tradition of the Easter bunny spread through out the country. 

Faux Bronze Bunny pendant (polymer clay) by Studiotambria

I hope you've found this little bit of history interesting and that you've been inspired by the jewelry and components that I've included here.  I put together a Treasury list on Etsy that includes these rabbits and hares, plus many more.  You can check it out by clicking here:  "Hop To It!"

Linda
Linda Landig Jewelry – ArtFire 
Linda Landig Jewelry – Etsy

Folklore Friday: the lunar hare

A few in my collection

Easter may have come and gone - but rabbits and hares are here for the season. Not a day goes by when I don't see a flash of white fluff tail as it bounds across the back yard - escaping before the dogs are loosed to sniff and roam.

Anyone who knows me  knows I have a personal interest in hares. Not so much the cutesy bunnies, but rabbits and hares. These animals show up in mythologies around the world - from China to Aztec Mexico, Celtic myth, Buddhist lore...  And while I could wax poetic about hares and myth for a while ( Easter/spring/eggs - a whole other post!) I wanted to introduce you to the lunar hare...

Reproduction netsuke. Future pendants. 

The Hare in the Moon is a common thread in folklore from the China, Celtic Britain, Mayan Mexico... which is interesting in and of itself. Where Western folklore teaches us to look for the "Man in the Moon amidst the craters and lunar landscape - in the East its the hare in moon. He is often seen with a mortar and pestle, grinding the ingredients to create the elixir of immortality. He is associated with Chang'O a Chinese moon goddess - concocting the elixir for her... Symbolically the hare represents longevity, fertility and the feminine power if Yin. 

The Mayan goddess Ixchel was the goddess of the moon, childbirth, weaving... Her consort was a hare.   There was a temple to Ixchel in Cozumel Mexico. 

One tale I find the most intriguing - because of its commonality in so may diverse mythos is this: 

Lord Buddha was traveling, incognito, and met a fellow traveller, a hare. The hare, recognizing the Buddha, was ashamed he had no food to offer. He jumped in the stew pot, sacrificing himself, to feed the Buddha. The Buddha in thanks for this offering, placed the hare in the moon for recognition of his gift, and for eternal  safekeeping. Versions of this myth alternately place the Hindu god Indra and the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl in the tale. The common threads of an archetype - across cultures - is so inspiring to me!

Thanks to Terri Windling for her article "Symbolism of Rabbits and Hares" for bringing so many threads of inspiration together. Its a great article if you are interested in reading more. Here are a few images and aTreasury for your viewing pleasure and inspiration. 

An Etsy Treasury of hares in many mediums. 

My lunar hare mixing with raven and hare totem pendants. 

My mixed media piece: copper, enamel, faux bone, gems.

Thanks for tuning in to Folklore Friday! Until next time... 
Jenny

ww.jdaviesreazor.com