Zodiac Paintings Gallery page 2 - Susan Shie
If you like, go to Zodiac Gallery page 3 now.
Or go back to Zodiac Gallery page 1.
Here are the first 6 of the 12 zodiac paintings in the exhibit at Jewel Heart Dec 14, 2001 - Jan 30, 2002. Each one is 24"h x 18"w.
Note: Cosmic Moms Greeting Cards and Calendar: Amber Lotus has made 12 greeting cards from this series, as well as a 2005 calendar. Look for them as my Cosmic Moms cards and calendar. If you want to buy a very nice package of one each of all 12 cards, since they are the Zodiac, visit Web of Thread. Their package also includes a little page I've made up special. They hope to have the calendars soon, too! St Theresa's Textile Trove is also selling the cards and calendar!
All 12 paintings are together in a private collection.
They are all 24"h x 18"w, on stretched canvas, with a written commentary around the thin sides of the canvas, where the staples hold the canvas to the stretchers. The paint is acrylics, with paint markers for the lines. I painted them in super fast time, with the drive of my emotional intensity, of just having lost my mother, pushing me to do nothing at all but make these pieces!
St. Quilta the Comforter is a character I created in 1997, based on my mother, so it's only fitting that she took on my mother's face and her belongings, when I made these paintings to describe the signs of the zodiac, soon after my mother passed away.
A companion book is available on this site, with a hand written story of Mom's life that correlates with the paintings, reproduced in black and white photo images in the book. Also, my diary online for Nov 21, 01, written soon after Mom's death, gives her life story in family pictures.
Aries was the first painting I made in the series, and I made the paintings in the natural order of the zodiac.
In this piece I set up the basic template of how each painting would be composed. But in it I didn't figure out til nearly the end that I should have St Q's face really be Mom's face now, since she was always the model for the saint. This work would be my way to honor my mother and concentrate on her, as I created the paintings.
I like how the pancakes are turning into toast, and vise versa! When I painted the toaster, I realized that this stuff could all be Mom's stuff, so I could enjoy cateloguing my memories of her, by thinking of what to use of hers in each painting.
Each painting has a string of sentences written around the little outside edge of the canvas, on the sides, which you can't see from the front. The stories on this ones border are about starting the series, and how Aries starts the zodiac. My writng became more personal with Mom stories, starting with Taurus.
After the transcripted writing from the side edges, of each painting, I also include here a paragraph I've written to describe the sign in general, regardless of my mother and her life! Hopefully, between the images in the paintings and this writing, you'll find yourself and people you know in the zodiac's magical vibes.
One note: I just want to make it clear that I don't think at all that the stars make us who we are, but rather that they're really SIGNS which reflect WHO we are. The positions of the planets at our birth, based on their placement in the zodiac and our birth time and location, give us each an electromagnetic pattern, aka aura, aka astrology chart, at birth. But I think this pattern reflects who we are. It doesn't MAKE us who we are, because of some chance planetary pattern at our birth. And yes, I think we choose our birth time, place, and family. And that our lives are full of choices, based on what we brought in with us, in karma, talents, etc, and the choices we've made previously. That's just if you ask me! Have your own beliefs and live in them.
Enjoy these paintings from any point of view you embrace, which I respect, absolutely!
Here's what I wrote on the edges of this Aries
painting, made Nov 4 - 5, 2001:
"I began this series in the week after my mother died (October 27, 2001.) She was Marie Snyder Shie, and was always the model for my St. Quilta the Comforter persona in my artwork, which I began using in October, 1997. So here is my dear mom - Marie - St. Q - again, back to life after all those Alzheimer's years. Now she can cook, garden, sew, read, make her rag rugs, do all her joyful things that bring out her great, generous joy of life."
Aries is hot and fiery, fast and first. It rules the first house of the self and personality. Ariens love adventures, prizes and awards, and doing things as the leader. They love being outside and doing sports, and they get bored easily! Mars rules Aries, and hot tempers and barbecues will be found there!
On the side edges of the Taurus painting, which I made Nov 10
- 11, 2001, I wrote:
"This piece is the most like my mom, Marie Snyder Shie, born May 8, 1917. She was the most wonderful Taurus person! Making her famous Panny's Brownies - here floating in her halo. She always comforted her family. That giant TroyBilt tiller of hers helped her grow so much food, and her lap was always open to hold and comfort us all. How we loved her!"
Taurus is slow and determined, very earthy. It rules the second house of personal money and possessions, as well as personal values. Tauruns work very hard, usually in gardens, baking, shoveling - anything strenuous and time consuming. They adore cooking and eating, and constantly struggle with diets! They love rich and beautiful things, as Venus is their ruler, and they are very steadfast in their love. Easy going folks who love any kind of potatoes and chocolate, as well as pottery!
On the side edges of the Gemini painting, which I made Nov 11
- 12, 2001, I wrote:
"My mother Marie Shie wasn't a Gemini, but her Mercury was at 29º Taurus, which really manifests as very Gemini in her mentality. In this painting I've included some of the things she loved to do: Read, write letters, take notes. She just adored driving her new 1973 Pontiac Grand Am - and FAST! When her Alzheimer's got bad enough, she quietly quit driving, saying her car battery was dead. She read very good books and thought a lot about new ideas."
Gemini is very quick and on the go. It rules the third house of education, communication, and transportation. Geminis love to talk and have great conversations about all kinds of subjects, as long as they can express their ideas. They read, go to movies and dances, do email all day, and then drive around talking on cell phones the rest of the time! Mercury rules Gemini, and these guys just gotta MOVE!
On the side edges of the Cancer painting, which I made Nov 12
- 14, 2001, I wrote:
"Mom's favorite job in nursing was working in OB - delivering babies. She did that for many years. She delivered my sister-in-law Donna at the Besson Clinic in Wooster in 1943. When Mom's Alzheimer's was very advanced, she would still light up when she saw a baby. Omari went to see her with Aimee and me on Mother's Day in 2000, when he was two months old. But by then she couldn't notice babies anymore."
Cancer is very sentimental and touchy, a sweet water sign of nurturance. Cancers adore houses, land, family, antiques - anything that makes them feel sheltered and nostalgic. It's that fourth house thing of HOME. They love old folks and grow old gracefully themselves. Ruled by the Moon, their emotions go on rolly coaster rides, and they often clam up and won't speak. They cry easily, but are always there for others in need of comfort. They love to cook to show their love. They're happiest sitting by the water, soaking up the moonlight!
On the side edges of the Loe painting, which I made Nov 15 - 17,
2001, I wrote:
"Mom wasn't the Leo in our family. Dad was Super Leo, with five or more planets in Leo, while Mom had four planets in Taurus. So he would boss her around, only she was very strong and stubborn! She let him go on and on, and would finally say something back, like, 'Oh, dry up, Richard!' One of them would say, 'Tell it to the judge!' and the other would counter with, 'Why don't you make a record out of it??' But I know they loved each other, in spite of their ongoing warfare!"
Ah, Leo, the King or Queen! The proud fire sign of the head of whatever is involved. Responsible for all their subjects for good or bad, Leos always have the last say. Their charisma draws us to them, and like the fifth house that Leo rules, they appear onstage or surrounded by fans or children. The Sun rules Leo, so when they're satisfied with life, a warmth and generosity issues forth. Leos adore gifts and celebrations, whether they give out or receive. Spoil them, and life will go smoothly! They rule in style.
On the side edges of the Virgo painting, which I made Nov 17 -
19, 2001, I wrote:
"Mom didn't like doing cleaning, etc, but she did it out of duty. She loved to cook and bake and always measured everything precisely - leveling off her measuring cups of flour, etc, washing dishes constantly. When we'd come home from school, our beds were clean and made up, our laundry was folded just so and put away in consistent places. Mom's Sagittarian Moon may have been in her sixth house, perfect for her Virgo habits and of course, for her being such a wonderful nurse!"
Virgo is a worker, the most flexible earth sign. Virgos love order and make lists of chores, which they will get done! Virgo rules the sixth house of health and work, and these people are very clean and logical. They can find anything, using their excellent memories and filing systems. Ruled by Mercury, their analytical skills are stunning. They make great nurses or doctors or just friends with home remedies. Give Virgo something to organize nad stand back. You can depend on them, as they always take things seriously. They're very loyal and love office supplies!
If you like, go to Zodiac Gallery page 3 now.
Or go back to Zodiac Gallery page 1.
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