Organica Series

Mendocino (detail)
Encaustic by Edie Morton

Mendocino

Encaustic by Edie Morton

New Encaustic Works

by Edie Morton

playing with fire

Ashes and Snow

Photograph by Gregory Colbert

“In exploring the shared language and poetic sensibilities of all animals, I am working towards rediscovering the common ground that once existed when people lived in harmony with animals. The images depict a world that is without beginning or end, here or there, past or present.”—Gregory Colbert, Creator of Ashes and Snow

Gregory Colbert's Ashes and Snow is an ongoing project that weaves together photographic works, 35mm films, art installations and a novel in letters. With profound patience and an unswerving commitment to the expressive and artistic nature of animals, he has captured extraordinary interactions between humans and animals.

Zócalo Nomadic Museum

Gregory Colbert originally conceived of the idea for a sustainable traveling museum in 1999. He envisioned a structure that could easily be assembled in ports of call around the world, providing a transitory environment for his work on its global journey. The first public installation of Ashes and Snow at the Arsenale in Venice, which opened in 2002, inspired the architectural concepts used in the Nomadic Museum. The Zócalo Nomadic Museum, designed by Colombian architect Simón Vélez, occupied 5,130-square meters, and contained two galleries and three distinct theatres. For the first time, the Nomadic Museum incorporated water as a design element to recall the unique history of the Zócalo, which was once surrounded by canals. This architectural choice honored the symbolic significance of the Zócalo as the center of Mexico-Tenochtitlan, a city founded by the Aztecs on a small island in the middle of Lake Texcoco in 1325. Ashes and Snow will open in a new iteration of the bamboo Nomadic Museum in Brazil in 2009.

There you are

There You Are
Encaustic by Edie Morton

"Deer's medicine includes gentleness in word, thought and touch, ability to listen, grace and appreciation for the beauty of balance, understanding of what's necessary for survival, power of gratitude and giving, ability to sacrifice for the higher good, connection to the woodland spirits, alternative paths to a goal. "

Labyrinth at Dreaming Bear's

Dreams From the Labyrinth
Encaustic by Edie Morton

My friend, Dreaming Bear, lives on a beautiful, lush and wild property in North Georgia. There is a labyrinth, on the land, recently created and continuing to grow with sacred objects . There are stones from the creek, shells and crystals from other parts of the earth, bones, and turtle shells. Ganesh, Hindu deity and remover of obstacles, sits at the doorway to the path.

Walking a labyrinth is a meditative practice with intention of being fully present. I found the experience to be nourishing and grounding, bringing more awareness to each step. Living in an urban environment, I find all too often, I am focused on the destination of my intentions, goals and tasks. I realize that many of the gifts I pass by, due to preoccupation, go unnoticed or are never received. The experience of the labyrinth at Dreaming Bear's touched me and continues to reside in my spirit.

Meet Pyewacket

Pyewacket and Gillian (Kim Novak)

Bell, Book, and Candle is one of my favorite films adapted after the Broadway play. This 1958 movie directed by Richard Quine takes place in Manhattan and stars a Siamese cat named Pyewacket. Kim Novak and James Stewart also star in this romantic comedy. Novak plays Gillian, owner of a bohemian African Art Gallery and also happens to be a seductive sorceress. Pyewacket is Gillian's assistant in spell casting. Gillian wants Shep (James Stewart) for her very own even though he is engaged to another woman. One evening, Pyewacket purrrrs while Gillian hums the spell casting tune which captures Shep.

The background of 5th Avenue and the various set locations are a delight to travel to. I highly recommend watching this film with your cats.

Encaustic Workshops

Stripes Totem (detail)

encaustic by edie Morton

I am now teaching encaustic workshops in my studio in Atlanta. The first class was last Saturday and we all had big fun. The day flew by for all of us and students suggested I offer a 6 week session as well as the intro class. I am making plans for that in the future.

Beginners workshops cover the following topics and demonstrations: safty, making clear wax medium and mixing with color, preparing the surface , surface texture, incising, collage, Xerox transfers and stencils.

Contact me at ediemorton@earthlink.net to inquire about or register for upcoming workshops.

Saturday's class

Red Birds

Oya's Birds
encaustic by Edie Morton






Summer Solstice
encaustic by Edie Morton


Inspired by my friend Jerry Lee Davis . He wrote a verse about a Blue Heron.

Blue Heron medicine or as an animal totem, can remind one to follow their own path. "The way of the heron people is not a structured way, and does not seem to have a stability and security to it. It is, though, just a matter of perspective." From "Animal Speak" by Ted Andrews

LEGS
" Legs enable animals and people to move about on the earth. They are symbols of balance, and they represent an ability to progress and evolve. Also the longer the legs, the deeper the blue heron will feed in. The deeper life can be explored. The long thin legs of the Heron reflect that you don't need great massive pillars to remain stable, but you must be able to stand on your own. "



I am the blue heron by Jerry Lee Davis

I am the blue heron. I stand alone amongst the Canadian geese and the mallard ducks. The baby ripples of the pond push against my legs, and I raise one and steady myself on the other. I never wonder if I belong or not, for where I land is where I am. Cautious but confident, I move around the banks. Once the grassy area gets too crowded, I flap my wings and speak. “Give me my space,” I proclaim. The geese and the ducks hurry to the water. I am not a bully if that’s what you are thinking. I let the others have free reign most of the time. Only when I feel it’s my turn do I demand equality. No. I am not an oddity. I am unique, though. I don’t travel in flocks, and I’m rather reserved but not shy, making myself known and announcing my presence whenever I see fit. Accepting my individuality, I am secure, yet I am also aware that I am a piece of a greater whole. The water feeds me, and I spend most of my time wading the inlets and shores. Full from so much nourishment, I crouch my neck and squat, and then I take to the sky. My wings spread, the wide span of blue and gray marking my connection to all life that came before me, I share all that I am with whomever or whatever chooses to see me.

Summer Solstice

Horsecousin


Before the ritual began we walked over to see the animals living on the property.

Peacocks, chickens, dogs, a big furry pig and all of these horses. I want one, they are gentle and
present, Dalai Lama-like.


This was a Swedish Summer Solstice celebration.

There were games where we were suposed to act like animals and hop and jump around.

Drinking games with songs about bees, bears and polly wolly doodle with little shots of flavored vodka. There was a lake that looked like a mirror, so we went. A late night film, "The Waters of Lethe" , a short film by artists Richard Sudden and Jason Vise.

Pywacket's Garden

Intimate cocoons, shrines, and floating gardens...

my home and studio

live and create

Natalie Jeremijenco's xdesign Environmental Health Clinic

Natalie Jeremijenko is an artist whose background includes studies in biochemistry, physics, neuroscience and precision engineering. Jeremijenko’s projects—which explore socio-technical change—have been exhibited by several museums and galleries, including the MASSMoCA, the Whitney, Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt. A 1999 Rockefeller Fellow, she was recently named one of the 40 most influential designers by I.D. Magazine. Jeremijenko is the director of the environmental health clinic at NYU, assistant professor in Art, and affiliated with the Computer Science Dept.

When visitors come to the clinic with an environmental health concern—like children’s exposure to lead—the clinic’s specialists don’t simply trot out advice about limiting exposure to paint chips (it’s a conceptual art project, not a health provider). “What differs,” says Jeremijenko, “is that you walk out with a prescription not for pharmaceuticals, but for actions and … referrals to interesting art, design, and participatory projects.” Concern about lead in the neighborhood might call for a prescription for planting sunflowers to detoxify the soil in the park where children play. The clinic then might ask for samples of the flowers to determine how many chemicals the plants had absorbed, while keeping detailed records that are available to the public. “The data is precisely not private—it has to do with the shared space, air, water, and environmental systems we inhabit.”
To view the entire article check out Good Magazine.

Critical Feedback with Kay Walkingstick

Wind and Water
encaustic by Edie Morton

A number of workshops were available after the encaustic conference. I applied for the critical feedback session with Kay Walkingstick . Ten applicants were accepted based on a statement of intention and a CD including images of recent work. I was thrilled to have this opportunity. We had an extensive group critique session. Kay encouraged all of us to push beyond our present limits or comfort zone. She strongly recommended spending time each day drawing and keeping a journal. Kay suggested that art is more interesting when the artist incorporates symbolism and imagery meaningful to the artist. Journal keeping can help with this process and unveil clues to answer the question “what do I want to say or evoke in my work?”

I brought the painting above, “Wind and Water”, to the critique. The elements of wind and water often occur in recent works. The changing weather patterns are an influence. It feels as if the earth is trying to heal herself and return to a more balanced state while catching our attention with frequent and drastic storms.

Encaustic Conference at Montseratte College

Bang by Russell Thurston

I spent last weekend immersed in discussion about the medium, “encaustic”. Also I viewed maybe 75 encaustic paintings in three different galleries. I highly recommend this annual conference to any artist working in the medium.
This group of artists is quite an interesting tribe. There was an abundance of sharing of knowledge, support and technique inventions.
I returned home with almost too much inspiration and passion. I have been practicing a number of new techniques I learned. Then there is the familiar question, so what do I want to say or do now? What is my next series or comment?

I especially loved Russell Thurston’s work on paper, an image of two dinosaurs walking towards the future. This artist had a nice balance of imagery in context with the medium. It made surreal sense to me.

Aphrodite and the Ravens

Aphrodite and the Ravens
encaustic by Edie Morton

The swan awakens inner beauty. When using bird totem medicine the swan has the ability to link different worlds and dimensions.The ravens teach one to be the enchantress of one's own life. The raven is linked to the strong creative force which can be used to work the magic of spiritual laws within the physical plane.

This particular painting began as a vehicle to find my way back to the light, my spirit and re-connect with the heart. The swan , raven and lotus images were persistant, so I followed and listened.

"Aphrodite and the Ravens" will be included in the inaugural exhibition at the Kryder Gallery in Dahlonaga, Georgia, opening June 1, 2008 and runs through July 15. "Stillness", a group show assembled to support our search for time and space quite enough to hear our inner voices. Purrrrfect coming out party for Aphrodite and her Ravens! There will also be a sanctuary installation in the second gallery. A tranquil space with floating gardens, luminaires and medicine objects.

http://www.ediemorton.com/sanctuary/index.html

Ginkgo Biloba, The Maidenhair Tree

Red Ginkgo Forest
encaustic by Edie Morton

This painting resides in the collection of The Fulton County Arts Council.

I have been working with plant and animal imagery for as long as I can remember. A few years ago I began to work more specifically with the symbology, medicine or healing that comes with certain plants and animals. Two years ago one of the persistant images was the Ginkgo leaf. I collected two garbage bags full of fallen Ginkgo leaves and poured them on my living room floor creating a beautiful blanket of golden yellow. Then I pressed hundreds of them to use and stored the rest in my freezer along with my feather collection.

The Ginkgo Tree is a mystical and healing species with leaf fossils dating back to 270 million years ago. That is one strong species. It has built in resistance to diseases, insects, air pollution, fire and radioactive radiation. A 3,000 year-old ginkgo has been reported in Shandong province in China. So they do deserve their symbology of longevity.

"The Ginkgo tree is a phenomenon, an object of veneration, a sacred tree of the East, a symbol of unity of opposites, by some seen as a symbol of changelessness, possessing miraculous power, bearer of hope and of the immeasurable past, a symbol of love. Because of all its properties it is associated with longevity. It may be the oldest living seed plant. "


"The Ginkgo is also thought to protect against fire and therefore it is still planted near temples. During the great fire after the earthquake in Tokyo in 1923 many Ginkgo trees survived while other trees died. A temple was saved because of the many Ginkgos that surrounded it. The bark and leaves are thought to secrete a sap that acts as a fire retardant. "

Ginkgo is the most popular healing herb used in Germany and highly popular in North America.

Why Do People Use Ginkgo?

To improve mental function
Alzheimer's disease
Age-related memory loss
Macular degeneration
Sexual dysfunction
To enhance blood circulation

Goddess of Wind

Interpretation and a story: Fierce Oya, warrior goddess of wind, charges forth with machetes in hand, preceding her earth god husband, Shango. Together they storm into battle, uprooting trees, destroying buildings and razing everything in their path. They come in the form of hurricane, tornado, thunder and wind storm, and they leave nothing untouched. All is devastated, within and without. Oya cuts through the debris and all that is stagnant with her swords of truth. She is feared for her destructive force yet worshiped as the proponent for structural change in all things. She strips us to our foundation so that we may rebuild. Oya clears the path for new beginnings. Oya presides over our transitions from life to death and all changes in between. We inhale and exhale Oya with every breath we take. She is our first breath at birth and our last breath at death.

Ravens...magic, shapeshifting, and creation

“The raven is one of those birds that has a tremendous amount of lore and mythology surrounding it, and it is often contradictory. It is a bird of birth and death, and it is a bird of mysticism and magic.

With raven, human and animal spirits intermingle and become as one. This is reflected in it’s deep shiny black. In blackness everything mingles until drawn forth out into the light. Raven has the knowledge of how to become other animals and how to speak their languages.”

Saelee Oh

Tree Sleeping Girl




tiny elephant

Art in Public spaces

Metropolitan Public
Art Coalition, Inc.

Public Art: Advocating a Vision

The following goals have emerged from discussions surrounding the educational lecture series, Public Art: Casting a Vision.

We support public art because it creates civic space, makes art accessible to everyone beyond galleries and museums, beautifies or mitigates infrastructure, attracts a creative workforce, increases tourism, defines neighborhoods and landmarks, celebrates civic achievements, addresses social issues, and becomes a city's brand.

Oz

a few new friends on my jouney. By chance the four of us were independantly on an alternative mission to see the wizard who lives on a spaceship located on the campus of elf university. We have all thought this would be a nice place to study, especially the cat who has had extensive communications with the small folk at the university.


Practicing magic with the Wizard...tossing a hoooooing owl back to the forest





the cat receiving award and first certification

Green Living

Art by Saelee Oh



The Green Guide provides eco-tips and simple , sustainable actions you can take to live a cleaner, greener life."

"The Green" online presents multimedia content focusing on the earth's ecology and concepts of 'green' living that balance human needs with responsible care for the planet. The green reflects the current tipping point in public awareness about ecological issues and the trend towards environmentally sustainable approaches to modern living."




Find out what we consume, what goes into it, and then what happens to it.

National Geographic Channel
Sunday, April 13 9PM et/pt
Everything you eat, drink and use.Your entire life's consumption. In one place at onetime.




Waldenour, located in Atlanta, is a store for discerning, quality-conscious buyers of green, organic and sustainable decorative fabrics, wallcoverings, furnishings and accessories.

The store celebrates home and working environments through the color and texture of all green and organic products. The experience will inform, inspire and educate interior designers, architects, builders and the general public in methods of transforming interiors and buildings into healthy and green environments.

Edie Morton Sanctuary Elements such as floating garden mobiles, luminaires and encaustic paintings can be found at Waldenour.

Falling Garden

Gerda Steiner & Jorg Lenzlinger
San Staë church on the Canale Grande
50th Biennial of Venice, 2003

The Doge (Mocenigo) needed a church so as to be able to have a monumental tomb built for himself, the church (San Staë) needed a saint so as to be able to be built, the saint (San Eustachio) needed a miracle so as to be pronounced a saint, the miracle needed a stag in order to be seen, and we built the garden for the reindeer. The visitors lie on the bed above the doge’s gravestone, and the garden thinks for them.

Components: Plastic berries (India), cow pads (Jura), waste paper (Venice), baobab seeds (Australia), beech, elder and magnolia branches (Uster), thorns (Almeria), nylon blossoms (one-dollar-shop), pigs’ teeth (Indonesia), seaweed (Seoul), orange peel (Migros shop), fertilizer crystals (home grown), pigeons’ bones (San Staë), silk buds (Stockholm), cattail (Ettiswil), cats’ tails (China), celery roots (Montreal), virility rind (Caribbean), wild bore quills (zoo), banana leaves (Murten), rubber snakes (Cincinnati)...

The Vegetative Nervous System
Museum Kunst Palast Düsseldorf, since 2006
The vegetative nervous system is a permanent installation in the 20 metre high entrance hall of the museum kunst palast. You can look at it from different levels.

Its ends branch out into pillars, railings, walls and ceilings where they join the body “museum”. They stimulate it and give the necessary impulses.

Unimpressed by will or order the vegetative nervous system (the autonomic nervous system) works autonomously in the body and takes decisions independently. Luckily - if human beings had to initiate the control of all the organs intellectually they would never have had the time to invent the refrigerator. Autonomous actions are the fertilizer of the inner garden.

Tornado Diaries 2008

Last friday eve a tornado spun through downtown ATL on it's way to my neighborhood, Cabbagetown , one of the oldest neighborhoods in Atlanta. I live in the old Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill built over a hundred years ago. We live across the street from the Oakland cemetary with some of the oldest and most beautiful trees in the city. Nothing quite like experiencing the rapid rearranging that can happen with the the strength and speed of nature...always reminding us about the impermance of organic life. So after , I find myself thinking of and gravitating towards anything creative, positive and uplifting...hense the new blog with enticing bits of catnip for others to enjoy.