The Mysterious Box of Mengs

In a delightful twist of fate, my wife Andrea recently unveiled a treasure trove from the depths of history—a vintage pastel set nestled within an old rickety box. But the real intrigue lay within its German label which translates: "Mengs Pastel Colors, based on the original recipes of Raphael Mengs." Hmmmm… who was this dude Raphael Mengs? And could he be the key to unlocking hidden family fortunes?  Sure sure the name is a bit different…but maybe?

As I delved into the labyrinth of ancestry, it became clear that Raphael Mengs, or Anton Raphael Mengs to be precise, was no distant relative poised to leave me a windfall. Born in 1728 in Bohemia, he was an influential figure in the 18th-century German neoclassical movement. In fact Mengs graced the courts of Europe with his fancy pants brushstrokes and insights into color theory.His portraits, were gazed at by kings and queens.  And as I viewed his work for the first time. I could definitely see that his work was perfect castle fare, mostly portraits hoity toitys in their finery.

As for his style…Mengs was a meister of muted colors…nothing to garish.  The colors very  soft and gently, which was appropriate given that his color theories embraced the ideas of a easy going and harmonious relationship between colors.  No big “wows”.  If I sound derogatory about his work I don’t mean to be.  It is actually quite lovely.

Now back to the box   The pastel set now housed only 8-10 worn-down sticks, none of which seemed to belong to the original collection. Ironically, the colors now residing in Mengs’ palette—the maestro of muted tones—were mostly vibrant hues. I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d be rolling in his grave at the sight.

As a final note…I did find plenty of Mengs’ work that wouldn’t be what I would consider muted. He did some rather vibrant work. Below are two versions of the goddess Diana. Did he eventually abandon his treatise on color theory…perhaps a good paying benefactor requested a bit more zing on his pallette, or perhaps because people found him dull…badumpah.

Orpheus Descends

If I were to come up with a metaphor that best describes my artistic process, I would refer you to the Greek legend of Orpheus. For those unfamiliar, the basic story goes that Orpheus was quite the musician – he was astute at the lute. It was said that his skills mesmerized all living and immortal things.

So ol’ Orphie is in love with a gal named Eurydice and all is going swimmingly. One day, their wedding day, trouble came a-knockin’. She danced through a meadow to celebrate the nuptials when a slithery black viper bit her, killing her instantly. This, of course, sent Orpheus into a tailspin. In grief and despair, he sang and played the tunes that move the gods. So moved, in fact, that the gates of the Underworld were opened so that he could retrieve her. The god of the afterlife, Hades, agreed to free her, but only if, upon their exit, they walked single file, Orpheus in front, and Orpheus could not look back. For a while, he obliged, but doubt and fear that Hades had deceived him plagued his mind. Sure enough, he turned around… and poof, she was gone. He returned home with a sad face.

Okay, so what does this have to do with my artistic process? For me, working in the studio is never easy. It is always an intimidating venture, no matter how many times I do it, no matter how seemingly simple the task. For me, it feels like I am descending into unknown and hostile territory. Like Orpheus, I feel as if I must charm the guardians of the underworld with my skills and then convince them to give me something precious. The precious thing, in my case, is something artistic, both unique and inspirational. After arduously convincing the Underworld inhabitants (the subconscious) to release my Eurydice, I must bring it back to the physical world. And like Orpheus, who had to navigate the underworld’s bureaucracy to retrieve his love, I often find myself tangled in a web of art supplies, trying to negotiate with my inner demons for a stroke of inspiration. It’s like a cosmic game of ‘Let’s Make a Deal,’ except instead of Monty Hall, it’s me and my muse trying to strike a bargain over a cup of coffee in the studio. As for the turning around… well… for my metaphor, I always equated this with the fact that no matter how many pieces of art I make, I am never content. I feel like I missed something. So I return again and again.

Baron Munchausen...Creative Thinker

Pop Quiz: Name the legendary character who did all of the following feats?:

1. Riding a Cannonball to Safety…which he was able to steer because of his excellent horsemanship.

2. Escaping Swamp…which seems like no great feat, unless you consider he did it by grabbing his own hair and pulling himself up.

3. Reaching Into Fierce Wolf’s Mouth….and reaching its tail then pulling it inside out.

4. Travelling to the Moon…by lassoing the point of the crescent and pulling himself up.

5. Being Swallowed by a Sea Monster…and escaping by using his boat’s masts to prop open the beast’s mouth.

TIMES UP! PENCILS DOWN

The Answer: Baron von Munchausen.

And who is Baron Munchausen? I’m glad you asked. He is a fictional adventurer, but actually based on a real individual with a mouthful of a name… Karl Friedrich Hieronymus, Freiherr von Münchhausen (1720–1797). He was a German nobleman who served as a cavalry officer in the Russian military with a fondness for storytelling embellishing his own experiences with extravagant and fantastical details.

Later, a writer named Rudolf Erich Raspe embellished these tales to the nth degree and compiled a collection of stories known as "Baron Munchausen's Narrative of his Marvellous Travels and Campaigns in Russia.”

The Baron is the coolest, and to some degree, an idol. I guess you could say he has many of the traits I strive to have, many of which are crucial to being a successful artist. Obviously, he is a good problem solver, and of course, he is adept at thinking outside the box. Then there is his sense of playfulness and humor when it comes to solving those problems. And of course, he is a good storyteller…at least the "real" Baron was a good yarn spinner. Yes, it’s true I have been known to embellish for the sake of a good tale.

If you’ve never read the stories, you must….they are fun and ludicrous. And for those who are not readers, you can check out two films. Most recently is Terry Gilliam’s The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. This is a wondrous Hollywood film with a star-studded cast.

There is an earlier Czech version that is absolutely stunning and visually imaginative, by the director Karel Zeman. He didn’t have a big budget so he utilized some crazy techniques. There are a few documentaries about him out there and his other films are well worth checking out.

And if you’re ever in Prague…which I highly recommend…right next to the Charles Bridge is a small little museum that features a variety of props and replicas from Karel Zeman’s various film projects. As I said, it’s small, you can do it in about 30-45 minutes, but it’s a lot fun with various interactive gizmos.

So I was going to make this blog post a bit longer, but I have suddenly felt the need to climb up to the moon for teatime.

In the meantime you can check out a few of my found object assemblage interpretations of the Baron’s exploits.

The Baron Goes to the Moon

The Baron and the Large Fish

To The Victor Goes the Found Object - Assemblage and the Spoils of War

Grass skirt and coconut bra = assemblage? Hmmmm….I think not.

So, you may be sitting around wondering: What is the earliest example of assemblage or found objects in art? Maybe you’re not wondering that… it might be just me pondering those kinds of things. In any event, the answer to this lies in how you want to interpret the phrase ‘assemblage.’ The idea with assemblage is that an artist found objects that once had a particular function and then, after being discarded, they are utilized as a medium in a work of art. A transformation of something’s function and purpose. But wait a second, surely using an old iron as a shrine is an example, but what about a coconut shell bikini top? The shell had a function as a coconut, and now it’s a bikini top. A step further, you could say a basket made of grapevines is assemblage… or even further, that a painting on canvas is assemblage because the threads that make up a canvas came from the cotton plant. Well, after a while, you end up with the argument that everything is assemblage because everything came from something else, and while I agree with that from the standpoint of assemblage being a metaphor for the transformation inherent in the universe, that’s really how I view it. For me, I use the term to refer to ‘manmade’ items that are then repurposed.

Early 20th Century Assemblage aka Readymades by, Man Ray (left) and Marcel Duchamp(right)

So, back to the question, what was the earliest example of assemblage? Some say it is the works of Braque and Picasso in the early 1900s or perhaps Marcel Duchamp’s ‘readymades’ from around the same time. And though I don’t disagree that these are great examples of the beginning of assemblage and found objects being used in art… I think architecture had been using this process for centuries and centuries.

St. Donatus Zadar, Croatia

Spolia is the term used for the process of assemblage in architecture. The word’s etymology gives a hint as to how this was implemented… spolia means ‘spoils’ or ‘booty.’ It was the process of using art and architecture that had been demolished and using the remnants in new constructions. Sometimes this was pragmatic… why build a totally new column when you have a perfectly sound Roman column? Other times it was financial for much the same reason; after all, material like marble was cheap. Thus you get structures that are a little bit of this and a little bit of that. If you’ve ever been to Seville, Spain, a great example of that is the Giralda tower, which was originally constructed as a minaret during Islamic rule and then when Christians came to power it was modified, but still kept some of the original designs. Personally, I always find it fascinating when you have these styles intermingling.

“Portrait of Four Tetrarch” Venice, Italy. Plundered by Venetians in Constantinople in 1204 AD during the 4th Crusade and brought to Venice. A “neener neener” move if I ever saw one.

Another reason that spolia was used was psychological. Sometimes a culture wanted to taunt the previous culture, and by using bits and pieces of the previous regime’s structures, it was a way of saying ‘neener neener, you lost and we won.’ I remember, a jillion years ago, I was in a little village near Oaxaca and I noticed that the church had stones carved built into the exterior that were quite obviously from some pre-Hispanic structure. One carving was of a Zapotec eagle (if I remember correctly it was toward the top and it had bees flying in and out of a small crack… subsequently I was stung… but that’s another tale worthy of a blog post). A slight variation of the psychological use of spolia, especially in the case of religious sites, is that it was sometimes used as a way of coaxing the conquered into worshipping the ‘new’ gods. A conquering belief system might not seem so foreign if the old gods are present.

The thing is, there could be a variety of reasons spolia was used. It could be all or some of the previous reasons. In fact, it could be because something looked cool, so it was added in a wall or structure, though typically the ‘looked cool’ reason is less documented.

So next time you’re traveling in a land with a long history of variant empires, keep your eyes open. More likely than not, you’re surrounded by early examples of assemblage.

The Cyclops: Season Two of my Podcast Episode Resources:

Hey gang, after long last just started recording season 2 of my Podcast, Strange Tales of Myth and Magic. This episode I take a big peek at a creature that has been influencing my art since I was a wee lad…the Cyclops.

You can take a listen hear:

The Cyclops that started it all for me. From The 7th Voyage of Sinbad

Polyphemus

The most famous Cyclops of all time, Polyphemus. He was a lover too…at least wanted to be long before he started gobbling up sailors.

Kasa-Obake

Here’s a super bizarre creature from Japanese legend the parasol spirit called Kasa-obake. It's a warning to not throw things out if they are still usefull.

A Kasa Obake in the film 100 Monsters.

Medusa - Sympathy for the Gorgon

This weeks podcast I explore the snakey haired villain Medusa. But is she really a villain? Check out the podcast and see:

Check out the podcast here:

Medusa: Sympathy for the Gorgon Episode 11

The Gorgon

The Gorgon -1961

The Gorgon 1961

In the 1960s Hammer produced a cheesy but cool film about a sister of Medusa. Funny yet mesmerizing snake effects

Madame Leota - Haunted Mansion

Madame Leota - Haunted Mansion Disney Land

Though not a Gorgon, I sure thought she was when I was a kid. I suppose the fact she was missing her body and her wild hair led me to that assumption.

Ancient Greek Art

Perseus and Medusa 500 bc

Early Medusa 500 bc

Clash of the Titans 1981

Medusa - Clash of the Titans 1981

One of my absolute favourite films as a teen. The snake body was a nice touch but is actually more in line with one of her siblings than her descriptions.

Humbaba

Humbaba - 2nd Milenium BC

Humbaba is a Mesopotamian moster and perhaps the source of the Medusa legend. His looks could kill, was decapitated and his head was carried off and offered to a god in a satchel. Not to mention he is often depicted with a lions mane that sometimes look like intestines…perhaps snakes.

My Interpretation of Medusa

The Shield of Perseus 2014 36”x36”x10”

My entry into the Medusa myth comes from a large wooden gear mold.

Magical Realism

Perhaps my favorite style of art is what is called “magical realism”. To definitively define this term is a bit difficult because there are various degrees of it many works of art, but in a nutshell it is usually a study of an everyday situation and characters but with a bit of magic inserted into the mix. Often, though, it is difficult to tell whether these occurrences are genuine events or if they are metaphoric. It is this blurring of “what is real” which makes this style so intriguing .

Literature

There are so many great reads when it comes to this topic. 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is talked about the most, but here are my two favs:

Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse

This story takes place in Germany in the 1920s. The main character is a curmudgeonly guy named Harry Haller who describes himself as feeling split in two…part man, part wolf…metaphorically speaking. He feels out of place in the world he lives. Part of him wants to be wild and free but the cultured side of him beats him down when he does. And when he tries to be “civilized” he is attacked by his inner wolf. Now this definitely fits the magical realism box, but as novel progresses stranger things begin to happen, such as a magic theater that appears and disappears, and a strange book Harry finds which seems to be written just for him. When I first read this book I was 18 and I, like Harry, felt like a fish out of water in the world. So, in a way, I was reading a story about a man who finds a book that seems to be written about him, and while I’m reading it I kept thinking that I had found a book that was written about me. Trippy.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

I read this book when I was in Oaxaca, Mexico, which is appropriate because I often think of that location as a place where magical thing could happen and you wouldn’t think twice about. The story takes place mostly on a lifeboat populated by a boy, a tiger and a few other animals that survived a wreck of a ship that was transporting zoo animals. Though it doesn’t sound like much of a story, it is a truly engrossing book cover to cover. Wonderous and heartbreaking. I should also mention the film is also wonderful. Not only a great story but filled with eye candy. I’d recommend reading the book first though…it’s sooo good.

Fine Art

In many ways I think many narrative paintings lean towards Magical Realism. The reason being that paintings/drawing are a single moment in time, and if they are trying to convey a story they often have to rely on symbolism.

“The Two Fridas” by Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo is perhaps my favorite Mexican artist and perhaps the poster child for this art form. Almost every piece of work that she created was a depiction of the painful world she struggled with both physically and psychologically. Her paintings are in many ways are more real because of the fantastical elements added. My favorite is “The Two Fridas”. This painting has been interpreted a number of ways, often referring to her dual heritage (her father was a German Jew and her mother was Mexican), in this case the Frida in white is the European self, which seems to be injured, while the Mexican Frida seems healthy. I tend to look at this works as an exploration of the physical pain she endured throughout her life as well as the emotional pain of her relationship with Diego Rivera.

Film

I have so many favorite films that could be included in this list but I decided to limit it to three:

Wings of Desire by Wim Wenders

What’s an angel living in West Berlin to do when day and and day out all he can do is watch and listen as the humanity feels and lives? This is the strange story of Damiel who wants to feel what it means to live, despite all the pain and suffering that mortals are prone to. One of the things that really adds to the Magical Realism is the periodic shift from black and white to color film, depending on the perspective…angels = b&w, human = color. Another great addition to this film is the inclusion of Peter Falk (you know, Columbo, Princess Bride) who plays himself…but apparently he was once an angel who took the plunge. Wunderbar.

Pan’s Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro

It’s a dark time for a little girl named Ofelia, as her mother marries a sadistic fascist general. It is a fantasy that takes place in two worlds, a realm of magical beings like fairies and Pan, but also the wartime realm of the Spanish Civil War. Ironically, though, despite all the fantastical monsters she faces, it is the “real world” that seems to house the most horrific creatures. I love this film for a number of reasons. Firstly it is filled with some of the most wondrous beings ever thought up, but I also love that it shows this child trapped between a world that only she can see and what we call reality.

Amelie by Jean Pierre Jeunet

This is my fav. It is a tale about a young and very quirky woman, Amelie, who sees the world in her own unique way. Unlike some of the other entries, this film doesn’t necessarily have anything mystical happening. No ghosts, or fairies, etc. Instead it is the surreal use of color by the filmmaker that transforms everyday Paris into something delicious to watch. The other amazing aspect of this film how Amelie’s view of the world transforms it from mundane into something sublime.

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Honestly I’m not really certain if my work fits into this category or not. I suppose it could given that the “Magical Realism” covers a wide breadth of styles. I would say that perhaps I could sneak into the category because of my use of everyday items and turning them into something out of this world. A bit of a stretch…but I’ll go with it.

Behind the Mask

Masks have always fascinated me. Perhaps its the super heroes from my childhood, like Zorro and Batman, or perhaps it’s something deeper. Over the years I have participated in a number events where masks were integral to the event…ranging from Mardis Gras parades, to Halloween to Dia de los Muertos. Something happens when a person puts on a mask. There is a transformation. Perhaps a bit of psychology, or magic if you prefer, but I believe that masks open a doorway to another “you”. It allows the wearer to experience the world in a way that isn’t weighed down by the everydayness of the daily humdrum. Depending on the mask, someone can experience a world through another’s eyes. In other situations it can allow the wearer to experience a subconscious self; the part of a person that is always there but is often constrained by societal norms, prejudices, insecurities. Masks are ways of letting that hidden self free… for a bit…a way of playing without judgment.

Over the years I have created a number of masks…some wearable, some definitely not. In either case I see them as ways as exploring different worlds.

Non-wearable Masks

Weatherworn Bjorn - not wearable

Weatherworn Bjorn was created from an old wooden lantern and I decided to create a character that has weathered “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune”. I think I see him as representation of aging. Getting beaten down by time but refusing to surrender.

The Green Knight - not wearable

The Green Knight is base on the Arthurian legend about a strange warrior from the woods who challenges one of the Round Table Knights. He is the symbol of the chaos of the natural world…often feared and misunderstood by humanity.

Moon Monster - not wearable

Moon Monster is a sentimental reminder of a cyclopian creature I drew in the first grade. It was a cyclops that lived on the moon. My story ended tragically for the Moon Monster…he was zapped by the laser of visiting astronauts…in all fairness he did crush their space ship.

The Guardian - non-wearable

The Guardian was a mask created from Grandfather clock parts. It’s design was heavily influenced by a Balinese deity called Barong. He is leader of the spirits and often you would see maskso of him over doorways. When driving in Bali his statue would often be present on bridges as a way of protection.

Flyboy - not wearable

Flyboy is a mask of transformation. It was created with the concept that nothing ever ever stays the same. In this case, a toy plane is turned into a mask but it really is an exploration of the way time is the great transformer.

La Mancha - non wearable

La Mancha is based on Don Quixote, the legendary dreamer. I based this on some of the wooden Quixote masks I saw while visit Guanajuato Mexico during the Cervantes festival.

Aunt Nancy, the Spider Woman - not wearable

Aunt Nancy/ Ananse is a god whose legends originated in Africa and evolved in Caribbean islands. She/he is usually a spider but can shape shift. He/she leads humanity to wisdom, but usually in indirect not so obvious ways. You must work for enlightenment.

The Lycanthrope - not wearable

The Lycanthrope is based on old werewolf legends. I’ve always found the werewolf itself to be a mask in a way. The human is trapped in societal norms but the wolf allows the “cursed” to be free to embrace one’s animalistic nature.

Polyphemus - not wearable

Polyphemus was a cyclops in Greek lore. He is the abductor of Odysseus in the Odyssey and usually depicted asnot very handsome and rather brutish. I have created many cyclopes through the years…perhaps it an homage to that Moon Monster I created in first grade…or perhaps it is an homage to the Cyclopses from the Sinbad movies I consumed as a kid.

Temptation - not wearable

Temptation is mask based on the legends of shipwrecked sailors who think they find salvation in a floating island…only to realize the island is not island at all, but a hungry sea monster. This can be found the stories of Baron Munchausen, Pinocchio, and Sinbad. Sometimes things are too good to be true.

Wearable Masks

Mask of Protection - wearable but incredibly uncomfortable.

The Mask or Protection was created specifically for a found object themed workshop. In all honesty it was rather difficult to feel any psychological transformation take place while wearing it…unless you consider pain a psychological transformation. It should be called the Iron Maiden mask.

Big Bad - wearable

Big Bad was a mask I created out of card stock. Very time consuming but a cool effect. It was made for a “Beautiful Beasts” parade that was part of my annual New Orleans retreat, where students dress up as characters that are related to the workshop theme.

El Diablo Mask (for Dia de los Muertos) - wearable

Mr. Doom - wearable

The Diablo mask was created for Day of the Dead in Mexico City. Since I go to Mexico (usually Oaxaca) every year for Dia de los Muertos I have made lots and lots of skeleton and devil masks.

Mr. Doom was also created for my New Orleans retreat. This time, the class was creating side show shrines, so we had a procession of strange side show performers.

Weirdo Colours From a Bygone Age

So if you know anything about me, you know I love paint…ooooooh how I love it. Sure, I love found objects but honestly my first artistic love is paint. Every single piece of assemblage sculpture I create MUST be painted or it isn’t really me. There is something about paint that has the ability to transport art into a different realm. And, I have to say, for me, digital art has never been satisfying to create because I really really want to get my hands all painty painty. If my hands are clean after a day painting in the studio, then something is really wrong. Now, with all that being said, these days paint is relatively easy to come across. You head to the store and you’ve got paint. In fact, you can head to the dollar store and buy paint…mind you…it’s not very good paint…but it’s paint. Back in the olden days it must have seemed like alchemy; something physical is transformed into something that could be used to create worlds on canvases, buildings, caves, etc. Here’s the where it gets tricky, one needed to find something colourful to make a pigment from, before it was put in a tube. So with no further ado, let’s take a peek at some of the strange stuff folks have made pigment from throughout history.

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Groovy Old-Timey Pigments

Indian Yellow

So this is a colour that you can find in some very famous paintings, perhaps the most famous painting being Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”. This pigment originally came from India and was used since 15th century. It is a super vibrant yellow, but there was only one problem with it…it kinda smelled. Which sort of made sense because it was made from dried cow urine…but not just any cow urine…cow urine that was really bright bright yellow. Now, you may be asking what made this urine so yellow…well it turns out the peeing cows were eating lots and lots of mango leaves which for some reason made the urine quite bright…and ripe. You’ll never look at “The Starry Night” the same way, will you?

"Starry Night” by Vincent Van Gogh

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Bone Black

There are a variety of black pigment options. Each one is made from something a bit different. Mars Black is made from iron, Carbon Black it made from charring organic material…after a night of roasting marshmallows over the campfire, you could go and gather the charred wood and make Carbon Black if you were so inclined. Lamp Black was made from burning oil. Which brings us to Bone Black (aka Ivory Black) this was and is made from charred bones. That’s right…bones. Now don’t worry it’s not like Soylent Green (or Soylent Bone Black) where they are making it out of people, but if you are vegan, you might consider using Carbon Black or Mars Black.

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Tyrian Purple

This colour sounds kind of Lord of the Ringsy/Game of Thronesy, which is appropriate because this was once a regal colour. Only the wealthy and powerful had access to this pigment due to the difficulty of creating it. It was often a pigment only used when depicting emperors or the elites. Tyrian purple gets its name from the port city of Tyre where it was mainly produced. And what, you may ask was this made from? Small sea snails. You might think that it would be the shell that was ground up…BZZZZZZ…wrong. It was the dried secretion that it produced. Legend has it that it was invented when Tyros (Tyros was a mistress to a Phoenician god) took her little doggy out for a walk when suddenly his mouth was all purple…from chewing up snails. So it turns out a dog discovered the colour purple.

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Dragon Blood

This was said to be a really rich red. As the story goes it was created when a dragon and an elephant battled it out…which is something you don’t see every day. Anyway, the blood from these battles that the pigment is what this pigment was said to be created from…I’m not sure if it was the elephant’s blood, the dragon’s blood, or a mixture of both. Well, it’s a good marketing ploy. In actuality, it was made from tree resin of the Dracaena species of trees which creates these beautiful red resin drops. Not as dramatic as a dragon battle but still purdy.

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Ultramarine Blue

You don’t really think of paints as a status symbol. Sure a painting could be considered a form of status, like owning a Picasso, but you don’t think of a colour that way, at least these days. Believe it or not Ultramarine Blue was a status symbol colour. Originally the pigment was made from the beautiful blue mineral, lapis lazuli, which was mined in Afghanistan. So, not a hop skip and a jump away for those living in Europe, thus the name Ultramarine, which translates to “beyond the sea” in Latin. Now let’s say you wanted to impress your friends at a dinner party with your art acquisitions, well, if you had a painting with a little blue….that would be quite a thing, but to have a lot of ultramarine…well, you’re a big shot then. So if you wanted something painted blue…you’d need a lot of green.

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Mummy Brown

I saved my favourite weirdo colour for last. Mummy brown is colour that ranged from a burnt umber hue to a raw umber hue and popped up in the 16th and 17th century. So the reason for the name was because it was quite literally made from mummies…yes mummies. Believe it or not mummies were ground up and made into paint, then placed in a tube, and this was done until sometime in the 1930s…when it suddenly was seen as distasteful, which oddly enough coincides with the decade the Boris Karloff film was released; perhaps people became more superstitious or maybe it made more apparent that artists were painting with ground up corpses. I should mention that it wasn’t just human mummies, the ancient Egyptians also mummified cats, so a fair amount of mummy pigment came from our feline friends. You would think that using Mummy Brown would be the curse worthy.

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Perhaps you’ll thing of painting a bit differently, now. Paint can be surprising, sometimes those colours come from very unusually sources, especially when we go back in time. Happy painting.

Doppelgängers - Eerie Omens, Mysterious Lookalikes and Evil Twins

In this episode Michael explores doppelgängers, changelings and other unusual duplicates.  Are they warnings, protectors, or do they have something more nefarious in mind???

Check out the podcast here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/887464/5096077

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Past Lives of Nicholas Cage?

Lately this photo has been popping up as proof that Nicholas cage lived in a past life…or he’s a vampire. Not sure that really classifies as doppelgänger though

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Evil Twins - Facial Hair is a definitive give-away. If your friend suddenly has a beard…they might be an evil twin. Be careful

Evil Superman - notice the 5 O’Clock shadow…hmmmm

Evil Michael Knight - Garth

Evil Mr. Spock

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Vardoger - An Old Norse doppelganger. A duplicate the precedes the living. A premonitory visit.

Donny Darko had a type of vardoger…in this case it was a weird fluid substance the preceded him. Not really a dopplegange though.

Egyptian Ka - duplicate of oneself that hangs out in the tomb and while you hang out in the afterlife.

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How They Met Themselves by Dante Rossetti

A medieval couple out for an evening stroll…but find…themselves!!!!

Mythological Plants - Magic, Murder, Mayhem in the Botanical Kindgom

Mythological Plants - Magic, Murder and Mayhem in the Botanical Kingdom

In my most recent Strange Tales of Myth and Magic Podcast I explores strange plants of fable and lore, including the hungry grass of Ireland, the man-eating Madagascar tree and vampire pumpkins.

You can check out the the Podcast Here

https://www.buzzsprout.com/887464/4341266

Beware the Hungry Grass…if you step on it your appetite will never be quenched.

Raskovnik. If you find this plant you be able to unlock any door and open any barricade.

In the Balkans you many have Vampire Pumpkins and/or Vampire Watermelons roaming your farm. Beware.

Stay clear of the carnivorous Madagascar tree…it loves human flesh.

Irish Vampires - Waking the Dead

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In this entry I thought I’d add some visual tidbits to go along with my most recent Podcast featuring tales of Irish Vampires. So if you haven’t listened yet…make sure you do:

You can check out my podcast here:

Season 1 Episode 6:

Irish Vampires - Waking the Dead

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Irish Vampire Legends

Ireland is filled with myth and legend but did you know that it’s said that vampires are part of their legends. One of the earliest is the evil Abhartach. An evil vampire that rises from the grave to spread his malevolence. It’s said they he is buried a Hawthorn tree and his grave covered in stones to make sure he stays below the surface of the earth. Some argue that this was the vampire that Bram Stoker used as his inspiration for Dracula…and not Vlad the Impaler.

Another type of vampire is the Dearge Due, a seducer, this is normally a female but sometimes can be a male as well.

Another temptress is Leanan Sidhe…who doesn’t steal blood but rather life. But in exchange she is quite an effective muse.

Pixies - Woodland Tricksters

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In this entry I thought I’d add some visual tidbits to go along with my most recent Podcast featuring tales of Pixie. So if you haven’t listened yet…make sure you do:

You can check out my podcast here:

Season 1 Episode 5:

Pixies - Woodland Tricksters

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Pixies

There is much confusion over the difference between Pixies and Fairies and really there is no definitive answer. In general, Fairies are immortal magical beings while Pixies are mortal creatures with some magical powers, who ultimately use there powers to enhance nature or…for there amusement enjoy screwing with humans. Now it should be noted that Pixies and Fairies do not care for each other. They in fact had a great war over region in southern England…the Pixies won.

The area they call home is Cornwall and Devon..the same region that King Arthur legends come from.

And there is a Queen and of the Pixies who lead travelers astray and into the marshes. They are Joan the Wad and Jack O’Lantern

Basically they are a bunch of nature loving creatures who love nothing more than singing to flowers and dancing to the songs of crickets and frogs.

The Golem - Clay Protector or Mud Monster

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In this entry I thought I’d add some visual tidbits to go along with my most recent Podcast featuring the Golem a creature of Jewish folklore. So if you haven’t listened yet…make sure you do:

You can check out my podcast here:

Season 1 Episode 4:

The Golem - Clay Protector of Mud Monster

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WHO IS THE GOLEM?

The Golem is as Jewish tale whose primary narrative comes from the late 1500s though there are earlier accounts of the creature made of clay. Many of the various tales revolve around the Golem being created mystically as a helper and often as protector against anti-Semitic violence (pogroms). Perhaps the most noted tale is of the Golem of Prague and the story goes: The Jews needed some protection from the madness. Enter the chief rabbi of Prague, Judah Loew ben Bezalel.Rabbi Lowe, being learned and wise devises a plan using ancient and secret methods. Out of clay he forms a large man. This is known as a Golem. It is said in the Talmud that Adam was initially created as a Golem when dust was "kneaded into a shapeless hunk". The Golems were all made of clay and could be made by holy men who were privy to divine secrets, but they lacked that spark that makes a human, human.Without the direct hand of God, they were merely obedient hulks. Clay robots in essence.In some versions of the tale speak of a scroll with the names of God written on it, place in the mouth of the creature is what brings the creature to life. Other version speak of the word "truth", in Hebrew: Emet (אמת), written across his forehead; this activates the Golem. By erasing the first letter aleph (א), Emet turns to Met (מת) meaning death, and the Golem is destroyed.So Rabbi Loew creates the Golem and the clay man does his duty, but he does it a bit too well...not only defending but he starts to go amok and killing gentiles. The Emperor promises to stop the persecution of Jews if Rabbi Loew will deactivate the Golem. Loew agrees and erases the first letter from his creations forehead changing "truth" to "death". The Golem was then stored in the attic of the Old New Synagogue of Prague where he could be reactivated in the Jews ever needed there protector again.

Here is where he is supposed to be...up those rungs...

Old New Synagogue - Prague

Rabbi Lowe and the Golem

And here is one that is more of a Frankenstein/Golem hybrid:

Mechanized Golem by Michael deMeng

Busó Devils - Bringers of Spring

Busó Devils PODCAST

In this entry I thought I’d add some visual tidbits to go along with my most recent Podcast about the Buso Devils. So if you haven’t listened yet…make sure you do:

You can check out my podcast here:

Season 1 Episode 3:

Busos Devils - Bringers of Spring

https://www.buzzsprout.com/887464/3067084

Right before Spring, devils roam the village of Mohacs, Hungary. Dressed in wool, horns and elaborate wooden masks they spend six raucous days drinking an galavanting through the town. The celebration is to with to villager triumphant return to the village several centuries earlier as well as the welcoming of spring.

Meanwhile On The Other Side of the Planet

Synchronistically, at the exact same time of of year, on the opposite part of the globe in a small village in Mexico, devils also take to the streets…less fur and more body paint. The following photos are courtesy of Sue Urquhart and her latest adventure in San Martín Tilcajete.

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Heres a few of my devils to join in the party…

La Llorona - The Weeping Woman - THE PODCAST

Strange Tales of Myth and Magic Episode 2: La Llorona - The Weeping Woman

In this entry I thought I’d add some visual/audio tidbits to go along with my most recent Podcast about La Llorona. So if you haven’t listened yet…make sure you do:

Check it out here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/887464/2919946

La Llorona

La Llorona (which is Spanish for the weeping woman) is a tragic legend from Mexico about haunting woman who wanders the waterways looking for children to snatch up. Now believe it or not you might find yourself having more empathy for her if you hear the entire tale. Even so, you’ll want to keep your kiddies away from the rivers and lakes at night…especially if you hear crying.

I have created a piece based on the legend…you might have come across it in my book Dusty Diablos.

One of the topics I mention in both the Podcast and in Dusty Diablos is the strange connection the story has to an area called Xochimilco just outside Mexico City. It’s a rural area with winding bunch of canals.

A nice

A nice place for a picnic or perhaps a ghost story.

It’s in this area that an Aztec godess/snake woman named Cihuacoatl is said to roam…searching for her abandoned son. Now it is said that this goddess may in fact be the source for the la Llorona myth.

Another interesting aspect about the area of Xochimilco is that it is also the home to another strange place. The Isla de las Muñecas, the Island of Dolls. A strange place where dolls line the trees.

Yes it is a creepy.

And if you want to see a younger me on my first trip to the creepy island…here you go.

So I’ll conclude this little blog post with my favourite Mexican folk song about the Weeping Woman performed by my favourite Mexican performer, Lila Downs.

Baba Yaga - A Strange Woman Who Lives in a Strange Hut

So if you’re from Russia or Slavic lands you might know of Baba Yaga. She is the topic of numerous fairy tales in this region. She’s a crone who is known for here cannibalistic tendencies, but interesting enough she is not always the villain of the stories. Mostly she is ambiguous…sometimes you go in her pot other times your enemies go in her pot. It is said she flies around in a mortar using a pestle as rudder.

But perhaps the most interesting aspect is where she lives…a hut that stands on one or two chicken legs. This gives her the ability to pick up an move if she needs to. Pretty handy.

Now I’ve made my own version over the years…

Though I always liked the idea of it being able to fly as well…so flappy wings.

So in honor of this steel toothed hag I have two goodies for you:

Goody Number One:

My PodCast -Strange Tales of Myth and Magic

Episode 1 Baba Yaga - the Crone in the Woods

I’ll be doing Podcasts about myths and legends and how they affect me artistically. The very first episode was just released (#2 coming in a week or two), and it is all about the strange stories of Baba Yaga. You can take a listen on ITunes, Spotify as well as here:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/887464

Goody Number Two:

Baba Yaga BirdHouse Online Class

Starting April Fools Day my next Online Workshop starts up. In this class we will be making a standing flappy winged Baba Yaga Hut. Sign up before Feb 28 to get Early Bird Discount.

All artistic levels welcome!

Learn more here

Thats it for this time. If you see a house wandering the woods…you might consider heading the opposite way.