I am excited in the studio... another mermaid just happened and it is obvious that the Niagara Falls series of paintings are far from finished. She is part of the series. Good... the subject holds deep veins of exploration for me... it's where I was conceived and where my family landed from Italy via my grandparents more than a century ago.
I am moving my studio ... again... thankfully just down 2 flights of stairs... but back to where I can work all year without interruption from Airbnb... for the most part.
I have a large canvas, 4x6 feet, ready to move down stairs with me on the first, April Fools Day... There’s speculation that April Fools’ Day was tied to the vernal equinox, or first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, when Mother Nature fooled people with changing, unpredictable weather. Sounds about right. Unpredictable muse, move, weather all demand my attention and still I feel joyful.
Fortunately, I am again carried away, exactly like a fool, by the seductive muse and her insistent driving need to put me to work and follow her inspiration. In ancient Rome, the festival "Hilaria" was celebrated at the end of March, which involved dressing up in costumes. Artist is my predominant costume in this life so I will wear it with festivity on April 1st, and celebrate the light, the promise of flowers, the muse, the mud and the dance and dexterity that brings me joy when I make a painting.
Embracing the Fool in the Tarot... the Zero, is a lot like Parcival, who set out in fool's clothing and became King of the Holy Grail at the end of his long journey. It is profound innocence, curiosity, mad whims... and having guidance. The Fool doesn't know if it will end right, and I think that that's perfect playful unpredictable magic because not knowing is child-like grace and amazement at the beginning quest of knowing. Reckless tomfoolery or wise realization, the Fool doesn't represent true danger, even if we fall flat on our faces.