Ancient Art

Note: I am still spinning from the previous "big show", current exposure, upcoming events, and trying to get caught up with my web site, bills, emails, and all around life stuff. So, I'm not yet able share any new work with y'all (although I can promise some fun new bangle shapes later this month - heehee!). But stay tuned!

I wanted to share something intriguing I came across this morning that got me thinking...

A feminine sculpture similar to "Venus" figures found from Siberia to the Pyrenees

Now, some of you may say "eeuw" to this ancient sculpture carved from mammoth tusks (O.k., maybe not "eeuw", but... well... you get the idea). But when I look at this photo, I am moved to my very core.

This is the work of an artist from the late Stone Age. Some of you may be familiar with the prehistoric cave paintings of Lascaux, France, which are pretty breath taking.

But think about the tusk sculpture for a moment. This is the Stone Age I'm talking about here... No steel tools, much less a flex shaft drill. Imagine hand carving a mammoth tusk with a piece of obsidian...

Think about the creative urge that must have driven this prehistoric person to carve a woman, from a chunk of tusk, with a hand made stone tool.

It makes me look at my own urges to create. I realize that this must be, in part at least, a cellular urge that drives me. It must be in my very genes... In all our genes!

As I think of the prehistoric artist who sat before a fire on some dark frozen winter night to carve the feminine figure from a piece of bone... I find I am strangely reassured.

We must all create... In our own way.... No matter how hard we may deny our "artist genes". No matter how little respect our modern culture gives to the artist in us all... It is still there.... Waiting... Calling us to grab something and form it into something else... Urging us to create something which will call to our very deepest souls.

And now for something completely different (or perhaps not) -

What I want for Christmas.
(Sorry for the commercial. The video doesn't come any other way.)