From the Black Butterfly series, charcoal on mylar drafting film, with white backing paper 24 x 48"
This work was created from a reference photo self-portrait by Myspace friend Brett Manning. (I have to re-photo this piece in daylight, the color is a bit off.) A continuation of my "butterfly as muse" and Goddess themed series, the piece is inspired by Brett's artistic muses (the butterflies.) These are art, fashion, design, illustration, drawing, her Frankie, coffee, chocolate, her kitties, her puppies, and 60's music, especially Bob Dylan. The butterflies in this piece are "ideas" that flutter around Isis's
head. The necklace is a nod to fashion, and to the lyric in Bob Dylan's
tune of the same name. "The World's Biggest Necklace" is also from
Egyptian mythology.
There are eleven butterflies, symbolic for myself and my ten siblings. My mom is definitely a Goddess too.
Brett has been to my studio several times, and showed some of her paintings at one of my open studio events. Her work meshed well with my Beatles White Album series, since she likes to paint 60's musicians, including George, Lennon, and Bobby Baby. Her fashion illustration is drop dead gorgeous and flys off of her pen like butterfly kisses. She is also a quirky but down to earth girl, and I love her to pieces. Thanks for the use of the photo and for the inspiration Brett! xx ~ Alice
"Isis" lyrics by Bob Dylan:
I married Isis on the fifth day of May,
But I could not hold on to her very long.
So I cut off my hair and I rode straight away
For the wild unknown country where I could not go wrong.
I came to a high place of darkness and light.
The dividing line ran through the center of town.
I hitched up my pony to a post on the rise,
Went in to a laundry to wash my clothes down.
A man in the corner approached me for a match.
I knew right away he was not ordinary.
He said, "Are you lookin' for somethin' easy to catch?"
I said, "I got no money." He said, "That ain't necessary.
"
We set out that night for the cold in the North.
I gave him my blanket, he gave me his word.
I said, "Where are we goin'?" He said we'd be back by the fourth.
I said, "That's the best news that I've ever heard."
I was thinkin' about turquoise, I was thinkin' about gold,
I was thinkin' about diamonds and the world's biggest necklace.
As we rode through the canyons, through the devilish cold,
I was thinkin' about Isis, how she thought I was so reckless...
