Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Pawnee Morning Star Ritual

Cold Crescent__11x14 oil on linen___available at Act I Gallery, Taos, NM next week.
A few days ago I posted a study I did on my Amtrak trip of The Morning star. An artist buddy quickly wrote to me about The Morning Star ceremony of the Pawnee Indians -a ritual sacrifice of a young girl in the spring. It's a shame that such a beautiful phenomena is associated with such a terrible ritual. I prefer the Bible reference to "The Bright and Morning Star" as a special name/description for Jesus.
Michael Ome Untiedt , a great artist and friend told me all about it and sent me some info. He also mentioned that there is a place in Ireland where there is evidence that their ancient peoples followed the movement of Venus, (actually a planet and NOT a star). They followed its very course in the solar system, and studies indicate that they had to keep track of this for some 400 years, handing down their observations to the next generation without the benefit of WRITING...So fascinating that I caught myself "wikipedia-ing" for part of my morning and had to hustle myself back to the Plains....

I decided today to make a larger version of the Amtrak study, and altered it a bit...can you tell how???


My workshop in Rockport this weekend has been postponed. They are expecting BAD WINTER WEATHER there for the next day or two. We are pushing it forward to next week, so NOW YOU CAN plan to come! It might be Monday, Feb 7...maybe Friday Feb 11. I will know the new date on Thursday.

PLEASE e-mail me if you are interested...maybe you can caravan with those of us going down from the Austin area. vvaughan8@yahoo.com

4 comments:

Douglas Clark said...

This is great. I like the moon and the edge of the sun. The colors are beautiful, and it is great how all that blue reads as snow. I dont know how it is down your way, but tomorrow is going to be my third day "snowed in." But it is bitter cold and more ice than snow so I painted a lot, but from photos.

A Painter's Journal said...

another jaw dropper!!
WOW - just beautiful V!

John Farnsworth said...

Wow! This reworking of Morning Star-East of Rugby is right on! As is your entire Amtrak series. This one,though, and Cattle Paths-Williston, North Dakota really stand out. As a painter and the son, grandson, and nephew of railroaders, and as one who has circled the country a couple of times on Amtrak, and who never passes up a train ride, I'm especially taken with your recent work. Here's my favorite quote, from Edna St.Vincent Millay:

My heart is warm with the friends I make,
And better friends I'll not be knowing;
Yet there isn't a train I wouldn't take,
No matter where it's going.

See you on the rails!

Delilah said...

Love the contrast with the blue and orange