Rowan Tree by Red Dust Art
Knot Work
These last 7 days I have had the hardest time concentrating. I don't know if I am getting old or there is a ton of energy going through the world right now. I want to concentrate of detail work up comes a hot flash and my head gets light and then the energy settles down and I can work. Maybe some kind of planetary arrangement?
I know the "Super Blue Bloody Moon" phase just past but the energy that makes me feel light headed and dizzy hasn't gone away....soo maybe it's just my old lady hormones. I had the hardest time concentrating on my lines.
I doubled down on my concentration and determination and finished this piece even though I felt like I was walking through knee deep mud! I started this piece last Friday, I swear it seemed like forever before I got the design I liked. I think I started inking this last Sunday. This piece seemed to take forever to finish.
The Rowan tree grows throughout Europe and the America. Most Celtic folklore says the Rowan Tree can protect one from evil spirits and lightening. Just sitting under a tree or tying some of its red berries on to your animals or your shirt will protect you from evil spirits that are looking to make some trouble.
Rowan tree wood is very dense and makes great walking sticks. But I also read druids used the wood for their spell casting staves. I don't know anything about this so I don't have an opinion. When you see Celtic knot trees it is usually the Rowan Tree or Yggdrasil Nordic Tree of Life which links the 9 worlds together.
A Traditional Scottish Song "The Rowan Tree"
Oh rowan tree, oh rowan tree, Thou’lt aye be dear to me Entwined thou art wi’ mony ties O’ hame and infancy. Thy leaves were aye the first of spring Thy flowers the simmer’s pride There wasna sich a bonnie tree In a’ the country side. Oh! Rowan tree. How fair wert thou in simmer time Wi’ a’ thy clusters white; How rich and gay thy autumn dress, Wi’ berries red and bright! On thy fair stem were mony names Which now nae mair I see, But they’re engraven on my heart, Forgot they ne’er can be. Oh! Rowan tree.
We sat aneath thy spreadin’ shade, The bairnies round thee ran, They pu’d thy bonnie berries red, and necklaces they strang; My mother, oh! I see her still She smil’d our sports to see, Wi’ little Jeannie on her lap, and Jamie at her knee. Oh! Rowan tree.
And there arose my father’s pray’r In holy ev’ning’s calm, How sweet was then my mother’s voice, In the Martyrs’ psalm! Now a’ are gone! we meet nae mair Aneath the rowan tree, But hallow’d thoughts around thee twine, O’ hame and infancy. Oh! Rowan tree.
Oh arbre de Rowan, Oh arbre de Rowan Comme tu es cher à mes yeux. Tes branches tissées avec art Tu fus ma maison, mon enfance. Du printemps tes feuilles sont les premières Tes fleurs font la fierté de l’été Il n’y a pas de plus bel arbre Dans toute la campagne Oh arbre de Rowan !
Comme ta compagnie est agréable l’été avec des grappes blanches ; Comme est riche et gaie ta parure d’automne, Avec toutes ces baies rouges et brillantes ! Sur ton joli tronc il y a tant de noms Qu’aujourd’hui je ne peux plus voir mais qui restent gravés dans mon coeur Et que jamais je n’oublierai Oh arbre de Rowan !
Nous étions assis sous ton ombre propagée, Les enfants faisaient la ronde autour de toi, Ils cueillaient tes belles baies rouges, pour s’en tresser des colliers. Ma mere, oh ! Je la vois encore sourire de nous voir jouer, avec la petite Jeanne sur ses genoux Et Jamie à ses genoux Oh arbre de Rowan !
C’est d’ici que s’élevait la prière de mon père. Dans le calme de la sainte nuit comme douce était la voix de ma mère récitant les psaumes des martyrs ! Maintenant tout a disparu ! Nous ne nous réunirons plus tous ensemble sous l’arbre de Rowan, sinon par la pensée Tu fus ma maison, mon enfance Oh arbre de Rowan
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Amazing art from paradise.
Thank you @dobartim, hopefully my next piece will be easier. I am do a painting of Lionel Messi, my husband's favorite soccer player.
You are truly outstanding, you always have new moments that surprise me.
The detail is incredible. I am always jealous of creatives, but I can imagine that the creative process comes with its own complications.
Creating is a lot of hard work and many times I don't know why I do it...because it is no fun but when I finish I feel on top of the world! lolol
I guess that's why many say artist are kinda crazy @blerdrage.
That actually poetically all makes sense. A beast you struggle with, but is also a great coffee companion. Your description also reminds of when I was a classroom teacher. lol
@reddust,
How did you do that? A ton of concentration is need to make that artwork :O You did it! My dear friend did it!
Cheers~
My concentration was fragmented through this pieces processes. It was so painful trying to stay on task...I know understand how people who have attention deficit disorder feel...
One of the reasons I make a good meditator is my ability to focus intently for long periods of time...this last week I couldn't...I went form one chore to the next without finishing anything. I finally decided this is crazy, I am going to finish this even if my head blows up....I didn't thank goodness hahahahaha
@reddust,
You could made it! That's the important thing! I assure this is not an easy artwork... Fantastic friend! You got a nice mentor!
Cheers~
thanks for sharing your famous art history video. & song
really interesting thank you @reddust
You are welcome @deybala, I looked up old songs from the land of Scotland and found this song, which fit my work perfectly!
thanks mem
The rowans or mountain-ashes are shrubs or trees in the genus Sorbus of the rose family Rosaceae. They are native throughout the cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the highest species diversity in the mountains of western China and the Himalaya, where numerous apomictic microspecies occur (#wikipedia)
Try and relax more to regain your strength... Age is definitely telling on your side.
I just got back from a fast four mile walk. It's not my strength that is acting weird, it's my energy levels are fragmented, I have a difficult time concentrating. But I read that goes with getting old as a woman. So I cut out sugar and flour and walk a lot. It helps but sometimes nothing helps and I just walk through the fire like I did with this painting.
I knew nothing about the Rowan tree until I drew this knot tree representing it, thank you for the additional data @fadiji09!
this is so mesmerizing.i can understand why there was a scotish poem after rowan tree because it was assiociated with this belief that it can protect you from the evil eye..
i wonder if it really worked for them that way.
A suggestion for you would be that add enough protien to your diet and you will never complain about the energy issue again
I eat a beef twice a week along with eggs, chicken, and pork. I am in menopause but I am also a sensitive and I feel things deeply so understanding my body sensations is just like this picture...lots of knots....hahaha
I also have been meditating, vipassana through SN Goenka, Theravada and Dzogchen through Vajrayana since the early 90s for vipassana (insight) and Dzogchen since (2005).
I think it's my hormones but there has been some interesting movements with our planet and the moon.
haha okay take care of yourself:)
I call eating steak getting my heme on...hahaha
I read that our gut has a difficult time digesting (absorbing) plant heme so I upped my red meat intake and found my energy level tripled and also my endurance and strength when walking. I like to walk at least 4 miles a day.
It's just hypnotising... Very complicated and beautiful pattern.
Oh, wait. I've almost forgotten with all this busy stuff, that I love opera music, you reminded me with Kenneth help!))
My father loved opera and as I grow older so do I..when I was younger I wasn't into music that much...
Thank you @yaan
BEAUTIFUL MUSIC and heritage to embrace. I truly enjoy learning about the Scottish stories you write. I believe I have some Scott-Irish in my bloodline. Blessings -
I think a lot of us Americans have Celtic bloodlines....
What is this creativity @reddust ... You are really skilled at drawing such shapes
At first glance the tree appears with the crescent and the sun
I also did not hear this tree, But as soon as I read what you wrote about him
It is only a fairy tale
Some old stories say the Rowan tree may protect you from naughty imps and fairies but others say the tree attracts them....I dunno, I've never met a fairy or imp, they sound like America's Bigfoot stories.
Amazing piece so intricate, I love it.
I wish this kind of work would get easier for me but it still is so new. I probably be struggling with the designs for another six months....sigh....hahaha thank you @donnadavisart.
Well, at least the piece will be filled with love (and frustration) which will make it all the more treasured.