Wild Muse Notes ♣ Aria Nadii’s Weblog

WHR has just released Djinnestan - Rain 3. This is the latest and last installment in the Djinnestan version of the “Rain” series. If you’ve never listened to “Rain” I would suggest starting with Djinnestan - Rain 1. It’s my favorite of the series. For the most part though, C.P. McDill wanted this finished and released so that we could begin recording our new direction for the Djinnestan project, which is incorporating more lyrical and analog elements into the existing ambient style. The past year has been spent researching material and contemplating the approach we want to take. I recorded the first vocal tracks this weekend and C.P. is working his magic.

The installations of Jennifer Angus gives new meaning to the expression “fly on the wall”. I find this work aesthetically pleasing but I really don’t know how I feel about it, which is part of the reason it fascinates me. I think there are several elements combined here that are interesting; perception shifts using displaced natural elements and the ability to rearrange space in an evocative manner. Insects are simultaneously beautiful and terrible, alien and familiar. These exhibits also shift me a little sideways and that is always a welcome if disconcerting experience.

“Western culture in particular has a certain hysteria when it comes to insects. They are symbols of dirtiness, disease and decay. In other cultures, insects hold religious significance or at least a measure of respect, be they food, medicine, embellishment or pets. ” - Jennifer Angus, Artist’s Statement

“I am an ant wrangler. And ants are, as we all know, tireless workers. So if you get a project that they can do, they’ll do it. And there’s no questions asked. No unions. I had ants in my kitchen, and they are little, small what they call I think sugar ants, but they are coming in I think for water. I made a small head of cheese and turkey. I put a ball of cheese and turkey together and then cased it with clay, and mounted it on a small coathanger. I made an opening in the mouth, I exposed some turkey in the eye and in the ears. Now the ants found the coathanger, began climbing in for four days and nights non-stop and emptied the entire head of turkey and cheese.” - David Lynch

The heat wave has broken so I will make a post and then work in the studio for while. It has been too hot to be in the crow’s nest where my work space and office are located. I’ve been sitting in the first floor kitchen which is more or less below ground, in a papasan chair front of a fan ripping stitches and sorting embroidery threads and materials for work on another tapestry. I keep my mind and hands busy when it is difficult to concentrate. The situation in Lebanon doesn’t do much for inspiration so I have to work though on pure coffee and spice.

I distract myself with pretty books, ideas for art making. I tracked down used copies of Shining Cloth which is sort of a textiles version of the Amulets book and also Relicarios, a book of devotional miniatures from the Americas. Why do I allow myself to be seduced by books when I am always trying to get rid of my possessions? I think I make exceptions for anything related to my work. Ideas for current projects are considered exempt from the “no collecting” rule but this can be dangerous.

Otherwise, I am in recycle and reuse mode and refuse to buy materials until I find a clever use or a new home for every single fragment and scrap within these walls. I have piles and piles of fabric and mirrors and metals and threads and ribbons so I work with on torans and tapestries and a large quilt for our bed. This is something that we can do on the porch or in the garden or anywhere else when we do not want to be in the crow’s nest. He taught himself how to do embroidered mirror work yesterday and I did not help him at all. I am impressed.

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Here is a picture of me with my brand new (to me) vintage Stella banjo ukulele. I took the picture myself so I couldn’t get all of both of us in the frame without growing much longer arms. I am so excited about this I can’t see straight even with my new glasses on. I lucked out and snagged her on ebay. Eeeee-bay.

I’ve been lusting for a banjolele. This one is in excellent shape for being a 1925 model and it was one quarter of that price. It’s an Oscar Schmidt and I like those. C.P. McDill’s ukulele and one of my zithers are Schmidts. This one needs a little fixing up although it is playable now. Eventually, I’ll get a new skin and replace the rusted parts.

I’ve been told was owned by the same woman since the 1920’s. She took excellent care of it and kept it under her bed wrapped in a silk shawl. She called it her banjo uke and claimed to be quite the hit at parties. I guess she’s too old to play now and doesn’t want it to get trashed when she goes to banjolele heaven. This baby has mojo. I can feel it.

The previous owner was left handed (which we could tell because the strings were on backwards) and the instrument seems to be “trained” to play that way. As odd as it sounds, when I pick her up I usually fall into the reverse position automatically and have to switch over. It doesn’t happen when I practice on the other ukulele we have. Weird. I guess if someone is attached to their instrument and plays it for over seven decades a certain way, the instrument itself is going to have a preference. We’ll just have to get used to each other.

It’s much colder here here than it was in Boston. Somehow though, the winter here is less depressing. As intimidating as it is, dealing with the elements and having the ocean right there is energizing and inspirational. I feel more real here, more connected…more human. The beach changes dramatically in the winter. It looks like some remote primordial landscape at low tide. Beautiful and abandoned. The photographs are of high tide in the morning just after it snowed. I love how the mood and the landscape shift from month to month, hour to hour.

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A horse is a horse of course of course but this is not really a painting about a horse. It’s the latest in a series of assemblage works in collaboration with C.P. McDill. There is a full page for this assemblage on my website with detail photographs and a lovely description written by C.P. who seems to understand my work so well.