Sunday, October 4, 2009

Magic

Click on any image to enlarge it.
Look for the spelling error.










Thank you to Jean on the River and to Margaret for their guidance with the narrative. This post took me 25 hours of work(!). The experience with Magic touched me deeply, and I wanted to give it justice. It was hard to draw him, and the hat, and the cards. I kept getting stuck as I tried to render the story in as few words as possible. I was so grateful for the assistance from my friends.

I hope the Comments function works. If not, e-mail me and I'll call the police.

34 comments:

Dr. Monkey Von Monkerstein said...

Great slice of your life this post was. Thanks for letting us in on it.

Anne said...

I hate to mention spelling errors, but you did ask for us to spot it. I noticed grimy was spelled g-r-i-m-e-y...and in your last picture you had 5pider instead of Spider. Please forgive me for spell-checking!!!

Phoebe said...

I just wanted to say that it always a pleasure reading your posts and seeing your amazing artwork. Thank you for sharing this with everyone!

Lana Gramlich said...

I'm glad you had such a positive experience. I used to read for others, myself (gratis.) These days I enjoy the cards in an artistic light & sometimes use them as meditative tools. There are some truly beautiful decks out there!

Ed said...

Hi, Caroline! I've been away from the blog world for a few months. I enjoyed catching up with you.

Lawendula said...

I like the idea of strange fellows with Tarot cards in Cafés. and I like your work.
The spider means much to me. I have to do all my spinning with a wheel, they don't.
And BTW: please visit my blog, there is a new project going on: the paper swap.

Kimberlee said...

LOL! I WISH the police could help with that kind of thing...maybe you've got different police where you live? Great story and wonderful illustrations, as always!

Kirstin said...

Wonderul story. And wonderfully done. Thanks for sharing these.

Elaine Fine said...

The Tarot is a wonderful tool for making "life stories" out of pictures. The magic is not in the cards, but in the connections that the imagination can make between their positions.

It is organized kind of like a wheel that represents a progression from one state of consciousness to another. There is no beginning or end, which I find terribly cool. It is, indeed, a lot like your artwork. Perhaps you should really actually design a Tarot deck!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the incredible amount of effort you put into your posts, Caroline. I was enchanted by this story. So good!

Merisi said...

Hello,
thank you for sharing this wondrous tale with us, I loved reading the story tables. My favorite image is the one of you looking over the shoulder onto the card table, I spent a long time looking at it.

Growing up in a small farming community far out in the countryside, I spent many a winter's Saturday afternoon with my father playing Tarot cards with his friends at a neighbor's house. The whole game was full of mystery to the little girl I was back then. I tried to learn the game, but never fully succeeded. It has remained a mystery to me.

Margaret Benbow said...

Caroline, I like so much how you give the tarot reader his due--letting us know of his knowledge, his mystical connections, and his confused but instinctive hold on his dignity. So many people would have dismissed this man on sight. You have given us a truly memorable post, and much to think about.

Nancy Brill said...

ResiliEnce. Wonderful story; thanks for sharing it.

Anonymous said...

Hi Caroline!

I love your blog; your illustrations and stories are wonderful and amazing! I would love to have a book of these (*Hint* - I hope you are doing/have done a book compilation of all of these...)

(I am the former "LauraJean" who worked at Sunprint; we worked together many years ago...Remember when I would change the soups on the menu to things like like "Goat Cheese and Octopus Chowder with a hint of Ambrosia Chocolate Shavings"?? :D)

You have always been so talented in so many areas!

Crayons said...

Oh my! Laura Jean! Yes, I do. Please write to me with your coordinates.

I think my e-mail is up there on the page

carolineaksoyATgmailDOTcom

Barbara Anne said...

Hope you know Magic's assistant. Thanks for caring to share a bit of his story with us.

Your drawings are magic, too.

Cheers!

Stark Raving Zen said...

Your drawings actually transport me into your blog entries. I feel like I'm there, sharing your experiences with you. The spider happens to be my shadow totem, but he signifies connections. Reaching out...

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Merisi said...

Thank you for your visit and kind comment on my blog!

Thank you also for sharing your museum visit.
Your "My Pencil" post made me smile, especially the "in a rut" illustration. Your drawing of the Chihuly sculpture is awesome! I remember watching a PBS documentary with my children about this glass artist.

My Castle in Spain said...

Bonjour Caroline!
i was so glad you visited me and now i discover your exquisite Crayons universe!
i love your drawings and especially your delightful sense of humor...
à bientôt !
:-)

ps : er...i'm glad you like my banner

Mary said...

You were stuck in a rut? Well, I sure know about THAT.

This post is so thoughtful and well done that I read it twice.

Caroline, you have a gift.

Mary

karin said...

Wow, I can't believe 10 days have gone by since I read yout post. I originally met you through Celeste Maia when we both got her award (for different reasons). I miss her and hope she is doing well.
When I was studying Wicca I had several experiences with Tarot and agree it might be fun for someone as talented as you to create a deck. I can understand that you post only every two weeks since it took you 25 hours to create that wonderful magic post. Thank you for visiting my blog. I must have commented on Chihuli. Speaking of magic I send energy to Celeste by drawing up energy from the earth through my feet and drawing down energy from the universe to my head and sending it to her through my heart chakra. Or you can send it to her through your spider. My totem is the butterfly which I'll have to write about in a post sometime.

bobbie said...

How did I miss this post when you published it?

Wonderful pictures, as always. I know little about tarot cards, but find the gentleman and your experience fascinating.

Marianne B said...

Caroline - third frame is my favorite! That's the one of you and the life size hat. Very whimsical. You've gotten so creative with your perspective on things. Great post. xoxo

Bay Area Tendrils said...

Crayons,
Thanks for your thoughtful comment on Bay Area Tendrils Garden Travel. Your blog is delightful, and your talent ... impressive!
Alice

Janie said...

You're a wonderful artist! I enjoyed the illustration of your tale. Our blogs are a bit like spider webs, aren't they, a weaving of seemingly unrelated strands to form the complicated web that is the blog artist's personality.
Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Suzy said...

It has been so long since I've been here!! Life has taken over, darn it. I drove through the Arboretum today and thought that it is high time we took a walk -- maybe before the time changes. Last time I was there before dusk, I heard an owl … Wonderful and mysterious post!

dguzman said...

Resilience, my dear--you have it.

I loved the frame with all the cards in it--I felt like I could pick any one I wanted. But you know I would've picked the bunny--I wonder what Magic would've told me about that.

Jacky said...

Wonderful story and sketches. You captured my imagination.

Great hat!!