Saturday 12 February 2011

Of Flying Buttresses And Beetle Wings


Awoken in the small hours, the half light yet but a promise. 


Still the Ghastly Governessa beckons shrill and insistent to a waking dream of Notre Dame, singing bones, beetle wings, Victorian velvets and cage crinolines. 


The time flew by swiftly with much resolved and change afoot. 


As the Governessa lay there, we reminded her of her wisdom pearls, freely given to the Ones in her charge.
"Transformations are often painful and prickly, like a briar patch. Struggle will merely drive the thorns deeper."


I feel bony fingers pinch my arm, "Slice deeply my dear, just to be sure" smirks Mathilda as she passes me the knife.


So, here our Governessa, dismembered in order to become.



Of the Stolen Ones you have met the elder, Violet, candy floss wisped and webbed footed. An Old One, she listens and watches. More knowing than she appears and not as fragile as her powder pink hair would imply.



Iris and Quentin, sweet Violet's companions in the Shadow Land, dear souls, have emerged.



Iris, horned and not averse to stamping a cloven hoof, is a rebellious charge. Anarchy reigns in her heart and in her blood lava flows.


 The thorns claw at her gossamer skin but defiant she remains, thrusting sky wards her tiny snub nose.



Quentin is a lonely soul much used to his own company, shared only by his dearest pebble. Not that he doesn't occasionally kick him as far away as his spindly legs can manage.


 If you look carefully you can see the evidence in his worn through shoe.


Last evening, I found myself searching out my Grandfather's calligraphy pens, paints, brushes and hand made quills.



Not content until I'd given them a place on my table, I then realised it was the eve of his birthday.



Was this, perhaps, a gentle reminder that he watches still? An unbroken thread woven through the veil.


In memory of my beloved Grandfather,
 B. D. Roper
12th February 1915 - 23rd May 2004

32 comments:

Róisín said...

Right, so you already know how much I love your writing and how I honestly believe you'd make the best children's author ever? Well there's something else now I think you'd be even better at - film making! Seriously, I feel like I've just watched the most hauntingly beautiful animated short. I've probably said this before, but this is my favourite of your posts to date! Oh, and happy birthday to your grandad - he looks wonderful and if you take after him then then I know must've been exactly that :)

JJ said...

Melanie, you've surpassed yourself this time. You've drawn me in well and truly, with goose bumps and open laughter and sadness and mystery. I agree with Roisin. This is splendid, splendid... I swear the Stolen Ones are real. I'm not convinced they came entirely from your imagination, however good that might be.

Blimey O'Reilly!

Anthropomorphica said...

Róisín, you've brightened my heart! Thank you for your very welcomed comments, I feel humbled and my maverick Grandfather was truly that :)

Jeff, they are real and await the mad one! Bizzarely I have to confess to ancestral consciousness here. I was reading "The call of the horned Piper" a couple of days ago and found my "stolen ones" as the hooded ones of legend. disturbing, uplifting and altogether thought provoking. I must mail you about it!

Nichola said...

You are so dreamy and lovely :) *sigh* Your grand-dad's things are beautiful and he looks like a wonderfull gentleman, someone I would have liked to have known.

Anthropomorphica said...

Hi Knickertwist, what an excellent name you have there! Thank you, he was :) A maverick, mischief maker with hands for creating. So glad you could join me!

Kailee said...

That was a beautiful little emotional rollercoaster - thankyou!

As Seen Thru My Eyes said...

OH, I LOVE your artwork!!! Thank you for posting on my blog so that I could visit your and see this magic!

Poetry Dolls said...

Just wanted to say, love your work and look forward to seeing more!

Anthropomorphica said...

Dear Sophie, Marilyn and Poetry,
thank you for visiting I'm thrilled you enjoyed your stay ;)

Evelyn's Wonderland said...

Melanie, this was truly the most amazing post yet! So much emotion...you truly have a gift for writing. I have been swept away by your Stolen Ones, my little bird boy wants to fly over and save them from what he fears might await them. Happy Birthday to your Grandfather and how beautiful are his things that you now hold so dear to your heart. Many magical blessing!
~Evelyn

Anthropomorphica said...

Oh Evelyn, thank you so much! Your bird boy is right I'm afraid and they almost escaped with Weesk today! ;)

Nicomi Nix Turner said...

Oh Iris, such an enchanting shot.
A belated Birthday wish to your Grandfather and what a special photo.

Shayna said...

BEAUTIFUL Melanie ~ you are a lovely wonder ... today I will do something special in direct honor of your grandfather and you ... and I will place a wee pebble by the moonsnail shells just in case Quentin kicks his dearest pebble too far away so that it can't be found ... if this were to (heaven forfend!) happen, maybe Violet and Iris could come claim it for him and while they're here they could have tea with some mourning doves and me!

Shayna said...

p.s.
And how utterly true what Róisin said about you ...

illustration poetry said...

i love reading this post :))
and those hand made quills are precious!

illustration poetry said...

happy belated birthday to your grandfather!
bytheway is that you next to him? beautiful!

Unknown said...

How Pretty!!! And unique! I love ur creatures, and I'm so happy I fell into ur blog just a sec ago!!

x x x Susi , artist from the cold North

Anthropomorphica said...

Nicomi, thank you dear one! Iris is quite the photogenic little minx ;)

Oh Shayna, thank you and how lovely it is to hear from you. I've told Quentin about the moonsnail shells and he is perplexed but intrigued, having never seen a moonsnail! Afraid he is on the look out for another pebble already, he kicked it all the way inside the vacuum cleaner, oops!

Aren't they lovely Lakhsmita! Thank you for the wishes and yes it's me though about 7 years ago.

Anthropomorphica said...

Hi Susi of The North, welcome and thank you very much.

Shayna said...

Ah ... that vacuum cleaner got a prize! You tell Quentin that underneath one of the moonsnails there is a special pebble that belongs to him and he can claim it any old time he feels like it - and he is welcome to take a moonsnail shell to wear as a hat ~.~ (how DEARLY I ADORE all of your children)

linnea-maria said...

Your dolls are so cute and a bit spooky in the same time. Lovely /Therese

Sarah Pogue said...

Your Stolen ones are evocative and deep! I am looking forward to looking at the rest of your lovely blog.
I am also moved by your words about your grandfather. I, too, paint with some of my grandfather's supplies (brushes, watercolors and porcelain dishes). I feel he is watching over me as I work, as your grandfather surely is, as well.

Anthropomorphica said...

Thank you Therese :)

Thank you Archetypal Theatre! I gasped when I read your words and feel the same way you do.

Jo Potter said...

Beautiful doll creations and post! ;-)

Signe said...

I just adore your work! Your dolls are totally adorable and a little bit weird at the sime time :)

Hugs and a happy Sunday to you!!

earthangelsarts said...

Wonderfilled blog page and amazing dolls! I adore them. X

Anthropomorphica said...

Joanne, Signe and EarthAngels, thank you very kindly for you generous comments! :)

Pneumonia said...

BEAUTIFUL

Anonymous said...

oh, this is beautiful but sad,,, it made me teary-eyed and realized how much i miss my grandfather... i'd like to think that they are watching over us...♥

i love your blog and this post, and you. i'm following :)

Anthropomorphica said...

Thank you dearly Haze :)

Cendrine said...

Melanie, visiting your blog and looking at your work is a balm for my heart and honey for my eyes... :)

Anthropomorphica said...

Ah Cendrine, that's truly music to my ears!