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Blue Skies

Dreamed 1980? by Georganna Malloff

I was an artist in residence at Leighton Colony, in Banff, high in the Alberta Rockies, with a wonderful studio to paint in for three months. What to paint? The neighboring artist, who was on a career track to be head of Alberta College of Art, said I was expected to do abstractions.

But instead, always following my inner muse... I received a dream of a raggedy bear playing the cello. So it turns out Alymer Bylsma from Holland was to play a cello concert at the Banff School of Music. I went, and he looked exactly like that bear! He wasn't the only bear around. Banff is a national park, and the animals (including bears) all do their rounds about the artists' residency...

The little people relate to native local myths.

The music stand was there in my studio, and I had the only studio with windows--so, October and blue skies forever.

Night. A bear on a snowy mountain plays 'Nothing But Blue Skies From Now On' for a ring of naked little dancing people on a huge tree stump below. Streams pour from it--the rivers of the earth? A beaver and two wolves watch, while an owl perched on the music stand appears to be directing. The score's a page of clouds looking like buxom Titian women. Legend at bottom: 'Mister Bear plays for the little people.'Faint words on the right edge say (I think) 'A spirit dwells in every corner of creation.'

I was very happy there. Sculptors generally are frustrated painters. So when I can plunk myself down and paint to my heart's content, I am glad.

Never did show this at the Banff Art Museum. Should have, as it was a turning point for working with animal mythology. Later, living on my island, I even played music to the bears, or so the local fishermen said...

The crevasse is nearby, part of the local tectonic mythology.

The painting is much cherished and hangs in a private home near Sooke, BC, playing music to the Pacific Ocean over a fireplace. Amen.

--Georganna Malloff

EDITOR'S NOTE

So wobble on, all you spirits in your funny bodies! And recognize your partners in the dance.

--Chris Wayan



LISTS AND LINKS: music - instruments - clouds - dance - bears - owls & hawks - the Northwest Coast - dream paintings - more Georganna: Cosmic Maypole & An Elk Showed Me a Sign of Peace

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