New News!   Welcome to Aurora’s Cottage Arts! 

I am very excited about my newest venture on my artistic journey!   I have formally created my new art business!  I have also launched my shoppe on Etsy!   Welcome to Aurora’s Cottage Arts! 

I have two other areas where you will find my artistic creations:   

• My new Esty shoppe, where you will find smaller serendipity artistic creations:
  

       etsy.com/shop/AurorasCottageArts   

• You can also find me on my Facebook Artist page to get more insight into my process and or to get a glimpse of what may be coming to the gallery or Etsy shoppe:
  

       facebook.com/Dawn.Zanfardino.Artist

Enjoy your visits on my online art gallery, my new Etsy shoppe and on Facebook!  Please stop by from time to time to look for new creations that will be identified and listed for sale along my creative journey with my inspirational Muse by my side! 

My artwork will be that of Mystical Visual Artwork and Creative Creations where I delve into the Fantasy, Mystical and Wildlife worlds along with some other fun expressions along the way.

Thank you for being part of my journey!

Dawn Zanfardino
Aurora’s Cottage Arts – Owner, Artist, Creator

You are probably wondering what is behind the Lunar Goddess Series I am currently creating.  These are either mythological goddesses who have piqued my interest or real life women (human goddesses) who I have been inspired by. 

The forth of my series of seven is Bast’s Moon

Bast is an Egyptian Goddess and is considered a Lunar/Solar animal.  She is mostly associated with the Moon, however, she is the daughter of Ra, who is the Sun God, therefore has powers of both. She is a protector of those that follow her and of all cats.  The Utchet (Egyptian Sacred Eye) she possesses is the eye of her father.  The hieroglyphic you see on the right side represents her name –  Bast.  You will see the Bas Jar that is a heavy clay vessel used to store feminine perfume or an ointment for embalming; the loaf of bread she feast on; and the female figure she represents.  The gold bands and jewelry represents to me the Solar aspect of Bast’s nature. Therefore she represents the balance between dark and light. You will also notice that Bast is playing the Sistern with her tail, and loves dancing as do I.  The Sistern is a very popular Egyptian musical instrument that held metal disc that rattled when moved in a back and forth rattle like motion and enchants others to move and sway to the wonderful melodies that flow beautifully from the instrument..

(Note:  Please see previous posts to learn about what is behind the other paintings to gain some insight on what the painting represents.)

You are probably wondering what is behind the Lunar Goddess Series I am currently creating.  These are either mythological goddesses who have piqued my interest or real life women (human goddesses) who I have been inspired by. 

The third of my series of seven is Pele's Moon :  Ka wahine ʻai honua

Pele is an Earth Goddess and she inspires me in her intense passion for beauty and profound love.  She is of the Hawaiian people who say she can be found among her people blending in or shape shifting with natural beings.  I find her to be a very emotional goddess which lends to her beautiful creative fiery ways.  In her moments of her fury, the fire that rages inside her explodes in a creation of natural wonders that we can witness when new islands are created.  With her love of beautiful flowers, she brings forth the red berries known as “Ohelo ai”,  and can be found scattered around the base of the Volcano that is only hers, known as “Kilauea”.   I am sure you are wondering what the Hawaiian words mean in the title of this painting?  It is “…the earth eating woman”.

(Note:  Please see previous posts to learn about what is behind the other paintings to gain some insight on what the painting represents.)

Well, things have been quite the whirlwind for me!  Since May, I have been in transition between living in New York and in our new home in Virginia!  I have not had the opportunity to do any paintings or drawings during this time.   My Muse has been tickling me to get back to my passion once things settle down, and as of this week, I am beginning to do that.  I am working on the Wolf in Autumn painting that has been in progress, and have two new paintings that I am working on, one is the next Lunar Goddess painting in my series, and I am working on a painting that I hope is completed by Samhain (aka All Hallow's Eve, Halloween, etc...)  Stay tuned...  If you check my Facebook page, I will be sure to share my progress along the way.  Feels nice to be in my new Studio with my very patient Muse....creativity is beginning to form again, now that I can move forward again.  Life events crop up, we manage them, and then re-focus and eyes ahead!   :o)

You are probably wondering what is behind the Lunar Goddess Series I am currently creating.  These are either mythological goddesses who have piqued my interest or real life women (human goddesses) who I have been inspired by. 

The second of my series of seven is Jezebel's Moon:

This painting was inspired by a very moving soul and beautiful human being who is my friend and Tribal Fusion Belly Dance teacher.  When she is dancing she becomes the mysterious beauty, goddess of the dark and transcends these vibrations into those she connects with.  She is a lover of the Dark New Moon and of the Raven that is always besides her, guiding her.  I truly enjoyed creating this painting, and I shared with her the creation process of my painting and engaged her to learn what colors she adores and associates with, along with what phase of the lunar cycle she most connects with.  This is Jezebel, her dancing being, which captures her in a brief moment of time and space.  To witness her in person, dancing in the night, is mesmerizing.  The tribal new moon I designed captures the Celtic nature and that of the Black Cat, if you turn your head sideways, you will see, the face of the cat...the eyes, the nose the whiskers.  Do you see?  

Sending many wishes to you all to have a most wonderful New Year!  ~  May you all reach the moon and the stars of your dreams and enjoy the journey along the way.  2014 is full of many wonders and joy and mystery yet to unfold, but know that what your heart desires we can manifest them into being...  ~  My dreams are to continue to provide you with my inspirational creations and hope that it finds something deep in your soul to inspire you... ~  Thank you for your support during 2013...and be ready for a beautiful journey in the river of life during 2014.

You are probably wondering what is behind the Lunar Goddess Series I am currently creating.  These are either mythological goddesses who have piqued my interest or real life women (human goddesses) who I have been inspired by. 

The first of my series of seven is Callisto's Moon:

Callisto is a Greek Mythological Goddess.   Her name means "most beautiful".  She was the virginal nymph of Artemis.  Zeus noticed her one day, and wished to have her for himself.  She became pregnant by him, and was noticed by Hera, Zeus' wife, one day while she was bathing in the river. Callisto was banished by Artemis and was left to birth her son, Arcas.  Hera was so enraged of Callisto's pregnancy by Zeus that she turned Callisto into a Bear.  Callisto's son Arcas, was raised by another and became a great hunter at the age of 16.  While hunting in the woods, he saw the Bear, not knowing it was actually his mother, and was about to kill her, when Zeus saw what was about to happen.  Zeus immediately turned Arcas into a little bear and then threw both he and his mother into the night sky and they are known as Ursa Major (Great Bear) and Ursa Minor (Little Bear).

If you look closely at my painting up in the left hand upper side, you will see I have the night sky constellation of Ursa Major forever glowing.

On my next posting, I will share with you what is behind Jezebel's Moon.   Enjoy!

I thought I would share with you why the Peace Sign was painted.  Back in August of 2010, Christina Varga of Varga's Gallery in Woodstock New York, wanted to do a project to join other artist together in promoting a time of peace.  The show was absolutely wonderful.  Everyone had different perspectives of expressing their peace sign and their views of that time either from their experience or from their awareness of the era.  I chose to convey the words and colors of the 60's.  The psychedelic bubble words as you can see that goes around the sign are those that were frequently used by the hippy generation and those that just loved to use the phrases!  Flower Power (brings me back to the sock-it-to me days with the show called:  Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In), Love (for bringing to light what was very much needed during this time), Freedom (for what our soldiers were fighting for to protect our rights and safety), Far Out (for wild ideas and fun serendipity), Groovy (for anything that was totally cool), Peace (what we all wished for then and now and forever).  The yellow famous smiley face was all over the place during that time.  The red hearts is for Free Love.  The daisy chain was what the flower children would create when out in the fields to wear in their hair or wear as necklaces).  At the center of the Peace Sign, I have the Flying Dove with the Olive Branch in it's mouth to represent what we all want for this world.   Love and Peace to you all. 

Please forgive the silence from my cottage these last two months....as Life happenings popped up and snatched me away from my muse...I have been quite caught up in it's whirlwind... Now that we are in November.... I am able to catch my breath, and to be still long enough to allow for the creative flow and energies to once again, flow through my veins and my creative mind's eye.... alas.... my canvas is calling on me.. ~ ~ ~  I am currently working on the 3rd of the Goddess Series painting:  Pele's Moon.  As with my other Goddess paintings in this series, I will be called upon by my muse to create a poem dedicated to Pele the Goddess of Fire, Wind, and Lightening.

Art Trivia:  The Pigment Truth – Mummy Brown/Red (aka Egyptian brown) was a powder that was ground from real mummies during the medieval times sold in their apothecaries.  Then during the 16th and 17th centuries this was used as part of artist’s oil and watercolor paint palettes.   The color resembles a mix of burnt and raw umber tints.  However during the 19th century when it became known where this pigment was derived, artist stopped using this grisly mix.  Today this color is made with minerals pigments instead.  May the mummies all rest in peace!