Tag Archives: painting

Circus of the Soul

Revisiting Circus of the Soul in 2013

This was one of the largest exhibits I’ve had and it is a theme I continue to explore. It was originally exhibited in Medford, Oregon at the Rogue Gallery and Art Center and has since been shown in a church and a gallery in Portland and elsewhere.

The large gallery in Medford was a wonderful venue; with outer gallery walls and inner panels I was able to display the work as a “3 Ring Circus” of sorts, with the outer walls holding the cosmology/theology pieces, and used the inner clusters of three circular panel configurations to present the earthly forms and figures.

Ten years later I still resonate with the importance of this theme, and continue to offer classes on the Art of the Circus. This powerful metaphor has been explored and exploited by many artists and is also at the core of much carnal entertainment we see today, as well as pageantry and sacred rituals of religion. As Above, So Below, we strive to rise to our highest potentials and continue to be tempted by the gravity of our human condition.

Soon I will present a contiguous body of work called “Eve’s Bad Rap.” In this “better story” I look at the damage done by the myth of Eden and look at new parables, better outcomes and more positive portrayals of women and their huge contribution to society, beauty, industry: a happiness and prosperity that would be impossible without them.

The Anti-Cupid

The Anti-Cupid and Other Tales of Woe

He comes dragging his sack of troubles
No sweet arrows in his bag;
A kick to your rear or a whack with his cane –
If your heart’s been broken, let him redirect your pain!

The land he’s from is ablazing
With passionate waterfalls;
He ignores arabesques volcanoes
And prefers dark, dank, smelly halls.

At night when love stars are shining
And embraces are cheating sleep,
He shuffles alone from his crumbling abode
And recites to the empty plaza
A heartbreaking, angry ode:

“My dear one, my dear one –
I pulled off your wings!  I stomped on your heart,
I stole back my ring . . .
My damned one, my sad one –
You should weep for me!  I drowned my heart
Cause my tears made a sea!
And now all that’s left is an envy-green me.
The tattered old sack that I drag around
Is filled with the memories of the lost and the found,
Scraps of torn photos and lace valentines . . .
And my wrung-out old heart in a vinegar brine.”

Catie Faryl
February 2008

The Beekeeper’s Daughter