Monday, November 09, 2009

Study of a Dragonfly





Our Dragonfly Earrings..
Sterling Silver and Copper... forged, delicately textured and antiqued


...we have been creating this design since before we moved to St. Martins



 



The delicacy of  Dragonfly wings...
...makes one imagine that this is what Fairy wings would look like...

... gossamer...






... Dragonfly pen and ink...  from an earlier post... can be seen here



... At Rest...         wings outstretch

 ...On Watch...     a patrolling general

...In Nature...       exquisite sensuality



...click photo for shimmering up-close wings...



Dragonfly, Dragonfly, light on me,

Your beauty close, so I may see...


... your iridescence

... your fragility






...a very mellowed, small pen and ink from my sketchbook...






... a summer visitor...

...she's had her tea...   it's time to go...







...all drawings, paintings, jewelry, words, photographs...
 created in our DESIDERATUM studio in St. Martins, New Brunswick


...approximate size of Dragonfly earring...
wingtip to wingtip 1¼"  ... eyes to tip of tail 1¼" ...
$25.00 pr.

***

This page is dedicated to my Friend, Cvitka Marun, a lover of dragonflys... Thank you so much!
***


54 comments:

Anonymous said...

A very lovely and original post. I like the way you've chosen a subject and followed through in several medium. She/he (probably a she) would be honoured to be known and appreciated so well!

Guillaume said...

Somehow, the dragonfly always reminds me of the play "The Dragonfly of Chicoutimi", which ironically I haven't read or seen. Dragonfly is an exciting name. In French it is "libellule", which sounds weaker.

Ruth said...

They'll stitch your mouth shut if you lie. That's what moms used to tell their kids to scare them into being truthful.

All your different media dragonflies here create a world of bliss for me. But the photo of the one at the window screen - that is perfection: the mesh of the screen and the mesh of the wings, the bumping into a "wall" and wanting out, seeing outside - just simple and spectacular.

Shayla said...

Just the earings a fairy would wear. Beautiful.

BLACK AND WHITE said...

I love this post. I love your creativity. I love the beautiful jewelry most of all .

Anonymous said...

Dragonflies are indeed a magical creature. They inspire people in so many ways. People are drawn to them. Love all your artistic perspectives on them. The earings are cute!

mansuetude said...

you're amazing.
so multi talented...
i envy it.

are these your "muses" from a post before?

your dragonfly visitor only yours is full of jewels... of course!

.
flight of imagination and beauty manifest... blessings.
.

VioletSky said...

I've always been fascinated that dragonfies hold such a strong attraction for people.
I also like their name, 'dragonfly' better than 'darning needle' which is what I grew up calling them.

Leanne Pizio said...

Lovely words, drawings, sensibility. So much grace in this post. I can hear the sounds of summer, the beating of wings, the shimmer of blue as the dragonfly flits by.

Rebecca Ramsey said...

The dragonfly is such an amazing creature, and your art captures that perfectly! So lovely!

Alina said...

I am so touched by the poetry in your work and words!

Gwen Buchanan said...

Thank you very much, Lizzie...
... can you imagine the things we could all do if time was not an object...


Guillaume , Don't you think that "libellule" sounds quite musical... it is the first time I have come across it and I rather like it!!


Thank you Ruth.. Boy I am showing how out of touch I am as I had not heard that fear-mongering myth of "sewing children's mouths shut" before... yikes!!! the things people say ... in thinking about creating Fear, in general...
how it holds children (and adults alike) back and stops exploration...


Shayla, or sit on the back of and sail over hill and dale... Thanks...


Black and White, so very kind of you to say... your calendar was a showstopper!!!


Dowhatyoulove... you must have many around your farmstead, fluttering all around your chickens... it seems to me it is a place they would like to be!


mansuetude, I was so pleased to be able to see the sparkles on the wings... digital cameras really open other worlds to us... giving us a chance to observe and explore so much deeper... well yes I believe a dragonfly to be a Muse as whenever I spot one I stop what I'm doing, pause a while... and study it a few moments... makes for a lovely break... a meditation.


Sanna, when I was a kid, my mother used to call them the "devil's darning needle" and she had us believing they would sting us...


Thank you Leanne, your words are so thoughtful... I wish we could have summer all year round and they wouldn't have to leave or hide themselves away... I always look forward to them...


Rebecca, you had a brilliant close-up of an exquisite dragonfly a while back on your blog... I wonder how many kinds there are?


Hi Alina, you are very generous to say this...thank you...

Anonymous said...

Beautiful dragonfly earrings and drawings! :-) The houses below through St. Martins are wonderful as well.

Debbi said...

I love your dragonfly pen and ink study and absolutely adore the essence of the dragonfly on screen photo. So fleeing like the warmth of summer. What an evocative post. Also love your earrings.

Gwen Buchanan said...

Hi Sheri, Thank you so much... and I wish you all the best in your upcoming show in Fredericton... I'm sure you will have a large turn-out ... they have a very active arts community...

Hi Debbie, it was such a pleasure to have her visit that day.. she let us thoroughly examine her... such a calm little beasty.

...probably smart of her to stay a while as the 4 dogs with their 8 big eyeballs were greedily staring at her from the other side of the screen...

Seth said...

Beautiful post all - photography, artwork, and jewelry!

Acornmoon said...

Your photography, painting and jewelry perfectly reflect the beauty and fragility of a dragonflies wings.

I also enjoyed the trip around your town in the post below. It looks like a film set.

Gwen Buchanan said...

Thank you Seth, so kind...

Acornmoon, it certainly is a good feeling to see one house after the next being found by loving owners and given back their dignity!!!

Arija said...

Fairy magic indeed Gwen...especially your drawings. Great shot of the irridescence of those gossamer wings, I han hear their papery whirring...
Beautifylly crafted earrings as well.

Julia @ Hooked on Houses said...

Oh, wow. I love dragonflies, and these are beautiful!

Black Rose said...

Beautiful Gwen
I love them.
Hope to see you and to have a cup of tea again soon

Gwen Buchanan said...

Hi Arija, oh you have their sound down pat... papery whirring... perfect!!!


Thanks Julia, those little insects hold a special place... I remember how they used to skim back and forth across our old pond, barely above the surface of the still water...


Hi Black Rose, So glad you came for a visit!!! Thank you... Tea would be great... I'll put the tea kettle on as soon as I see you coming down the driveway!!!

Black Rose said...

Gwen don't you mean up the driveway? I don't think I'll be flying in... might be a little difficult, I am not a dragonfly...
And some tea would be great about now

Gwen Buchanan said...

Hahaha, Black Rose... I meant once you get to the top of the hill and turn to come towards the house, Silly!!!

I know it sounds strange me calling it down ,,, but it just seems down about that spot... now please don't ask about right or left...

Shelley said...

Dear Seaside Friend, these too are lovely. So intricate! So like a dragonfly's wings with their beutiful 'shimmer'. We shall see you soon my dear as the snow won't be far away now.
We shall 'toot' as we round the corner and head to the house.
I just saw pix of Becky's latest creations! :)

rivergardenstudio said...

ahhh Gwen... the magic of a dragonfly... it's delicate wings and strong body... your art and these beautiful earings... it is wonderful to have you back.... roxanne

pRiyA said...

Gwen, lucky you being able to hold a dragonfly, photograph it and observe it so close. I love their wings.
The earrings are beautiful but your watercolours always continue to be my favourites for their elegance and simplicity, this one included.

As for the Persimmon, i tried eating it with the skin on before i realized it needed to come off. After that, it was absolutely delicious. A new taste, nothing I can quite compare to. I hope you get to try one soon.
:-)

Owen said...

Hi... I came over from Priya's place, and can only say I'm quite stunned by the beauty of your work... It all clicks with this visitor... will be coming back to look more carefully, but wow, already see some pieces I would buy in a heartbeat if I were wealthy, errr, wealthier than I am... but for now just beautiful to look at... and dream about...

Melanie said...

your work is still as amazing as ever and you seem to be as busy as I am. I took a tour down your street in the post below and I am in love with every house there and wish I could find a place to build a replica here of my own.

Gwen Buchanan said...

Hi Shelley, Thank you my dear, Yes please toot then maybe I'll have time to round up the hounds... but knowing them the toot will bring them running down the drive right into your path... Be sure to drop in for tea...

Thank you Roxanne, ...you are a darling to say that! I know how much you appreciate Nature...So lovely to hear from you..

Priya, I did indeed feel so lucky... her little feet felt so gripping on my skin... and by the way she held her body, I sensed every nerve in her body was on guard...
well now I'll be looking for a persimmon...for sure...

Welcome Owen, I'm very glad you found your way here... thank you for your thoughtful words... don't think about buying, just come for a visit... I have been making jewelry for a living for a long time now and it is nice to be able to show people that I like to do other things too...

Hi Melanie,... yes, we are running round here like chickens with our heads cut off.. Just finished a few new designs and am anxiously anticipating how they will go at the Christmas shows.. that is usually how I decide which new designs go into our next years catalog...
No rest for the wicked, they say!!!

Owen said...

Was just browsing through all the skull posts, starting with the human skull... I love your drawings. The piece on porcupines is wonderful. I too have picked up some skulls, or bits of skulls, along the way... a squirrel, a beaver jaw... a couple of others... but no moose ! Was also looking at John's blog, hope he'll put some more posts up one day, his work is a pleasure to look at too !

Gwen Buchanan said...

Hi Owen, I have never seen a squirrel or a beaver skull... do you notice any resemblance with the porcupine... I was so surprised when I began pulling that tooth and saw how long it was.. all I could think was "How do 4 of these ever fit in that little compact skull..

... one of my little delicate skulls is from a crow or a raven that I found on our hill before we began building our house here... I like to think it was a member of the same family that still lives up here on the bluff...

I keep coaxing John to post more of his paintings but he is in "project mode" at the moment, working at saving an old structure down the road... if he had his wishes though he would be painting all the time with just a break for sustenance...
I'll tell him you browsed his work...
Thank you so much for all the encouragement!!!

Penny said...

Thanks Gwen, I lost your blog when I lost all my links and then suddenly I found it on some ones side bar and you had a follow which makes life easy. Thank you so much for your comment and oh I do love those dragon flies, we have blue and red and sort of see through ones here and they are gorgeous, I wonder why we all like them and are not terribly fond of flies!

Lynne with an e said...

Hi Gwen,
My blog pal Owen sent me over here, telling me to check out your blog and asking if you lived anywhere near me. I'm very glad he did!

I actually own several pairs of Desideratum earrings, including the dragonflies. My dear friend used to own the shop Cornucopia in the village where I live and, as you know, she sold Desideratum jewellery there, among many other beautiful things.

I'm looking forward to exploring more of your blog in the future!

Gwen Buchanan said...

Hi Loucia,..."it's a small world...."
so glad to make your acquaintance!!! I toured around your blog a bit and see you are a muti-talented artist... and that you fancy old buildings too!!

Please say Thank you to Owen. I am very honoured that you have some of our work... Danielle was a lovely friend of mine too.. I miss speaking with her..

Imagine that you are just down the Bay a bit... when the Trail goes through it may just be a skip down the road along the cliffs... unless we catch a ride on a lobster boat..

Gwen Buchanan said...

Penny so glad to be back in touch with you...
Funny observation about the flies Very True though!!.. I am enjoying your sketches...

Christina Colwell said...

Beautiful!...Don't have much else to add to the many comments except...amen.

June said...

Dragonflies are amazing. I love their eyes. You've managed to evoke their delicacy. I'm so happy to find your blog...

jill said...

What a beautiful post about my new found favorite dragonfly - as loved as my butterflies! It has a mystical magic all its own- and just love your combination of jewelry, sketched art, and the dragonfly itself.

I'm sure you're just surrounded by good luck whereever you are and in whatever you do!

Gwen Buchanan said...

Thank you Christina!! I appreciate your visit...

Hi June, I am most delighted to have met you too... yes, can you imagine how big our eyes would be if they were in the same relationship to our body as theirs are... what a different view we would have...

Jill I am so out of touch as I never knew that Dragonflys had an association with Good Luck till you mentioned it, so I did a search and it is everywhere... Thank You!!!

Mise said...

These are beautiful. The drawings have such a Victorian detailed feel, and the earrings are so sparsely elegant.

Jennifer MacNeill said...

Beautiful work! I love dragonflies.

Debbi said...

Gwen, love that "calm little beasty" you used to describe the dragonfly. Such spritely words. Thanks for your blog post and spirit!

Linda Starr said...

I love dragonflies, to me they epitomize freedom. never knew they were called darners, interesting the myths and parabels children grow up with. Beautiful earrings and photos, especially liked seeing the irridescent photo closeup of the wings.

Rikkij said...

Gwen, really enjoyed touring your blog. So much diversity. Love the tour of town and your creations. Enjoy winter. Brrrr! ~rick

Gwen Buchanan said...

Welcome Mise, from Ireland are you? I am proud to say that is my heritage... Love your latest poem!!!

Hi Jennifer, Your animal photography makes me want to draw every one of them... thank you!!

Hey Debbi, you are welcome so much... you have a wonderful nature...

Hi Linda, Freedom is a perfect thought description of the little "bug"gers... did I say that!!!

Thanks Rikkij, I crave variety but not the chill of the coming winter... looks as if this season I will be too busy to notice the cold..

Jasmine said...

Such a beautiful study. Have you read the Native American medicine wheel totems? Dragonfly medicine have insights and teaching of their own :)

Gwen Buchanan said...

Hi Jasmine, Thank you for visiting... I have never read the Native American medicine wheel totems ...I will certainly do a search... a Native friend from many years ago, made me a tiny carved bear and said it was my totem.. he placed it with some sweet-grass into a small leather bag that he also made ... I keep it still and remember his thoughtfulness and generosity. The best to you...

MILLY said...

What a lovely post about the dragonfly. A huge favourite of mine.
Thank you, I just found your comment, glad you liked my feathers. Now I have discovered your blog and enjoyed my visit.
milly

Gwen Buchanan said...

Thank you for the visit Milly, Your work is a pleasure to behold.. I'm glad I discovered you, Too!!!

Mary Sheehan Winn said...

beautiful work and writing.

Gwen Buchanan said...

Thank you Mary,,,

sandy said...

Love this whole post.

Gwen Buchanan said...

Thanks so much Sandy, enjoy your trip!