crow art: the filigree mask

The Blogworld is one I'm very glad to have found, and have been happily blogging my ass off for a little over one year now (at my main blog) What impresses me more than just the number of blogs out there, is the talent you find, and the wonderful people you 'meet' behind that talent; be it words and or art.

I'm not sure when I first started reading Keltie's blog, but I remember finding her through a friend of a friend of a friend's blog. (you see how easy that is!) She's got a great mind. Back in January she started a secondary blog called 365 Masks. Her goal: to create a Mask a day for one year.

She's doing some impressive stuff there, and you can go check it out yourself here, and more specifically the reason for this post: here.

Now she never comes out directly and says it's a crow mask, but I gotta tell you I was reading Christopher Moore's "A Dirty Job" at the time, where Crows/Ravens figure prominently in the story and when I visualized them I see her mask.

I love the simplicity of main mask with the detailing of the filigree and the colour evokes thoughts of Hallowe'en, an absolute iconoclastic moment in the year of a crow.

Check out her other masks, she's a talent!

it starts...

As I promised myself I would this year, I have gotten my first tattoo. It is to be the first of a few tattoos, and the first of three specific crow themed tats.

This is of a small murder of crows, nine to be specific. Flying, widdershin around my left arm. In fact this could be considered 9 tattoos in all, for while it is, albeit an unconventional arm band, it is comprised of nine individual tattoos.

As crows fly (as can be seen in 'Seven Crows') they do not fly in formation, but are asymmetrical and erratic in their flight pattern. And to cement that in the tattoos themselves the two on the back and inside of the arm are in a different trajectory. The first turning in mid air, and the second flying more head-on.

I won't say that this didn't hurt, but as I was prepared for far worse I can say that I have no reservations about going back in about a month for the second in the crow series. That will be a band on my right arm. It will be more of a traditionally designed arm band composed of Celtic knot work and one crow (also in knot work) in the center of the band facing out.

The third will be a Triskle on my upper back, below my neck. And if you're counting that will be 3 tats, totally 13 crows. Aside from Crows and Ravens, I personally have an affinity to the numbers 3 and 9... so 3 tats with crows. One with 9 crows, one with 3 crows and a single to represent my spirit dæmon . Couple all this with the fact that they are all being done as I am 39 and I think the meaning of 3 and nine becomes further solidified in my life.

I am very satisfied with this first tat. An altogether pleasant experience, made more so by the fact that it was done by not only a talented artist, but a fellow Maritimer who, himself and his family have spiritual ties to crows. You can check out his work here.

(Special thanks to Graham and Tony who helped fund the Tattoo with Birthday money)