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melanierogers — A Cry was heard
Published: 2009-09-21 19:27:49 +0000 UTC; Views: 1301; Favourites: 37; Downloads: 1
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pencil - "A cry was heard" is the beginning of an ancient prediction. My watercolor, Rachel Weeping (in my gallery) goes along with this drawing."A cry was heard in Ramah--weeping and great mourning. Rachel Weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are no more." ~(dead is also a way to translate this word, but I like the poetic sound of that phrase, for such a sad and terrible thing.)
This was an ancient writing by the time Herod took a brutal action in response to "Wise Men" arriving from eastern lands asking for the newborn king of the Jews. They had seen his star. Herod searched the predictions in the Jewish writings. Where was the Messiah expected to be born?...Bethlehem. Herod also double checked with these "Wise Men", as they are referred to in English translations. He wanted to learn exactly when the star had appeared. They also confirmed the location. The men had followed this star until it led them to Bethlehem, and to the child they were seeking.
Herod's brutal action fulfilled a prediction that had been written by the Hebrew prophet called Jeremiah. Herod sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under. This drawing is in memory of all those little baby boys.
And for the one that got away. (Jesus)
I picked out this image from parts of a picture in a national geographic I believe.
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Comments: 30
Thank you. I'm always happy to get "a nine9nine9" compliment.
You can really stir up a fantastic group in a hurry. Two of them. Thanks for creating those, and tending to them.
No offense intended for other portraiture groups, but I dropped out of several. I started to feel like I didn't even want to do portraits anymore. My in box was flooded with boring art.
"Ugly Mug" reminded me that there can be great creativity in portraits. The art drawn from the human being, not just the way the face reflects light.
Finding your own way through your own creativity is a "Star Trek" kind of adventure. "Going where even you have never been before, within yourself"...
I am very happy to be on this voyage, and sharing it with others who are making the same pilgrimage. Headed into the center of the creative universe.
For each one of us, there is one of those, inside our souls.
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Your gallery is equally adventurous for the viewer my friend.
I created the Ugly-Mugs because when I looked at the other portrait groups they seemed to have the same kinds of portrait works. To me portraiture is wide-open with room for lots and lots of creativity, something I learned in one of my photos classes in college; and it shouldn't just be tied to photos; every medium of art can be a great vehicle for creative portraits; one of my favorite sections of the group is the Misc. section where lots of different types of portraits (of different things) reside.
Thanks so much for your comment!
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I won't presume to trespass across personal boundaries. My background in teaching and therapy long ago alerted me to that danger.
Nor do I hold positions dogmatically. Since my original field of study was philosophy, I do have some acquaintance with research issues, and I have been interested in a deeper understanding of the past both as a teacher and as an artist.
My views have had clear artistic expression, in pieces as diverse as Village and The Mind The Story Grew In. These poems explore the public dimension of experience. They were not written to make discursive points, but rather to share indights and intuitions with any one who might be inteested.
But if you have a different way of seeing things, if you live in another world, I won't take our differences personally. I shall instead regard them as a dynamic dimension of the relationship between us. That way we both have an opportunity for closer examination.
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Yes!...dynamic dimension sounds good to me.
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And it was good.
I was happy to see this.
I'm racing around to get myself over to a forum for cancer this afternoon.
AND of course there is a "story" that goes with this event.
I met two young women in a store recently. One was in all her bald chemo beauty. Not wearing a wig. The other I recognized was wearing her new "chemo" perm.
You may already know about this. When your hair first grows back after being chemo-bald it is usually very thick, curly and beautiful. Chemical reasons for that of course.
I spoke, and in the end, I was part of a forum they were doing. It is just an afternoon thing.
Not sure what to expect. But I'm there to be a picture of hope.
I remember when I was in the deepest pits, it helped to see people coming in, while I was in the doc's office, who were in the chemo perm stage.
It helped very much to know there might be a little life AFTER...
I had no idea, this is so beyond my wildest imaginings, that I would not only live. I lived to become what I had secretly dreamed about.
That is what I want to give in my art. The expressions of the deepest kinds of sorrow and pain. But also the story of "life after".
I believe there are many kinds of those.
AGAIN. Friends who can "discuss" and stay friends, are the real friends.
mel
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A pretty picture indeed.
The supposed slaughter of the innocence seems to have little foundation. The story occurs, I think, in only one of the four gospel accounts.
It seems that the writers of the gospels (whoever they might have been) were not primarily concerned with historical accuracy.
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Alec, hope our lines of communication remain open. I have appreciated getting to know you. However, I don't know you well enough to anticipate your response here. I have an "agree to disagree" policy with many dear friends.
Just one little piece of my background. I don't remember if I've mentioned this to you anywhere. I was told I was dying of cancer, by some very confident doctors, a while back. Made me take a very careful look at this. To me, it would be uncaring on my part to gloss over your comment.
There is a criteria that is used for all historical documents, to determine their reliability.
~Principles of historiography.~
The works that make up the Christian's New Testament were the most frequently copied and widely circulated books of antiquity. One of the principles for historiography is referred to as manuscript testimony. Rather than explain, I'll just give an example. I do my best to explain this. It is easier when you can look at a chart.
Homer (Iliad) was written in 900 BC. The earliest (oldest) copy known, is from 400 BC. -- time span of 500 years, between the actual original copy and the oldest one we've to date found. As of the last time I researched this, the number of copies known, 643.
The "New Testament" works (books and letters compiled together) were written between 40 - 100 AD. We can go into great detail about dating procedures if you'd like. And how and when those particular writings were put together. Volumes, libraries, have been written. Many of them by people throughout the centuries who wanted to discredit the books which are the source of the Christian faith. It has never been done by anyone who respected and practiced legitimate research.
I've done some serious homework. It is very important. I've considered the casket or a crematory, not as some distant event, trying to make decisions. I wondered where I might be, while the food in my frig would still have fresh dates stamped on them, but I would not be around anymore. Get my drift?
New Testament documents date 40 - 100 AD. The earliest copy, when I researched...
(Archaeologists are constantly finding things that confirm Biblical details...I've been to Israel and studied in the Biblical Institute. Looked at things for myself.)
Earliest copy is 125 AD (time span 25 years).
The year 2009 - 25 years = the year 1984. Does 1984 seem that long ago to you?
There is nothing to compare to this. Not even close. And number of copies? Over 24,000.
The Iliad ranks next to the New Testament in possessing the greatest amount of manuscript testimony. That is why I chose to sight only this one.
Homer or Iliad--500 year old copy is the earliest, and only 643 known copies.
New Testament 25 year old copy /24,000 copies.
"Whoever those writers might have been" is even more documented.
The atrocities of this Herod are very well documented as well. Herod would be a tangent for now.
YOU SAY: "The story occurs, I think, in only one of the four gospel accounts"
Let's just say, the man who wrote Matthew (thought to be the former Jewish tax collector) did have a slant. He showed particular interest in the Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled in Jesus' life and ministry. He wrote a book that was a perfect book to bridge the Old Testament and the New Testament. It is a book strongly oriented to be a witness (like in a court of law) to the Jews. The man who wrote this book also makes it clear that the Messiah has come for all peoples.
Mark was an author not so interested in a biography of Jesus. No infancy narrative, Jesus bursts onto the scene as a fully grown man. The three years of ministry are packed into the first 10 chapters. The final week of the life of Jesus stretches out through chapters 11 - 16.
Luke is the longest book in the New Testament. He covers much of the same material, but adds his own distinctive flavor to the story. Luke seldom quotes the Old Testament, and he translates Hebrew words into their Greek equivalents. He gives us great accounts of the relationship of Jesus with people considered outcasts (women, children, the poor, "the sinners" by the days standards, tax-collectors, Samaritans).
If people "somewhere" had created the New Testament, they probably would have thought like men think. Like you thought. It would be important to tell the same story the same way in every book. NOPE. What we see is the way real people would have written about it.
I obviously could go on, and on...Hope you find this interesting.
Or, maybe someone will.
I'm glad you made your comments. Discussion is good.
I've certainly been confident of things I later found out were not true, and I HOPE to always be listening and open to see things I haven't before. Or see things in a way I never did before. I want to grow. I want to learn, not just about art.
By the way, hundreds of letters from all over the world poured into my mailbox when I had cancer. My name seemed to be like a computer virus. I got letters from people all over the world praying for me. They heard about me somehow, my address got around somehow, and people wanted to pray. I can't describe how humbling and amazing that was.
And, um, I didn't die.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
mel
I still live in the yellowsubmarine.
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This has a haunting beauty to it, an ominous feeling that isn't necessarily biblical or religious in nature; it works really well without the backstory. I love that the texture is so rough, it makes the eyes of both child and sheep reach out through the drawing. Love it.
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Thanks so much. I usually write more, and would visit you, but it is really late.
I'm trying to curb my dA time a bit. I came to your site and was going to start some commenting. But they were doing system work, and had it in "READ ONLY" mode. Now,,,,,
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thanks.
I'm winding down now, but will try to get over to "meet" you soon.
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Fine chiaroscuro work, dramatically composed and inspiringly accomplished...
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Are you sure you don't teach graduate school for some prestigious university?
I googled this new word. Found also claire obscure.
I will add these to my comments. I have another one already scanned, but wasn't sure if I would send it out. Actually played around with the whole black and white, stark or simple lines for a little while.
Have a full collection of them now. Don't know if I will send them out. The one good thing is I can begin to have my art "stored" in one place. It tends to get scattered as I jump from project one, and am already behind on project two.
Order is coming to live at my house, though. Looking forward to that new phase very much!
Bought another charger for this laptop today. Was off-line again. But it was VERY GOOD for me. Spent time getting more centered.
Now, Izzie and I are going to have chicken. Rare around here.
Thanks so much for your attention to my art, and your responses.
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Bon appetît to you and Izzie both!
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Ahhhh...flowers for our table. Why thank you.
I've created this whole little nest. Laptop central here. Got a variety of pillows, and my unique creature (human and cat) comforts around me. Even a cat toy hanging from the "rafters" of the bunk bed above my head here.
Kind of reminds me of the little forts and tents we made as kids. I lounge around on my futon and various surfaces I've collected around us.
Currently, still sipping the one glass of wine I've been slowly enjoying all evening. I'm too much of a wimp about hang-overs to become compulsive about alcohol. Somehow I dodged that gene. These little slow sips are a big enough treat once in awhile.
I've been playing in my fav gallery tonight, just relaxing. Except for my wrists. Don't know how much longer I am going to torture myself by not setting up an ergonomically correct keyboard, mouse, screen...
I'm "playing with matches" to keep holding my arms and wrists in this awkward position for hours, trying to avoid my laptops hyper sensitive wheel panel. Official name for that? I set it on it's most INsensitive calibration. It is still hyper about wanting to click before I am ready. My arms get shakey and weak. Not at all good for the creation of art.
Actually my back feels much better since the laptop and I became such good friends. (and a few people inside it)
I'm not sure I want to go near these fun graphics you use. I enjoy the ones you pull out for me. I'm telling you, I am now more the kid in my devID picture, than I ever was back then.
If I start playing with the cool graphics, it would be like trying to pick out birthday cards for people. I'd want to give everyone something unique, analyze who they are and what would be just perfect...
I'd never paint again. 
The graphics would become my gallery. I know eventually my curiosity will win out. Maybe that could be my reward for figuring out how to hook up the keyboard and mouse to my laptop. I thought I might try that combination.
I don't dare go into your site very much. All your paintings are like entire worlds to get lost in. I already have no sense of time passing.
Opps. That reminded me to look at the time.
I am going to curb these crazy all nighters that started with dA. Going to bed at somewhere between 6 and 11AM is not a wise plan. I am in the process of reconstructing my whole life, after deconstructing it. Guess I live in the right era for that.
One more swish by everything over here in my site, and turning in. Nice to catch a little interaction with you. As always, thank you for being attentive to my newbie art efforts and giving me these encouraging responses, words and graphics.
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Always good to see what you've been up to-- you're a great addition to the site, no doubt about it...
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Very beautiful. About how much time did it take you to do this?
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This drawing is a small one, so I would say it could be measured in hours. Help, I'm being mauled by a HUGE white cat.
The one I call "Dolls" on the front page, was huge and took a long time. There was much more done on the "Dolls" one after the copy I've posted in here was made.
It really varies. Sometimes I keep working them and working...you can do that with pencil. Part of the drawing is what you erase or smear. This one was just a plain pencil.
Maybe some of the texturing took some pretty serious work.
To give it the feel of all those surfaces, the child's hair, skin, the sheep wool, wall, floor...I even put a little necklace on him.
He could be seen as Jesus, reaching up toward a lamb, with the symbolism of the purpose he came here. To be the perfect passover lamb.
Or it could be one of those other little boys. I gave some thought to those families while I drew it. If you look very close you will see he is wearing a little necklace. A family loved this little boy. He was so special to them. Each one of them. Like the red coat in "Schindler's List", the movie.
(Not to compare this little drawing to that movie!)
It is easy to read over these details and not think about it.
There is evil in the world. And the battle over Christmas is not a new thing.
I saw the variety deal, with all the different things you've made set up in your journal.
Looks great.
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Thanks for the compliment on my variety of art/crafts. And thanks for sharing on this beautiful piece
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so nicely drawn
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Aww, thanks.
I gotta get into that "vault" of cool stuff like your sheep there.
But the way I love playing with the emoticons 
I hope to work on something new tonight. Maybe later...I've a little quiter than usual because my charger to my laptop died, again. I already bought a replacement a few weeks ago, new, but online, and cheap in price. Guess it was expensive, for the little time I got out of it.
Rambling
mel
anie rogers
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