Sixth Day of Advent

Angel over the Longhouse, The Huron Carol

Earth and sky again, linked by smoke rising from hearths to heaven. The angel song is for the children by the stream and the hunters deeper in the forest, for all who have ears to hear, 

"And as the hunter braves drew nigh

The angel song rang loud and high"

Fifth Day of Advent

Huron Longhouse, The Huron Carol   
"Within a lodge of broken bark..."

Not a stable but a longhouse, in this version of the nativity.  And connecting earth and sky, mortals and immortals, is the rising smoke from the hearth, the heart of the family.

Fourth Day of Advent

Young Hunters, The Huron Carol
"Before their light the stars grew dim,
and wond'ring hunters heard the hymn."

Coming home from play in blue-shadowed snows was a frequent scene of my Quebec childhood.  The snow squeaked under our boots while the first stars came out in the blue and gold of twilight. When I visited Sainte Marie in the wintertime 9 years ago it was very like this picture - white snows, blue shadows, iron-cold flakes of snow landing on our faces, and  the sound of the wind in the trees.

The Third Day of Advent

Angel Choirs - The Huron Carol
"Before their light the stars grew dim"

I loved the art history classes in my art student days. One lecture in particular was about the influence of St. Luke's* portrait of Mary on succeeding generations of artists - the pose and facial features repeated in reverence and extending even to the angels and minor characters. It's a moving thing, to set out to paint holiness.  A tradition of reverent iconography is a welcome place to start.
(*or ascribed to St. Luke)

The Second Day of Advent

"...Mighty Gitchi Manitou sent angel choirs instead"

When I do a presentation of the Huron Carol to school groups I like to take them through the book like this:  (Advent picture 1) "Here we are above the forests; see the snowy tree tops and frozen waterways, with the birds flying away."  Then I show the whole picture, (Advent picture 2 and full picture below) "That Mighty Gitchi Manitou sent angel choirs instead", the earth and heavens and heavenly host.

"Twas in the moon of wintertime"
from The Huron Carol by Father Jean de Brebeuf

The First Day of Advent

Advent begins, and with it a new Advent tree of artistic baubles to celebrate the season.

"Twas in the moon of wintertime, When all the birds had fled..."
The Huron Carol

I began Advent early, three nights ago at the beautiful "First Light" events at Sainte Marie Among the Hurons in Midland, Ontario. It was here, in about 1642,  that Father Jean de Brebeuf wrote the famous Huron Carol, which is remembered in musical performances at First Light. The annual celebration of our shared history in Canada is a moving experience and has inspired this year's Advent collection.

Fairy Style

"Hats & Shoes" from The Illustrated Fairy Gazette

An upcoming vintage fashion event is completely sold out. It's finally "in" to be Retro and to wear a Daisy Buchanan dress or a cloche hat shaped charmingly like a bluebell ...

"Petal Chapeau" ad from The Illustrated Fairy Gazette, Spring issue

... a look that never goes out of style in fairy land.