Melisandre & Her Black Honey Bee

I have exciting news people! I've been busting to tell you!! One of my favourite places in Stirling, The Locavore, has kindly offered me a exhibition :) I am VERY excited. This will be my first true show of my work in a more formal setting (I don't really count my place of work and the beautiful trees of the Hills Secret Garden really because they were less formal and the focus wasn't really on me anyway). I will be hanging some of my most recent pieces, as well as a few archives and some new nude studies that will be nestled in the alcoves of this beautiful Hills restaurant. I think this is a big step forward for me and although I am scared silly of what people might say about my work I think it's really important for me to finally get myself out there.  

Anyway.....after a suggestion from my lovely Lucas to research the origins of the name Melisandre (the name of one of my latest fire twins), I came across some interesting stuff. Melisandre originates from the Greek 'Melisa' meaning Honey Bee and the name Melisandre represents strength and a strong connection with animals. I found this interesting as I have painted my twins surrounded by licking flames, a place where to me not many animals would survive.

 But I got a sudden inkling to paint/draw blackened bee's surrounding and swarming the main ladies 'shadow' (smaller girl in background)...I imagine them nestled in her hair, buzzing around her and disappearing into the flames. I don't know what this is meant to mean yet (if anything by the way) but I am now excited...Can't wait to get down the studio and hash it out now that her initial layering is done.

I have definitely been getting in to a little bit of a bee/bug/butterfly/general insect obsession recently. I've been sketching away and drawing tiny little insect studies all over the place. In fact I'm tossing up whether to call my solo show in September at the Locavore 'Lepidoptera' ~ which is the word for 'collection or order of various butterflies and moths'. I've made a mock flyer...what do you think?

xo. E 

My mock up flyer.....what do you think?

~ I N S P I R A T I O N ~

xo. E