Friday, October 17, 2008

Artemis


My mind has been on Artemis a lot lately. Know who she is? Shes an ancient Greek goddess whom I know about due to her depiction on ancient pottery (killing Actaeon) and was always fascinated with her story. You can read about her in depth on Wikipedia or get a snapshot below:
Twin sister of Apollo, she was the Hellenic goddess of forests, hills, virginity/fertility, and the hunt and was often depicted as a huntress carrying a bow and arrows. Artemis was one of the most widely venerated of the gods and one of the oldest. Her later association with the moon is a popular idea which has little foundation. She later became identified with Selene, a Titaness who was a Greek moon goddess, and she was sometimes depicted with a crescent moon above her head.

Even though they say her association with the moon has little foundation, I am thrilled that she was associated with Selene if only for the fact that I can use moon-moth wings on the figures I make based on this goddess. She is also extremely close to nature and protects the forest and represents the purity of nature which also relates to my poly people. Whats most alluring to me about this goddess though is that (most likely because she is goddess of the hunt) she lives with woodland spirits and water nymphs which I LOVE to make. Looks like my works is about to take on a whole sub-surface historical turn. This way I can continue to celebrate the female form, Artemis is often sculpted as most ancient Greek idealized women were, as full healthy figures, and the little nymphs can surround her being very beautiful and most likely nude.
Nature + Nymphs + Full Figure = this artists new obsession with Artemis as she relates to everything I do.

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