And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming… Model Cain Cymbaluk The Raven BY EDGAR ALLAN POE Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—     While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. “’Tis some visiter,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—             Only this and nothing more.”     Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December; And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.     Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow     From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore— For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—             Nameless here for evermore.     And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;     So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating     “’Tis some visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door— Some late visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door;—             This it is and nothing more.”     Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, “Sir,” said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;     But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,     And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, That I scarce was sure I heard you”—here I opened wide the door;—             Darkness there and nothing more.     Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;     But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,     And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, “Lenore?” This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, “Lenore!”—             Merely this and nothing more.     Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning, Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.     “Surely,” said I, “surely that is something at my window lattice;       Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore— Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—             ’Tis the wind and nothing more!”     Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;     Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;     But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door— Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—             Perched, and sat, and nothing more. Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, “Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven, Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore— Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!”             Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”     Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly, Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore;     For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being     Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door— Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,             With such name as “Nevermore.”     But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.     Nothing farther then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered—     Till I scarcely more than muttered “Other friends have flown before— On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before.”             Then the bird said “Nevermore.”     Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, “Doubtless,” said I, “what it utters is its only stock and store     Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster     Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore— Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore             Of ‘Never—nevermore’.”     But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling, Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;     Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking     Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore— What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore             Meant in croaking “Nevermore.”     This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom’s core;     This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining     On the cushion’s velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o’er, But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o’er,             She shall press, ah, nevermore!     Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.     “Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee     Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore; Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!”             Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”     “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!— Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,     Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted—     On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore— Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!”             Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”     “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil! By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore—     Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,     It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore— Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.”             Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”     “Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting— “Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore!     Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!     Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door! Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!”             Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”     And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;     And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,     And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor             Shall be lifted—nevermore!

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming…

Model Cain Cymbaluk

The Raven

BY EDGAR ALLAN POE

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—
    While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
“’Tis some visiter,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—
            Only this and nothing more.”

    Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
    Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow
    From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
            Nameless here for evermore.

    And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
    So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
    “’Tis some visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door—
Some late visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door;—
            This it is and nothing more.”

    Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
“Sir,” said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
    But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
    And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you”—here I opened wide the door;—
            Darkness there and nothing more.

    Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
    But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
    And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, “Lenore?”
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, “Lenore!”—
            Merely this and nothing more.

    Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
    “Surely,” said I, “surely that is something at my window lattice;
      Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore—
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—
            ’Tis the wind and nothing more!”

    Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;
    Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
    But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door—
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—
            Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
“Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore—
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!”
            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

    Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore;
    For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
    Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door—
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
            With such name as “Nevermore.”

    But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
    Nothing farther then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered—
    Till I scarcely more than muttered “Other friends have flown before—
On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before.”
            Then the bird said “Nevermore.”

    Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
“Doubtless,” said I, “what it utters is its only stock and store
    Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
    Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore—
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
            Of ‘Never—nevermore’.”

    But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
    Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
    Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore—
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
            Meant in croaking “Nevermore.”

    This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom’s core;
    This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
    On the cushion’s velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o’er,
But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o’er,
            She shall press, ah, nevermore!

    Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
    “Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee
    Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore;
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!”
            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

    “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!—
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
    Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted—
    On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore—
Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!”
            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

    “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore—
    Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
    It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.”
            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

    “Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting—
“Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore!
    Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
    Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!”
            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

    And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
    And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,
    And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
            Shall be lifted—nevermore!
High-res Notes: 2 4/24/13 — 6:44pm Short URL: http://tmblr.co/Zojx0yjT1f63
Spring Groove ~ Mixed Media Inspiration :: Acrylic Glazes + Dry Media Ground + Charcoal/Interference/Liquid Mirror Details • Pre-Primed Masonite Panel 8”x8” (Jack Richeson) • Glazes of Finest Quality Liquid Acrylic Transparent Colours + Low Viscosity Polymer (Burnt Crimson, Golden Orange, Transparent Permanent Orange, Indian Yellow)• Dry Media Ground applied to the area where the bird is which provides tooth for Charcoal drawing details • Details of Interference Acrylics Colours (Turquoise, Blue, Orange, Red) and Liquid Mirror• Lightly fix with an All-Purpose Spray Varnish

Spring Groove ~ Mixed Media Inspiration :: Acrylic Glazes + Dry Media Ground + Charcoal/Interference/Liquid Mirror Details

• Pre-Primed Masonite Panel 8”x8” (Jack Richeson) 
• Glazes of Finest Quality Liquid Acrylic Transparent Colours + Low Viscosity Polymer (Burnt Crimson, Golden Orange, Transparent Permanent Orange, Indian Yellow)
• Dry Media Ground applied to the area where the bird is which provides tooth for Charcoal drawing details 
• Details of Interference Acrylics Colours (Turquoise, Blue, Orange, Red) and Liquid Mirror
• Lightly fix with an All-Purpose Spray Varnish

High-res Notes: 3 4/22/13 — 1:18pm Short URL: http://tmblr.co/Zojx0yjI5OA1
Spring Groove :: Mixed Media Inspiration Warming up for the NAMTA Trade Show next week with a Mixed Media piece {Acrylic & Charcoal over Silver Leaf - 8”x10” - For Sale}. Next on the studio table is an exiting close-up detail of a bird’s face that if all works out will be a sweet little 8”x8” sample for the show :)

Spring Groove :: Mixed Media Inspiration

Warming up for the NAMTA Trade Show next week with a Mixed Media piece {Acrylic & Charcoal over Silver Leaf - 8”x10” - For Sale}. Next on the studio table is an exiting close-up detail of a bird’s face that if all works out will be a sweet little 8”x8” sample for the show :)

High-res 4/22/13 — 11:18am Short URL: http://tmblr.co/Zojx0yjHj0J6
Everything is Art. 

Everything is Art. 

High-res Notes: 8 4/18/13 — 9:45am Short URL: http://tmblr.co/Zojx0yjdLvQ9
One of my inspirations and joys, my beloved feline Mordecai xoxo

One of my inspirations and joys, my beloved feline Mordecai xoxo

High-res 4/16/13 — 10:05am Short URL: http://tmblr.co/Zojx0yiqByHI
Power Couple! :D 。ॐ。*。ॐ  。ॐ。＼｜／。ॐ         ♥ ॐ。／｜＼。ॐ。ॐ。*。 ॐ 。

Power Couple! :D

。ॐ。*。ॐ  。
ॐ。＼｜／。ॐ
         ♥
ॐ。／｜＼。ॐ
。ॐ。*。 ॐ 。
High-res Notes: 9 4/16/13 — 9:45am Short URL: http://tmblr.co/Zojx0yjSudge
Fairy Godmother Magic! ♥

Fairy Godmother Magic! ♥

High-res Notes: 2 4/16/13 — 9:35am Short URL: http://tmblr.co/Zojx0yjStuta
An unforgettable concept, and photo session! Rockstar Model Nicholas Chong

An unforgettable concept, and photo session!

Rockstar Model Nicholas Chong

High-res 4/16/13 — 9:25am Short URL: http://tmblr.co/Zojx0yjSl3oK
The way the earth has been taking it’s sweet time to thaw into Spring, in many ways so have I ☀ Loving the therapeutic effects of a complete transformation, fun of set & design and photography…allowing the time for inspiration and play and to freely explore! I’m that much closer to knowing and refining my way with this new medium, but there is still much to learn! Perhaps it is time to courageously break out the airbrush and mask off the studio for the mess that is destined to come hand in hand… BODY ART PORTFOLIO SO FAR :: http://www.sharlenawood.com/sharlenawood/BodyArt.html

The way the earth has been taking it’s sweet time to thaw into Spring, in many ways so have I ☀ Loving the therapeutic effects of a complete transformation, fun of set & design and photography…allowing the time for inspiration and play and to freely explore! I’m that much closer to knowing and refining my way with this new medium, but there is still much to learn! Perhaps it is time to courageously break out the airbrush and mask off the studio for the mess that is destined to come hand in hand…

BODY ART PORTFOLIO SO FAR :: http://www.sharlenawood.com/sharlenawood/BodyArt.html

High-res Notes: 2 4/16/13 — 9:20am Short URL: http://tmblr.co/Zojx0yiq4vzd
HEALING FEATHERS ~ Hand-drawn, a one-of a kind feather on beautiful paper {post card size, signed on the back} with a customized message written for you. Healing feathers are perfect to place in your space with healing words, personal mantras/affirmations, as little daily reminders of who you are/want to be/what you want more of in your life. Send paypal of $12 {postage included} to sharlenawood@gmail.com with the personal message you would like to accompany your feather ♥ Please Share & Gift, We all need Love & light ♥

HEALING FEATHERS ~ Hand-drawn, a one-of a kind feather on beautiful paper {post card size, signed on the back} with a customized message written for you. Healing feathers are perfect to place in your space with healing words, personal mantras/affirmations, as little daily reminders of who you are/want to be/what you want more of in your life. Send paypal of $12 {postage included} to sharlenawood@gmail.com with the personal message you would like to accompany your feather ♥ Please Share & Gift, We all need Love & light ♥

High-res 3/9/13 — 9:39am Short URL: http://tmblr.co/Zojx0yfsbX2R
Wow, This month really flew by! Here’s a February overview of some ‘Body Art’ creations, but it’s also now all up in a Gallery on my website www.sharlenawood.com if you’d like some inspiration. The past two months, and well over 40 ‘experiments’ exploring for myself what is possible with this new medium!!! Now Spring is on the way, and I feel my spirit a little restless, warming up and awakening to more serious applications. Over the past weeks, I’ve played all the while  with clarifying the vision in mind. The combination of passion + business can be conflicting and I’ve realized that my instinct in having two distinct art offerings, and maintain a balance of personal art and a business art is a very wise move (this way I avoid the dreaded ‘do I paint what I love, or what sells?’ choices). So the sketchbook will remain out on the studio table ready for those messy charcoal spontaneous moments, but really it’s time to get busy - to apply what I’ve been studying and accomplish all that I desire. There is sooooo much I want to do! Primarily, my baby ‘Shared Palette’ needs some work, a refreshed and refined game plan, a full body/mind/spirit make-over, and it’s perfect timing for full-on Spring Growth :) This Spring I’m going to focus on BALANCE and clarity in all aspects of my life, primarily these two separate arts - painting for pleasure to feed my spirit as well as focusing on the nitty gritty and joy in business.  Onward & upward…to the stars ☆ through glorious sunshine and late late nights :)  Much love & light

Wow, This month really flew by! Here’s a February overview of some ‘Body Art’ creations, but it’s also now all up in a Gallery on my website www.sharlenawood.com if you’d like some inspiration. The past two months, and well over 40 ‘experiments’ exploring for myself what is possible with this new medium!!!

Now Spring is on the way, and I feel my spirit a little restless, warming up and awakening to more serious applications. Over the past weeks, I’ve played all the while  with clarifying the vision in mind. The combination of passion + business can be conflicting and I’ve realized that my instinct in having two distinct art offerings, and maintain a balance of personal art and a business art is a very wise move (this way I avoid the dreaded ‘do I paint what I love, or what sells?’ choices). So the sketchbook will remain out on the studio table ready for those messy charcoal spontaneous moments, but really it’s time to get busy - to apply what I’ve been studying and accomplish all that I desire. There is sooooo much I want to do! Primarily, my baby ‘Shared Palette’ needs some work, a refreshed and refined game plan, a full body/mind/spirit make-over, and it’s perfect timing for full-on Spring Growth :)

This Spring I’m going to focus on BALANCE and clarity in all aspects of my life, primarily these two separate arts - painting for pleasure to feed my spirit as well as focusing on the nitty gritty and joy in business.  Onward & upward…to the stars ☆ through glorious sunshine and late late nights :) 


Much love & light

High-res 3/5/13 — 8:26pm Short URL: http://tmblr.co/Zojx0yfcaqPT
Saturday was an exciting day filled with Face Painting. From a very special commission of a Spirit Totem Animal, to playing with sculpting materials to make texture and horns ~ be sure there will be more wild and bizarre creatures coming soon!

Saturday was an exciting day filled with Face Painting. From a very special commission of a Spirit Totem Animal, to playing with sculpting materials to make texture and horns ~ be sure there will be more wild and bizarre creatures coming soon!

High-res Notes: 1 2/3/13 — 8:24pm Short URL: http://tmblr.co/Zojx0ydLYM_A
It’s been a wild week of face painting parties! With last week’s designs, there are too many to post on this journal template, so I guess there is still more to come! :) 

It’s been a wild week of face painting parties! With last week’s designs, there are too many to post on this journal template, so I guess there is still more to come! :) 

High-res Notes: 3 2/3/13 — 7:51pm Short URL: http://tmblr.co/Zojx0ydLPP2Y
My best attempt to go through my ‘Fine Art’ archives, and select an overview of personal works that show growth and were meaningful to me in some way or another. Though it’s far from complete as there are gaps and years where I had no camera, it’s a good overview of my evolution, a retrospective of my art career and personal journey. I only chose a couple to represent any series/project/collaboration to keep it simple and noteworthy, as between sketchbooks, commissions, experiments ~ there is a mountain, thousands of works/files that I find near impossible to sift through. So here’s a go at it, a lot of ‘first’s’ ~ first commission, mural, watercolour/acrylic/oil painting, realism, life drawing, portrait, self-portrait, erotica, landscape, abstraction, expressionism, experiments, mixed media, first breakthroughs, ‘aha’ moments, memories from age 18 to now ~ a little visual journal of my growth, experiments and passion. xo

My best attempt to go through my ‘Fine Art’ archives, and select an overview of personal works that show growth and were meaningful to me in some way or another. Though it’s far from complete as there are gaps and years where I had no camera, it’s a good overview of my evolution, a retrospective of my art career and personal journey. I only chose a couple to represent any series/project/collaboration to keep it simple and noteworthy, as between sketchbooks, commissions, experiments ~ there is a mountain, thousands of works/files that I find near impossible to sift through.

So here’s a go at it, a lot of ‘first’s’ ~ first commission, mural, watercolour/acrylic/oil painting, realism, life drawing, portrait, self-portrait, erotica, landscape, abstraction, expressionism, experiments, mixed media, first breakthroughs, ‘aha’ moments, memories from age 18 to now ~ a little visual journal of my growth, experiments and passion. xo

High-res 1/26/13 — 5:14pm Short URL: http://tmblr.co/Zojx0ycipncQ
….playing with ‘face paint’ creations continues to be a joyous experience! 

….playing with ‘face paint’ creations continues to be a joyous experience! 

High-res 1/25/13 — 11:40am Short URL: http://tmblr.co/Zojx0yccOHze