Briar Moon Studio

Briar Moon Stduio has a brand new look, and a brand new site catalog!
Please stop by and visit. Sign the guest scroll is you are so  inclined.

I am really pleased with how it came out, although it seems a bit wahsed
out on smaller monitors. I designed it on a gianormous one and youcan really tell the
difference in the color and clarity between a small and huge monitor.

http://www.briarmoon.com/index.php

Title:There Is No Escape
Medium: Watercolor

"This is that ancient doctrine of nemesis who keeps watch in the universe, and lets no offense go un-chastised."
Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Nemesis! The Implacable Executrix of Justice

As a word in today’s society nemesis means:

1.A source of harm or ruin: "Uncritical trust is my nemesis."
2.Retributive justice in its execution or outcome: "To follow the proposed course of action is to invite nemesis."
3.An opponent that cannot be beaten or overcome.
4.One that inflicts retribution or vengeance.
(source: http://dictionary.com )

In the time of the ancient peoples of Greece and Rome, Nemesis was the personification of divine retribution. Her name originally meant the distributor of fortune, neither good or bad, but in due and just proportion. Over time her name began to take on a meaning that suggested resentment caused by an unbalance of this carefully measured proportion.

A moon goddess, she is sometimes referred to as the daughter of the night, (Nyx), and she is the balancer of Fortune’s (Tyche) chance. The executioner of Justice’s judgment, she is an implacable goddess of retribution and an avenger of crime, and from her sword there is no escape.

Her beauty rivaled that of Aphrodite, and she was implacable in the face of unbalanced justice. As a protector of the balance of fortune, and a dispatcher of divine justice the victims of crimes both criminal and moral called to her for help and protection. In ancient Rome she was a patron goddess of gladiators that fought animals in the ring, and was often referred to as Pax Nemesis.

About the Painting

In the artist’s depiction of Nemesis, she holds her sword, gently, loving caressing its lethal edge. Her trademark scourge is hanging from her belt at the ready. The scales of justice decorate her silver necklace, and fearsome yet beautiful leathery wings furl out behind her. Her clothes are of a modern design to remind us that although she is a goddess of the past she is also needed in the present. Nemesis reminds us of the importance of balance, and teaches us to give as we receive. Failure to do so with result in her wrath.
The "don’t worry we’ll make more" attitude prevalent in today’s age is one of greed, and this unbalance calls Nemesis from the night into our world. She is standing in front of a clear glass window, reminding us that justice might seem blind, but she sees with clearer vision than most. What goes around comes around, and no one can hide from Justice or her powerful winged enforcer Nemesis. The window’s iron work is a depiction of the wheel of Fortune, whose influence Nemesis balances, and the full moon lights up Nemesis’s mother, the night sky, whom is visible through the clear window of justice.

So here is my newest piece, and I am quite proud of her,
even if she carries the almost standard and highly over done
full moon, with a salt wash background...;-)
Title: Belle Lune
Medium: Yarka, and Daniel Smith Watercolors
Paper: 300 LB. Cold Press



Wishing all a bright and magical day!

I finished the third in the "Wee Myths" series today.
"Rainbow’s End"
There is something more magical than gold at Rainbow's End.

Click the Pic for a larger view!


I am in the WIP stage of piece four "Strike a Pose", and
there are five more pieces left in this series.
I have also been working on the Gaia’s Guardian series,
and some other stuff too.

Today is busy after three. Got to go to the grocery store
"oh joy" then I have to hit a wee relatives birthday celebration
for a couple of hours. Then we are heading to Stephen's parents
for dinner.

I also have to go shopping sometime this weekend or next
for mother's day, and four graduation presents.
I know nothing like putting it off till the last minute...
lop sided grin!

I really need to get my email answered some time tonight too.
I also have to start getting my stuff ready for the upcoming trade show
in June.
Hopefully I will be able to get some painting time in.

That all for today, I have really have to get my butt in gear,
and out the door, or I am going to be late once again.
Wishing all a magical day!
Gina Marie

"A Sweet Trade"
Watercolor
300 lb cold press

Avast ye scurvy dogs ...even Capt. Jack would love a powder monkey like this on his beloved Black Pearl!

During the hey day of the live breathing pirates of the caribbean the career of piracy was called the "sweet trade"

In this piece I have used a pose from the lovely and uber talented stock of fantasy artist Selina Fenech

View her Website

Usng one of Selina's beautiful and sexy photos I was able to create"A Sweet Trade" giving the notion of a female pirate (females pirates were very rare) a highly romantic and sassy flair.

A super huge thank you, and a hug for good measure goes out to Selina for the use of such wonderful stock.

As always busy, busy, busy, but it is a good busy. I really need to find a minute
and get a proper update in here, yet alas it is back to work for me tonight.
Much Love TO All!!!

Been hugely busy will try to get a regular update posted soon!

Jan. 2007 Newsletter online now at:
http://www.briarmoon.com/new.html

You will find that this month’s newsletter is quite big.
There is masking fluid tutorial, a book review and three short movie reviews, plus news.
There are two new paintings added to the gallery, site up dates , two new downloads for you to color,
and Gina Marie’s monthly ramblings.


Until Next Month!
Wishing you a bright and magical day,
Gina Marie and The Studio Crew

www.briarmoon.com
Briar Moon Studio
Where reality is a figment of the imagination!

Lately I have found that staying focused on positive things helps me to cope with
the bumps in the path, that life can bring our way. Today I know for a fact that
my love affair with the benefits of meditation, that started so long ago came about
so that when this day arrived I would be prepared to face
the tasks at hand concerning what I am going to call a lifestyle change.

I have for many a moon been a strong supporter of environmental issues. I hold this
planet we live on very close to my heart. I consider every square inch of this heavenly
body my home, and I believe my home deserves to be treated with the upmost respect and love.
Does that make me a tree hugger, yes in a way it does! Yet I also love each and every star
in the sky, as well. I feel a tremendous amount of love
for the vast universe of possibilities we live in. When you think about it our mere existence is remarkable, and the fact they we co-exist within such a beautiful universe is simply
spectacular in it's scope.

Last fall I started working on the series Gaia's Guardians.
I wanted to do a series that reflected the
love of our planet, it's diverse inhabitants, our connection to our Earth,
and the mystical side of that connection. I finished Guardians of the Rainforest straight away, and got the sketching done for Guardians of the Tundra laid out, then the series had to take a back seat to other projects, obligations and such.

Last week I finally got the extra time to finish Guardians of the Tundra. Actually I made
the time to finish the piece. Part of my new, for my health lifestyle, demands that I take time out for un-stressful pleasures. So I painted something I wanted to paint, something dear to my heart.
Finishing the piece was sort of like having a light bulb go off inside my spirit. It felt so wonderful to paint something I wanted to paint, a piece I feel has meaning, purpose, and beauty.

I have some ideas of where I want this series to go, and am reluctant to go into to much detail right now, but I am really jazzed about my ideas, and the series. I feel as if I am not only creating art, but a message.

So far I have:
Guardians of the Rainforest - The Amazon, South America
Guardians of the Tundra - Northern Alaska, North America


Since I am so excited about this series and the possibilities it has brought forth I thought I would give everyone a sneak peek at the newest WIP in this series.

So without further ado, and to end a short story of a post I give to you:
Guardians of the Savanna - Mount Kilimanjaro - Africa a WIP

Guardians of the Tundra


Also have some new minis done and will post them later today or this evening.