Swan Maiden

The Swan Maiden painting is almost finished, but I have a few more details I want to add to it. I have been working on this painting off and on since February of this year and promised myself it would be finished by January 2009.

This painting was loosely inspired by the Irish legend of the beautiful Swan Maiden “Caer Ibormeith”. She was the daughter Of Prince Ethal Anbuail of Sid Uamuin in Connacht.

Legend has it that every other Samhain she would change into a swan and would remain in this form for a year before becoming human again the following Samhain. Visit the post on June 17th for more info.

The Swan Maiden – Mixed Media – 16 x 20

Caer Ibormeith

I wandered down to the waters
And walked by the riverside,
I wandered down to the waters
Some solace there to find.

I sat with a heart of sorrow
Beside a silent pool
I sat with a heart of sorrow
And wept for the lonely world.

When over the silent waters
A creature to me came
When over the silent waters
A swan with a golden chain.

She sang out her song so sweetly
Her wavering melody
She sang out her song so sweetly
That it put my heart at peace.

Sing on, fair swan, I cried to her,
Sing on, to bring the day
Sing on, fair swan, I cried to her,
But she had swum away.

– Jamie Alexandre.

Back From Vacation

We had a wonderful vacation! On Monday, I spent some quiet time puttering around in the garden and recouping after a long week of being constantly on the go.

Today I worked on The Swan Maiden painting. The swans are now finished and I added a pearl necklace which still needs work. As I was finishing the bottom strand I noticed they were not draping the way they should. C’est la vie!

Tomorrow I will go in and correct the problem. Too tired to mess around with it this evening.

The Swan Maiden – Combined Media – 16 X 20

The Swan Maiden

I have been working on this painting since February of this year. The inspiration for this piece came from reading the novel “Daughter of the Forest” by Juliet Marillier. She is a very gifted writer and folklorist. This beautiful retelling of the traditional seven swans fairy tale set in ancient Ireland, sent me on a quest of inquiry into a myriad of myths surrounding swans.

During this research, I was drawn to the Irish legend of a beautiful swan maiden “Caer Ibormeth”. Daughter of Prince Ethal Anbuai of Sid Uamuin in Connacht. Legend has it that every other Samhain she would change into a swan and would remain in this form for a year before becoming human again the following Samhain. This romantic Irish myth has become the main focus of my painting.

I have done several preliminary sketches of flying swans and will be adding these later when I have finished painting the maiden and the background. Sometimes when I am working on a painting, it becomes necessary for me to plan, to mull, and let some of my ideas percolate for awhile before I can proceed.

I will post this painting again when I am finished.

The Swan Maiden – Combined Media – 16 X 20 inches

The Swan Maiden – Sketch Charcoal & 2B pencil – 16 X 20