Donna says: Recently I encountered the mesmerizing art of Jude Cowell, a visionary artist who is also well-versed in astrology. After spending hours immersed in her luminous cosmic images, I wrote to ask if she’d be willing to share it with Skywriter’s readers by being a guest blogger. As a celebration of artistic Libra and this weekend’s Libra-Aries Harvest Moon, you’ll see a sampler of her work later. Here’s the story of how she came to combine art and astrology.
When Art and Astrology Combine
(c)2009 by Guest Blogger, Jude Cowell
If you begin with an early fascination for drawing at age 2 1/2, when my pudgy fingers first began their attempt at holding pencils, Art has always been a big part of my life. By progression, Venus crossed natal Ic at that time, bringing along a Venusian sextile to artsy Neptune in Libra, and a trine to natal Pluto in creative Leo.
Astrology interests came later at age 12, when natal 10th house Uranus in Gemini progressed to Mc and I purchased my first two Astrology books. Unconscious of this Uranian progression, I simply followed my curiosity wherever it led, totally unmindful of a 5th house Mercury/Mars conjunction’s quincunx to futuristic Uranus. Yes, Art’s Neptune meets Astrology’s Saturn on my drafting table, and quite often, too.
Fast forward to 1996, when I began studying Astrology full time; in fact, 1996 was a watershed year in several ways as expansive Jupiter returned to his natal degree in my 4th house, a pla
cement which indicates some facility with children’s books and illustrations.
My Jupiter Return 1996 inspired me to put my artwork ‘out there’ to give jolly Jupiter a push with the result that two of my oil and watercolour pencil renderings were accepted in a city exhibition during the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. One drawing, ‘Timeless Path’ received a merit award; the second drawing was in the children’s illustration genre, and so the stage was set for later efforts toward publishing an illustrated children’s book.
During the 2004 SCBWI Conference (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) in Atlanta, my art samples of ‘Pattillo Armadillo’ (a character I invented in 1995) were invited to become a dummybook for the Little, Brown Publishers of NYC to review and consider.
Sad for little Pattillo that his hero’s journey, timed by the phases of the Moon, did not make the publisher’s list. They were looking for something more traditional, yet encouraging reviews were sent from NY editors for my writing and artwork.
So if you wish to view Pattillo’s book cover and other Cosmic and Moon Art drawings please visit A Private Art Show for SkyWriter Readers which has been set up just for you at Secret Moon Art where combining my two loves, Art and Astrology, often occurs.
Within your Private Art Show you’ll find an example of one way I like to combine them: an illustration of the Sabian Symbol for 12 Cancer: ‘A Chinese Woman Nursing a Baby with a Message.’ You’ll find ‘Timeless Path’ there as well.
Yet undersea realms attract my pencils, too, as botanical fish portraits float about at Dreamyfish Art. And mask-related figure studies are found in the Cosmic Persona Designs gallery (some Adult Content) where you’ll notice the ‘persona’ reference to Astrology’s Ascendant along with a certain archetypal Greek-mythology-inspired tendency.
I believe that using black paper gives a certain spiritual quality to any artwork, and you may notice that my Cosmic and Moon themed drawings often have constellation Orion peeking from the night sky because Orion conjuncts my natal Midheaven; comets often appear as well, some of which are meant to represent Chiron’s celestial-to-earthly abundance.
Although I exhibited my framed artwork in Atlanta, Athens and Augusta, Georgia through the 1990s, online galleries and art stores have become my main focus since the arrival of the New Millennium.
So if you’re up for a browse, consider two recently created Art Storefronts, one at Cafe Press and one at Zazzle, where affordable Wall Posters, coffee mugs, and more are offered. New images and content will become available as time permits.
Looking ahead for mid-October 2009, I am happily expectant concerning an Art feature of Dreamyfish Art portraits in association with the International Lifestyle and Diving Magazine, X-RAY MAG, in their web site’s Artist Portfolio slide show, along with a detailed interview concerning my botanical fish drawings, creative process and inspirations, and Marine Conservation interests.
Of course, X-RAY MAG readers may not be aware that botanical (Saturn) drawings of fish ensnared within their favorite dream scenarios (Neptune) are blended into an apt expression of my natal Sun Capricorn/Moon Pisces blend, but you understand the real-with-imaginary flavor of my artwork, now don’t you?
Donna says: Are you wearing comfortable shoes? Today we’re going on a gallery walk. Word Press can be fairly gnarly when it comes to formatting, so when Jude and I tried to put the images in place, it got a bit testy. It would have meant reducing them in size, which also reduces their luminosity. Our solution was for her to create a special gallery on her own site for Skywriter visitors only. To get there, just click on this link: A Private Art Show for SkyWriter Readers. It’s worth the trip for the art alone, but Jude has promised some special treats. I’m thinking it’s a wine and hors d-oeuvres buffet, so let’s go! (After that, you may wish to partake of her astrological insights as well at http://starsoverwashington.blogspot.com/.)
Sky Writer 
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