"Asian Themes"
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Mixed Media Paintings by Mary Ellen Palmeri depicting many traditional Asian figures and symbolic animals. For example, the crane is generally a symbol of good fortune, longevity and happiness. The Spirit Owl Guide has a deep connection with wisdom, intuitive knowledge, and good luck.
This traveler is contemplating what the presence of the Owl
might mean for his/her journey. The Owl Spirit Guide has a deep connection with wisdom and intuitive
knowledge. When this bird guides you, you can see true reality, beyond illusion and deceit.
The meditative background is painted with acrylic inks on watercolor paper.
This mixed-media painting depicts an Asian landscape with
Buddhist monk Takehiko, dancing on his return home. His small village is in the distance, where he
will celebrate the beginning of Spring, a Japanese festival called "Setsubun".
The dancing figure is Yukio, which means "Happy Hero".
He is returning in celebration after meditating and visiting the sacred relics
and writings held in the religious Buddhist shrine, known as a pagoda, which symbolizes the heights of
man's knowledge and wisdom. [Japanese origami papers were used to fold the figure, blossoms and pagoda;
paper for the tree branches was painted with acrylic paint, then folded to size. The grass in the
foreground was colored with Prismacolor colored pencils, then randomly cut with scissors.]
Meet Kimiko. She has dressed up and hung lanterns to celebrate Obon (Festival of Souls) in Japan.
The event commemorates the spirits of ancestors that come home to visit. Lanterns and fires are lit to help
guide them. This Buddhist custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people return to
ancestral family places and visit & clean family graves.
The symbol of the owl is a lucky charm to welcome good fortune. Owls also symbolize knowledge.
"Keiko and the Cherry Blossom Monkey" was created with fun and love in my
heart. Cherry blossoms in Asian culture traditionally symbolize beauty, power, and love. The Japanese snow monkey
seen here is a symbol of having fun. I named the Japanese woman Keiko, which stands for "blessed, lucky child". She
is wearing the traditional yukata haori dress kimono.
Masuyo's name means to "benefit the world", and is used here to reflect
the possible harmony humans can achieve by befriending all creatures of the world.
"Sakura" (Cherry Blossom) is a common given name in Japan.
The soft pink flowers of the cherry tree are often depicted as an ode to Spring, representing the fragility
and beauty of life. They are a reminder that life is "almost overwhelmingly beautiful but that it is also tragically short".
A bit of whimsy led me to create this pink and purple panda to climbing a little
stand of bamboo, creating a peaceful scene for Kazuko (meaning "harmonious/peaceful child"). Her kimono is folded from
imported paper with gold metallic accents.
The heat embossed message on this canvas (upper right) spells out the title, "Listen To Your Heart".
This is a special piece to me for several reasons: I made it to honor a friend’s daughter; I loved creating the small dimensional book (under the
figure); and I created the original paste papers that cover the corners of the canvas. All in all, a very satisfying art experience.