Samhain by Liz Parkhurst 30 Oct 2013

I cannot believe that my beautiful friend has gone to the ephemeral West to the joy of the Summerlands and her heart there is gladdened by Brian, both missed, both alive in memory and eternity
She was many wondrous characteristics and Brian married her character and she married his
The two together were a life well lived
They were an open door, a welcome smile and an hearth to call at with love and care

I still cannot believe that my beautiful friend has gone to the ephemeral West to the joy of the Summerlands and her heart there is gladdened by Brian who himself a wanderer in wyrd was the keen eye by which they steered into robust journey and to delicate exploration bringing burgeoning blossoming bounteous bright actualisation, both missed, both alive in memory and forever in eternity, both seen and heard with great alacrity ready to bring the best to the fore and to be their own excellent brilliance that none should ignore
I cannot believe that my beautiful friend has gone and so I seek with open heart to find her still in song
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Temple Wood Harvesting One October Morn 22 of such 2019 Thursday

Temple Wood Harvesting in Midlothian Scotland. One October Morn 22 of such 2019 Thursday, (nothing beyond machines and mechanical lumber jacking some good footage to end with should you get that far, you have been warned). Here is a short record of the tree felling at the North of the village at the side of B6372. The trees are on the route for many who come to the village for the Church ruins and Templar Preceptory remains.

Here is a short film that could, hopefully lead to some more posts. There are some trial and error cuts and shuts that should serve to point to better success. The wording present in the film is all inspirational.

Devil and Lovers I 0 - I 5 Twice Sixfold

Michaelmas Seen Through The Rider Smith Waite Tarot Cards of The Lovers and The Devil

The film is in production, 60 stills and a voice recording to illustrate how the symbols in these cards transform in our perception as we view them in changing light, colour and intensity.

The day of Michaelmas is noted for many as the 29 of September each year. Some have three and some have four Archangels as messengers at charge ready to join in the celebration of the triumph of Archangel Michael leading the Heavenly Host in the battle over Lucifer. The cards that I have worked on have been chosen to illustrate the fall of Eden, the rise of man and the potential to see the conflict as a struggle, as a battle that we can all win. If the Devil Card reveals the call to the animal and the lustful nature then The Lovers illustrates the clarion call of the former idyll the paradise of Eden giving us a visionary gateway to bring back the memory of long summer days that lived up to make the perfect moment so special we wish to enjoy it again and again. The combination of good and evil iconography in these images is reset to bring the balance of want and need, of gluttony and greed into a new image composed in a very familiar symbolic structure now embellished and set to inspire new visions. The battle between good and evil can be a religious experience and an expression of faith. The same battle of good and evil can be the balance we can create to make a better world for all to share through our deep set and openly given sense of community that builds the world we all need.

These images are edited version of the original Rider Smith Waite Tarot Cards. William Rider & Son published the illustrations of Pamela Colman Smith that completed the description written by Arthur Edward Waite. The film versions describes how the transitions between the images appear to be revealing their symbol structure through an x-ray, or other scanning technology. There is no suggestion that these two cards were designed to be set one on top of the other, or side by side. I have made 60 variations to subtly illustrate what I wanted to reveal in the images when they are combined giving an insight that can be used to view the balance of The Lovers in Eden and in Hell The Devil. Hopefully I will have my film on line again soon that reveals the Four Angels in the Rider Smith Waite Tarot Cards.

PHH Sykes copyright 2019
phhsykes@gmail.com

https://www.flickr.com/photos/phhsykes/48836880583

“O Nuit, continuous one of Heaven,...” the eternal beauty of the Queen of Space shines through her chosen Priestess.

There was great ceremony and due diligence to bring the light of the Aeon to burn amongst the congregation. After the mass we took a little time to create some photographic records. Here in these pictures the eternal beauty of the Queen of Space shines through her chosen Priestess. The individual pictures have been set here to share the light from that day.

Please follow the link to the film on Flickr immediately below.

“O Nuit, continuous one of Heaven,...” the eternal beauty of the Queen of Space shines through her chosen Priestess.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/phhsykes/48717698533

PHH Sykes copyright 2019

phhsykes@gmail.com

The text being read in the film presentation by PHH Sykes is from the following rite and a link to that rite in full is given below the details of the script and author.

Aleister Crowley

Liber XV: The Gnostic Mass

Ecclesiæ Gnostiæ Catholicæ Canon Missæ

“O Nuit, continuous one of Heaven, let it be ever thus; that men speak not of thee as One but as None; and let them speak not of thee at all, since thou art continuous!” Liber AL, I:27

https://sabazius.oto-usa.org/gnostic-mass/

Lewis Chess Pieces 3D Model of the Complete Set

 

The designs in this detail are stunning. The repairs and ageing show the life of these horded pieces once treasured and kept safe in a never retrieved stash that instead became a fearful fairy court and then a historic find a point of plunder and now they are respected and revered in a state of preservation possibly only surviving by not being retrieved and used for their original intention?

I adore the pieces as they are and I am happy to contemplate their journey that continues on and on in fresh presentations, through news reports, reproduction and in replica.

Note 4 Throne shows a great repair.

4 Throne
Part of the throne has been attached separately by ivory pegs, perhaps because it broke while it was being carved.
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/lewis-chess-piece-queen-hns-22-572cc3f35c7b4e009ad0bb5fd9bfe1e9

Throne

Part of the throne has been attached separately by ivory pegs, perhaps because it broke while it was being carved.

Pneuma and Exudation releasing spirit and soul leaving the body less whole

The body takes in inspiration and sustenance. The body gives off reflection and the body release spirit and soul as we connect with the everything that makes us whole. Not by any known universal measure do we deliver and receive pleasure. Take note of the breath and give voice to song to acknowledge the truth where we belong. To some, happy laughter is living and sad crying is dying. To some, there is a focus on the rhythm of heart and lung to reach out and extend the length, breadth and depth of pulse, beat and breath they will have sung a refrain again and again to failingly embrace all that they have freely, or jealously clung.

The initially window in front of the lens held my perspiration and that was transforming the image. Light was giving strange penumbra to the moisture and individual spheres were forming and growing out of the cloudy layer making new demi spheres and building up exiting ones. To add to the moist expression on the pane I issued breath and watched the two forms of moisture make a pattern that would bring excellent diffusion of light through moisture which would create great photographic images for me. The initial heat in me was creating a very temporary transformation through which I was able to photograph the much more stable world outside the window. The tree in the images shows that in the much more fixed scene outside there is growth with young green shoots and leafs. There is the yearly seasonal cycle that will soon bring the onset of Autumn the time of year when this tree will shed leafs and they will go through a colour change as they end their connection with the tree. The leafs will shortly begin turning from supple vibrant green through to brittle brown. The stark branches of the tree with survive through Winter and in spring they will be the frame that holds the new fresh green leaf growth building up the image of the seemingly Summer stable blossoming boughs. From perspiration changing the view through the window pane the image itself called for breath and certain thoughts of transition began, they continued to keep developing and fortunately they have not stopped.

PHH Sykes copyright 2019

phhsykes@gmail.com

Audio visual presentation

Pneuma and Exudation releasing spirit and soul leaving the body less whole
https://www.flickr.com/photos/phhsykes/48711238257

Anthony Youel at The Hide Gallery Sheffield

These pictures were captured just as Anthony was leaving The Hide Gallery Sheffield.  Some of the exhibits had already been packed.  The Hide showed a vast number and array of Anthony's art which is fashioned in several mediums.  His work includes paint and chalk pictures as well as found art where he forms found items into new artistic creations.  Anthony’s art works are on show in his own gallery space that he has created at The Monkey Thurgoland.

These pictures were created quickly with portable flash systems and a multiple camera and lens set up. The images have all been tweaked to create a mixed portfolio of colours and settings.  The light in the gallery created an atmosphere.  The lighting for the camera was at times set to compliment and not overpower the existing light sources.  Everything was created to give one quick tour of the gallery space highlighting Anthony Youel and his creations.

Anthony's creations are individual.  The exhibition at The Hide showed his work to a new audience.  The end of the show in Sheffield brought the artworks back to Thurgoland.  The reaction from the gallery visitors in Sheffield has inspired a new display at The Monkey.  He never ceases to create and display his work.

Anthony Youel at The Hide Sheffieldwww.flickr.com/photos/phhsykes/sets/72157649704389859/

Anthony Youel – Artist, Poet Visionary
www.facebook.com/MonkeyManAnt

Photos copyright 2014 PHH Sykes
www.phhsykes.co.uk

Heppo Art with Anthony Youel

At the end of his exhibition at The Hide gallery in Sheffield in December 2014 I was fortunate enough to be with Anthony Youel and to have a glimpse in the studio of Jason Heppenstall.  Here are a few of the pictures from that day.  The metal work on show attracted some great attention from those that I was with in the gallery.  Being in a workshop space where art is being created is always superb.  The many artefacts in the wok space were in themselves a great exhibit of the process of making art from found and created metal work.  The obvious high level of skills involved were shaping various pieces through various states of development.  The piece that brought most attention was stunning mermaid statue.  Her metal shapes are both sensuous and frightening.  Even set still in steel she is a true Siren whose devastating attraction is cold and sharp to the touch.  Her fork tine like fronds are kept under a chrome bumper bar now used a protective cover.  The steel of her figure catches and releases light in sharp contrast imitating the bright scaled body of fish.  HeppoArt was a wonder to behold and sea Siren's spell still washes over me in the returning tides of my memory.

Jason Heppenstall
www.jasonheppenstall.co.uk
www.facebook.com/HeppoArt
jasonheppenstall@hotmail.co.uk

Anthony Youel - Artist
www.facebook.com/MonkeyManAnt

Photos copyright 2014 PHH Sykes
www.phhsykes.co.uk

The Long Company Mummers at The Old Bridge Inn Ripponden

It was dark night with touch of drizzle from the skies, but in front of the oil lamps waited a brilliant surprise.  By torch light in procession played in by musicians came strange shapes all clad in fantastic guise.  There was King Christmas, Common Jack, The Doctor and Beelzebub, St. George and the Prince of Paradine, all gathered close in one covey to act and speak, to fight, to die, cure, to live again and all the time to mum and mime.

This is agreat living tradition being enacted around the winter solstice.  It brought brilliant ideas to life of the light that will return in summer.  It showed us what we can do in the dark nights of winter.  With flaming torches, musicians and wonderful actors all in an open theatre more often used as a car park this primal spectacle was brilliantly brought to life.  There are so many reasons that I could give to recommend this performance but the easiest way is to say that I enjoyed it and want to go back for more.

6th January 2015 The Old Bridge Inn, Ripponden, HX6 4DF

The Long Company Mummers

http://www.ryburn3step.org.uk/cms/?page_id=113 

Photos copyright 2014 PHH Sykes 

www.phhsykes.co.uk

Andrew Macpherson Photography and Time Travel

Please do not adjust your screens.  If you think that you have seen images like this released on the internet in 2010 then you are correct.  If you can see some startling alterations then you are further correct.  Links below will guide you to the initial photographic and written output.  If any other reasoning than time travel erupts to explain away these pictures then please dismiss it.  Just recently Andrew and I took a trip to Featherstone Castle and recreated some of the poses from 2010.  We used projected images to fix the positions but without patience, poise and balance our efforts would have failed in comparison to the success we have to show you here. 

It is just possible that my claims in the paragraph above are as fantastic as Andrew’s persona and I hope as well spun as his outfits.  As a storyteller and raconteur he is able to weave wonderful creations with words.  As a natural showman and bon vivant he makes entertainment in his world wherever he wishes to shine.  Taking these photographs was a true pleasure.  Andrew stepped into the studio space set up in the castle and performed for the lens.  He was a willing subject who performed rather than posed and took on any role to suit the request made of him.

These photographs were taken using two studio flash units. One was reflected on a silver brolly and the other was reflected on and through a translucent white brolly. The two light sources were set to gently overpower the ambient room lighting and to generate a crisp but warm light. I hope that the rich tones come through and help to show Andrew Macpherson’s finery in a fitting a light? These poses were set to the most amusing banter and I am pleased if the joy of taking these pictures comes through to you in the images presented here.

2014 Andrew Macpherson Master of Ceremonies

http://www.flickr.com/photos/phhsykes/sets/72157639518493675/

Andrew Macpherson further info

www.fuzzbomb.net/category/master-ceremonies

Andrew Macpherson Blue Room Studios Gnosis 2010

http://www.flickr.com/photos/phhsykes/sets/72157625493370090/

2010 Article on Blogger

http://phhsykes.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/andrew-macpherson-blue-room-studios.html

Andrew Macpherson Photography and Time Travel (2014)

http://phhsykes.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/andrew-macpherson-photography-and-time.html

Photographs ©2010 PHH Sykes

Text ©2010 & ©2014 PHH Sykes

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Fancies

www.phhsykes.co.uk

http://www.flickr.com/photos/phhsykes/

phhsykes.blogspot.com