FOLKTALE WEEK 2021
MOON
I am Stretched on your Grave - Sinead O’Connor
“I am stretched on your grave
And will lie there forever.”
Sinead O’Connor is nothing short of badass. Remember when she used her big moment in the spotlight to call out the sexual abuse of children by the catholic church, effectively tanking her career in the name of doing the right thing?
As a young person, I held that moment in my pocket for when I needed guidance in how to make choices. On how to stand up for what I believe in.
DREAM
Dreams - Fleetwood Mac
“Now here you go again, you say, you want your freedom…”
I got thinking about the dream in this song - it’s not so much about the dream, but about the consequences. If the songbirds were free, would they have regrets? Would they miss the safety of being with Monster?
What would you do with your freedom, songbirds?
This drawing is about the origins of song - beautiful communication from one animal to another. I call it, “So That’s Where the Birds Come From”.
AWAKENING
Brutal - Olivia Rodrigo
“And I'm so tired that I might
Quit my job, start a new life
And they'd all be so disappointed
'Cause who am I, if not exploited?”
At seventeen, I didn’t know that was a question I had the right to ask. It’s the gateway to Awakening. Monster is ready.
FEAST
This Tornado Loves You - Neko Case
“My love, I am the speed of sound.
I left them motherless, fatherless.
Their souls they hang inside-out from their mouths, But it's never enough…
I want you.”
This song is a forever favourite of mine and reminds me of early motherhood.
Have you ever loved so fiercely that you’d destroy everything to hold onto it? A love that devours itself from the inside out.
Maybe it was for a child?
Maybe it was for something or someone who never belonged to you in the first place?
A destructive feast. It’s not a beautiful place, but it’s very real.
I feel uncomfortable with this piece. It feels difficult and vulnerable, and like it needs more work. But I’m sharing it anyhow as I believe we’re here only for beauty but for the muck of big feelings and process.
BIRD
The Barrel - Aldous Harding
“It’s already dead
(I know you have the dove).”
I’m not going to lie…I cried a few times while I was drawing this. These creatures have become like family.
RIVER
Suzanne - Leonard Cohen
“And you want to travel with her, and you want to travel blind…”
This song has always spoken of redemption to me, which seems fitting for this sequence of illustrations. If you’ve never heard Nina Simone’s rendition, you’re not yet living your best life.
SKY
We’ve Only Just Begun - The Carpenters
“Before the rising sun, we fly”
This may be the happiest drawing I’ve ever made. Things turned out ok for Monster and Birds.
