Sunday, March 22, 2015

Shalimar the Muse


The past two weeks you would have found me very busy in the studio.  Diligently working away to get it just the way I want it, it is still only a partially defined idea in my head.  It evolves from day to day just as any creative project does, determined by the process and what I have on hand, and what my feelings are telling me. I try to think something out ahead, then revise and re-think as I go along.  It works for me, but at times it is frustrating because of snags along the way.

Something I decided months ago, was that I needed NEEDED to have a bust to display
jewelry on.   I bought a plastic form at the local flea market for $5!  Can't beat that, but they can be found online for $7 new +shipping.  Originally, the plan was to decoupage old sheet music, floral papers ...??? and use it as a necklace display for photos.  That idea changed drastically when I saw a Pin (sorry, it came and went) that stuck in my head, of an artist's rendition of a goddess.  She had a few strands of curly hair that looked as if they were snatched from a Saint Bernard, and a vintage vamp face with a lace tiara.  I loved that crazy lady and had to try to re-create her for myself.  For a very long time, I have had a Boho/gypsy muse who whispered to me that her name is "Shalimar," a mysterious name that might mean "abode of love" or ...something else.  It is a contrived and decimated Hindi word that apparently would be described as slang in English.   Shalimar dances around a fire of creativity.  In the Chinese Five Elements, Fire represents passion ...having your heart in all you do.  That is exactly what I want for my studio, and I am listening to my muse.



2 comments:

  1. Shalimar - opening doors to many wonderful impressions. My mother used the Shalimar fragrance created by Jacquer Guerlain. The original bottle designed by Cristalleries de Baccarat (#597) is still in my possession. When visiting the Taj Mahal in India a few years ago, I remembered that Guerlain had been inspired by Mumtaz Mahal, the woman for whom the Taj Mahal (India) and the Garden of Shalimar (in Pakistan) was built in 1641 (http://tribune.com.pk/story/327000/the-meaning-of-shalimar/). Now I have one more beautiful impression for the word - Abode of Love. And your beautiful picture in this post becomes inseparable with this interpretation.

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    1. How wonderful to start my day seeing your lovely words. My mother also wore Shalimar from time to time. Her occasions for scents were few and far between except for dusting powder, which she used on a daily basis. I tried it a few times, but didn't really like powder all over. Now, if I wear a scent you can bet it will be an essential oil.

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