| The Fabled Phoenix The mythical phoenix is a crimson, gold, and purple bird with sweeping tail and jeweled eyes. It lives in a distant garden of flowers and crystal springs. When its wings become heavy with age, the bird builds a nest of spices, herbs, and resin in the top of a date palm. The heat of the sun ignites the twigs, and the phoenix stands in the flames with outspread wings .The bird then burns to ashes. In cool starlight a young phoenix forms in the remains of its parent. The reborn bird rises with the rising sun and spreads its bright new wings to greet the day. It flies high with youthful strength, followed by all the birds of the air. Its own parent and its own child, the only one of its kind in the world, the aged phoenix dies and is reborn over and over again through all eternity. This version of the story is the most common in our time. The Western phoenix lives and dies in many ways in different versions, and its life cycle varies from story to story, from 100 years to thousands. The bird's legendary counterparts in China and Tapan never die at all, but live in the Land of the Immortals. From its ancient beginnings, though, the phoenix has always been likened to the sun. The shining bird of fable forever renews itself like the sun, dying fiery red at the end of the day and rising golden the next morning. Greatest of mythical birds, the phoenix is the triumphant symbol of rebirth and renewal of the human spirit. |
| My Phoenix series was inspired just prior to hurricane Katrina. This seemed unusual as every phoenix I've ever seen rises from the ashes of fire, but I felt compelled to paint these magical creatures rising not from the ashes of fire, but from the chaos of rushing waters. Being reborn from the destruction of water, rather than fire, seemed appropriate after the hurricane. Many of my paintings and drawings are inspired by unusual events before they take place. Having read tarot cards for over 15 years now, I know better than to ignore any premonitions. Much of my artwork is inspired by my own readings. |
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| Enchanted Images Art Fantasy Phoenix Page |
| Nor 'O' so quickly e'er, nor 'I' was written, As he took fire, and burned; and ashes wholly Behoved it that in falling he became. And when he on the ground was thus destroyed, The ashes drew together, and of themselves Into himself they instantly returned. Even thus by the great sages 'tis confessed The phoenix dies, and then is born again, When it approaches its five-hundredth year; On herb or grain it feeds not in its life, But only on tears of incense and amomum, And nard and myrrh are its last winding-sheet. Poetry of Dante Alighieri The Divine Comedy - Inferno |
| Emerald |
| Royal Blue |
| Mating Pair |
| Moonlight |
| Sepia |
| Sunburst |
