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BUNTALK: The Wild Domestic

Where there is light, there must be shadow, where there is shadow there must be light. There is no shadow without light and no light without shadow …

― Haruki Murakami

When I was 17, my interest in symbolism caught fire. It began in a literature class when I studied Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. I ran the gamut of that study from Biblical symbolism to feminine symbolism. I’m not sure how my American Lit teacher felt about it, but I am proud to report that I received the only “A” in the history of that class for that project. ::takes an overachiever bow::

MOBY BUN

In college, I discovered the works of Carl Jung and the concept of the collective unconscious. (The idea that we are all connected through an invisible cosmic web – communicated via symbols).

AT PLAY IN THE COSMIC WEB

This is when I dove head-first down the rabbit hole (so to speak) of feminine symbolism and archetypal journeys. Archetypes are:

In the psychology of Carl Jung, archetypes are the images, patterns, and symbols that rise out of the collective unconscious and appear in dreams, mythology, and fairy tales.

dictionary.com

Jung believed that these symbols originated from when we crawled out of the primordial ooze. It is a beautifully romantic way to explain why so many cultures all over the world (who never had contact and were oceans apart) have the same images and characters and mythologies. To put it simply, we are all connected.

RAGING

Fast forward several years when I felt trapped in my life’s circumstance. We have all been there. If not, you are either young or very blessed. It was a place of frustration, agitation and it was a bit dark. At this same time, Honorable Daughter #1 began bringing rabbits home. She would rescue/steal/accept/smuggle them. She would nurse and care for the sick, groom them, rehome them. To this day she has the heart of a rescuer.

DEFEATED

Lance, Russette and Sammy were the three rabbits that I would not allow to leave. These three are affectionately known as “The Olde Guarde”.

I grew up in a farm community surrounded by all types of animals. My observations, even as a child, taught me that rabbits are animals of prey and behave accordingly. House rabbits, after having all those years of domestication, still behave as such. So there I was feeling trapped and frightened … with rabbits.

The following are basic definitions. They are moreso concepts based in an Aesop Fable (The Dog and the Wolf) sifted through my filters of feminine archetypal insanity (It’s my journey I can do what I want):

THE WILD – Freedom to be your true self. Living in the cover of the forest tapping into who you really are. The subconscious. This self allows you to set boundaries without guilt.

THE DOMESTIC – The comfort of shelter, food and the guides of social norms. In its ideal, it guarantees safety and healthy boundaries. The conscious mind.

Each, however, has its shadow:

THE WILD SHADOW – Hunted, hungry, darkness, fear, lost (yearning for the domestic)

THE DOMESTIC SHADOW – Caged, victimhood, dependent upon others for survival, the collar digging into the skin/complacency (yearning for the wild)

Our goal in living with these archetypes is to bring them together to find balance. In my opinion, in that balance, we find our “home.” It’s a lifelong journey and we all bounce around now and again. and again. and again. and yet again.

I could very well relate to the rabbits as prey animals. I also believe that this projection gave me an exceptionally strong bond to and with them.

The illustrated journey, unbeknownst to me at that time, of making peace with the WILD v DOMESTIC archetype began.

This was the birth of Raging Bunnies.

As I broke away from my situation and managed some self-examination, the bond with my rabbits evolved along with my art. I began to appreciate the rabbits’ gift of bringing laughter, absurdity and healing into my life. Regarding the Secret Life of Rabbits was born at this time. Then the characters in the comic started revealing themselves (and continue to do so).

THE FIRST COMIC

The comic offers humor even in strife. The process is very healing for me. The fact that others are interested in it is humbling. And the longer I do the comic, the more I reveal parts of myself.

Now, I stand in a visible (and quite public) duality.
Wild (Raging) and Domestic (The Secret Life)

Lilith
Regarding The Secret Life Of Rabbits

Rabbits are timeless in their imagery. Not only are they recognized as symbols of fecundity and luck, but they are also symbols of the spirit world and rebirth; the eternal cycle of Life/Death/Life. Mortality and the hope for the eternal is a big theme in my Raging Bunnies artwork. Dark. Serious. Desperately attempting to preserve. It is an existential crisis in action.

Regarding the Secret Life of Rabbits shows the day-to-day, mundane, sometimes vulgar struggles but is always presented with the absurd. It offers a light-hearted look at life. I like that. And I will find something in every situation that makes me laugh (regardless of how inappropriate it may seem).

Together, you see my wild next to my domestic selves. One must always be able to express their wild. One must also realize boundaries are not always a bad thing. Reconciling the two brings peace. Through my work, I am “home.”

Sammy

I was asked to address the loss of Sammy. I have lost all three of my crew in the course of a year. They all lived long (and sometimes overfed) lives. Please know that The Olde Guarde lives on and always will. I even take offense when people refer to any of them in the past tense.

I honestly thought that when I lost Lance I would be devastated. He was my heart. Lance died in my arms and with his last breath I was, absolutely, devastated. Sammy was already in precarious health. He had horrific arthritis and was struggling but we were nursing him and loving him as always. The first night without Lance, he dragged himself over to Lance’s “spot” and just sat and groomed the floor. I witnessed him fade away. As you may, or may not, know – Sammy joined Lance within a month.

What I was not prepared for was how I felt at the time of Sammy’s departure. All of the Olde Guarde took on certain characteristics: Russette is a caretaker. She is curious and ornery but she is loving and slept at my feet. Lance is the wise protector standing guard by my bed and in the halls. Sammy, however – reflected some of my own neurosis and selfishness. It felt like I lost a part of my self.

When Sammy passed, I cradled him in my arms, turned into a corner and just wept; a painful ugly snot-filled cry. I would not let anyone touch him. Eventually, I was able to lay him down (still crying and petting him) for the Vet to take over. The experience was surreal.

Baskets are a womb symbol, a holder of life. They communicate spiritual joy and fulfillment. Baskets even sail saviors down rivers to be scooped up and adopted. Sammy loved his basket so much he ate half of it. This was his favorite spot.

GETTIN’ SOME SUN

And now …

*Presentation at Midwest Bunfest 2019

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Lance Update

The old man seems to be doing much better! Thank you all for the well-wishes! As I type this, he is devouring endive and pushing Russette out of the way. Well, pushing her out of the way the best he can. She’s a bruiser.

•The Oxbow Joint Support is a big hit with him.

•As of yet, there is no need for but baths. It is just getting his back foot INTO his ear that is the issue so far.

•Aaaaaand he just pooped right . outside . the . clean . litterbox.

He’s tired of my crap.


MINECRAFT
I absolutely love it when I hear from the humans. I love it, even more, when they share their stories, art, shenanigans with me! Veronica wrote expressing her son’s want to share his “RABBIT ISLAND” with me.

Let’s see: Rabbits + Minecraft = SO.MUCH.YES!

Minecraft Obsession

SILENT REFLECTION
May brought more loss this year. The month is always a time of transition but this year it seemed to be moreso than other Mays. A much-too-young friend of beasties (and humanity), who struggled much of their life, left this world. And left us to remember him.

And now there is a space.

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Of Love, Loss and Letting Go.

 

For my part I know nothing with any certainty,
but the sight of the stars makes me dream.
– Vincent Van Gogh

Grief is an odd thing, isn’t it? For me, this process is like an ocean washing onto the shore. Everything is calm then the tide starts to come in and before I realize it, I am standing in a puddle of tears. What could be considered even odder is when it is over a beloved little heartbeat that was once at my feet. But it is what it is and it is how I feel.

I believe that people can and do spiritually bond with animals. I believed this as a kid playing on the neighbors’ farms. I believe it today. The unconditional love that these beasties give transcends any of us. Animals just are. They are who they are supposed to be (given environment and temperament) and act accordingly. There is a light about them that I rarely find in humanity.  I was blessed to have the bond seemingly returned.

I also believe as creatures of the field (and sky and sea), they are perfect in creation therefore they return to the Creator. There is no dogma to sift through. There is no judgment. They are innocent. This may be considered a new age placebo or anathema or whatever. But it gives this old girl comfort.

In saying “good-bye” to Russette, I have accepted that it is probably going to be a life-long journey. I am not good at letting go by any means. I fight. I kick. I scratch. I cry. I will always have that Dutchie girl-shaped hole in my heart. Thank God my rabbits help make my heart large enough that it won’t collapse into itself. So … I am ok.

I wanted to do something to help the absence. I wanted to do something to – I don’t know – bring her briefly back? This is my project of love, loss and letting go.

Since Russette was always at my side during my arting adventures, it only seemed fit to do a piece of her. Of her leaving me.

She would run across freshly inked drawings and canvasses. She would steal pencils and paint brushes. When I would use a portable drawing board she would sit in my lap under the board. This was part of my process for almost a decade. This is the first piece that I didn’t have to go get another pencil or chase after that specific color pencil she ran down the hall and hid somewhere.
It was a lonely drawing.

RUSSETTE GIVING POINTERS

Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here is a favorite of mine. One afternoon the song played and that was it. An idea hit. Note that what I see in my head is NEVER what the final ever looks like. I just trust that the idea/imagery will take me somewhere.

I wanted a mixed media. Something that represented all the media that Russette spilled, chewed, stole, walked across: An organic element coupled with computer graphics.

She started as a pencil sketch on Dura-Lar with inked blues on the back. Acrylic inks and acrylic gel for texture are the front. Color pencils fill in some details. I really love the color pencil over the acrylic gel.

FABULOUS PHONE PHOTOGRAPHY

The above image/process shows the final steps.

After all was complete – I put it away for a while.

My concept of death is hopeful at best, terrifying at worst. As a kid I used to imagine “the cosmos” as the place of spirits. Mine were similar to Carl Sagan’s COSMOS – without all of the math. My cosmos are overwhelming, beautiful, engulfing and welcoming. Now came the computer part. Much was experimental. Much was me looking at old pieces and NASA photos. Some was me staring at the wall.

I represent death in my symbolic work with the white/greyish eyes.
Her heart-light took some thought and trial. But I like where it ended.
Circles are feminine and connecting.

Memories fade. I wanted to somehow represent that she was leaving. She was free. But she was also disappearing because the Earth doesn’t stop. The sun comes up and those left behind have to return to the Land of the Living. Returning to the Land of the Living sometimes feels like dying.

Go.
Happy travels until we meet again.

HOW I WISH YOU WERE HERE
Mixed Media

 

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WHICH WITCH



Myth is the primordial language natural to [the] psychic processes, and no intellectual formulation
comes anywhere near the richness and expressiveness of mythical imagery.
– Carl Gustav Jung
Be it known that I am not shy about sharing my horrific obsession with Mythic Arts and Symbolism.
Carl Jung is LIVID!

RAGING

I also go on familial adventures through ancestry.com. In these ancestral jaunts, I have found that I come from a line of interesting folk. One of which is Cassasndra Southwyck. She was a rebel Quaker among Puritans, was kicked out of the community for sticking to her Quaker ways and her children were put up for auction to pay legal fees.

Provided Southwyck was the first recorded white woman auctioned into slavery – except no one would buy her (There is a Country song in here somewhere). She married a Gaskill. The couple is documented in the infamous Salem Village Witch trials as witnesses against the charges of witchcraft. They tried to save lives. They didn’t.

The Gaskill line leads to more witchy shenanigans in the form of Pennsylvania Dutch Powwows (a Christian Healer/Conjurer). And that line leads to my Grandmother (a Powwow herself) who, well, leads to me (not a Powwow). In the course of all of this, I am also reading up on my Celtic Roots (My name sake and all), and the Midwifery/Witchiness involved. Apparently, these folks stick together.

ONE OF MY ANCESTORS?!

The symbolism for Rabbits and Hares is endless and fascinating. They represent the gamut of humanity. Different cultures focus on different aspects. In America’s past, Rabbits and Hares were considered “familiars” for witches. How appropriate!

A RABBIT AND A GASKILL

It is believed this “devil-connection” was surmised from the Celtic beliefs surrounding the little ones. My stronger Celtic interests provide more hare symbolism than I can write here. However, I want to share this gem:

In Ireland, it was said that eating a hare was like eating one’s own grandmother — perhaps due to the sacred connection between hares and various goddesses, warrior queens, and female faeries, or else due to the belief that old “wise women” could shape–shift into hares by moonlight…

It was believed that rabbits burrowed underground in order to better commune with the spirit world, and that they could carry messages from the living to the dead and from humankind to the faeries.

The Symbolism of Rabbits and Hares
by Teri Windling

I read the above quotes out loud in my living room and one of the other humans responded:
“You’re a shape – shifter! That explains a LOT.”
For the record, It’s called “Menopause.”

I dwell in a rather droll household.

So, you may ask (maybe you didn’t, but I digress), what is it Raging Bunnies takes away from all of this research?

Well… allow me to show you:

WITCH AND HER FAMILIAR
Yes, that is me and one of my lovies (modified pink Chuck Taylors inclusive)

For more on Mythic Arts, this is a fantastic place to start:
THE ENDICOTT STUDIO

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PRESS!

Local illustrator named to worldwide top 200 list
Written by Staff Reports | | news@toledofreepress.com
By Chase Will

After 20 years of honing her skills, local illustrator Penny Collins has been recognized as one of the Top 200 Illustrators Worldwide by Lüerzer’s Archive.
Lüerzer’s Archive is a bi-monthly magazine for the advertising industry, based in Europe with a global circulation of over 38,000 subscribers.

“I’m still on the ceiling with this,” Collins said. “I could not believe it when I got notification. Out of the billions and billions of talented people out there, and even in Toledo alone, to be picked for something like this is really great.”

“I love that she’s from Toledo. Out of everyone who enters, only about 20 percent are even from the U.S.,” said Claudia Coffman, chief executive of ad sales at Lüerzer’s Archive.

“We sent out a call for submissions for the illustrators and they submitted their work. It was free to submit and they could upload as much work as they wanted. We got over 5,000 submissions, which were judged by a five-person jury and had to receive at least three markings to be
considered.”

The painting submitted by Collins, titled “Save the Bunnies,” featured a bunny wearing a gas mask, sitting in front of a skull. It was created for a company in California who specialize in rabbit rescues. “It’s rather dark,” Collins said. “I ended up being inspired to do it for them because of the horror stories they would tell me about these animals.”

Collins runs Studio 566, where she sells her artwork and does commissioned pieces when requested. Her primary artistic focus is rabbits.

“What they tell you when you get into the ‘business’ is to find something you’re passionate about, because that’s basically what you’ll focus on for all your projects,” said Collins. “My next big project is doing a little cartoon strip with rabbits.”

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RUN, RABBIT

 

RUN RABBIT RUN is inspired by, if you haven’t already guessed, Pink Floyd’s DARK SIDE OF THE MOON’s song, BREATH. I supposed it is also an effort to balance out my piece, DARK SIDE OF THE BUN. There is a serious artist inside of here, after all… maybe.

Revisiting/Researching Art Deco, I found some magnificent poster work that distracted me for days, I decided to work with geometric shapes of the prism (triangle), circle and the “square” of the art board. As I work, I tend to also bury my head in study.  I knew I was going with Gold and black with the goal of printing on metal and having my standard Pink Floyd music in the studio – VIOLA!

I was nearly ¾ of the way finished when I discovered AWESOME cover art from the likes of UFOMAMUT (whom I had NEVER heard of). I was able to work the TITLE into the piece. Albeit tempted to use skulls and wings and naked ladies (Thanks to you UFOMAMUT), I refrained.

THIS… is a must look: UFOMAMUT POSTER ART

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APOCALYPSE

Apocalypse Meow [Cat Shit 1]

Based on the Apocalypse Meow Graphic Novel in 3 Volumes by Motofumi Kobayashi
(Yes, I have all 3)

As an illustrator and rabbit-lover, I cannot begin to express my overall nerdiness over this first release of CAT SHIT 1 from 2009. The plans are still in production for a 12 episode series. I was both horrified (for a number of reasons) and taken over by an overdose of “omg the bunnies are soooooo cute” all at the same time.


VIOLENCE – STRONG LANGUAGE

TRAILER

MOVIE TRAILER

Found this looking for the above

OMG THIS IS SO SAD
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BUNFEST 2014

RAGING BUNNIES / STUDIO566 just got the HOP AHEAD for the Midwest Bunfest 2014!
This event, sponsored by the Ohio House Rabbit Rescue, is one of the highlights of my year. All bunny people from all over show up to this event to share, show off and just BE all things rabbity.
This includes: health and welfare, rescue, Glamour Photos (they even make a calendar out of said shots),
treats, care, nick-nacks, art *ahem* and all-out celebration.

It is glorious to know that crazy bunny people have a peer group. I have made entertaining acquaintances
as well as life-long friends (and some of those friends are even the human kind).
I heart the Midwest Bunfest HARD.

Needless to say, I am excited!
This year for the 2014 Midwest Bunfest, Raging Bunnies is donating THIS for raffle:

18″ x 18″ Black Tote

My inspiration: Samuel L. Jackson (The “l” is for “LOVE“)

Sammy and his BA Buns of Anarchy Biker Jacket

If you are around during the 2014 Midwest Bunfest, stop by the RAGING BUNNEHZ table and say, “Hi!”
I always enjoy meeting everyone and hearing about their furry beloveds.

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Lürzer’s Archive Top 200

 


I am honored to have been chosen for the
Lürzer’s Archive Top 200 Illustrators Worldwide
2014/2015 Annual.

 RADIOACTIVE (SAVE THE BUNNIES) was chosen for the annual and is one of my favorite “bunny pieces” depicting a survivor-hare in the midst of a post apocalyptic crisis. The piece is clearly modeled after old WWII propoganda posters.

 The inspiration for this poster were the 100’s of “war-stories” told by rabbit rescuers. The purpose of the poster is to advocate the rescue and adoption of rabbits and was created, specifically, for the 2014 Midwest Bunfest to be held in Columbus, Ohio.

 Lürzer’s Archive is a bi-monthly magazine for the advertising industry and has been described as “one of the foremost advertising magazines in the world.”
 
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PROVIDENCE

Meanwhile… back at the ancestral ranch:

I was given a gift of ANCESTRY.COM some time ago. I have been tracing back everyone and their mothers – literally. I have come to find out that my roots go back to THE SALEM VILLAGE WITCH TRIALS.

Only, none of my relations were accused of the craft. My relations were Quakers. They were Quakers in the middle of a Puritan community. It seems the Puritans weren’t so tolerant after fleeing England in order to escape… you know… religious intolerance.

ASK A WITNESS

Lawrence and Cassandra Southwick entertained two Quaker preachers in their home. They also held some writings of those preachers. The Puritans considered this heresy. The Southwicks were fined, left in abject poverty and were summarily excommunicated from the settlement. They were never to return as it was punishable by death. Their two children were then sold into slavery (Daniel and Provided) to pay off the court costs/fines. Provided Southwick is listed as the only white woman ever to be sold into slavery. [http://www.sonofthesouth.net/slavery/history-slavery – Slavery Comes to America]

As fate would have it – she never did become a slave. No one wanted any part of it.

“…none willing to take them thither. One master of a ship to whom he applied, in order to evade a compliance, pretended they would spoil the ship’s company. Butler replied, no, you do not fear that, for they are poor harmless creatures that will not hurt anybody. The master rejoined, will you then offer to make slaves of such harmless creatures? and declined the invidious office of transporting them, as well as the rest. Disappointed in his designs and at a loss how to dispose of them, the winter approaching, he sent them home to shift for themselves till he could find a convenient opportunity to send them away.”

Provided married a man named Samuel Gaskill.

Provided spent her free time fighting heresy charges, protesting the intolerance of the status quo and relaxing in the town’s stockade on more than one occasion.

OH, HEY. JUST HANGIN’ OUT!

During the witch trials, a girl that Samuel’s parents had as a border (Abigail Somes) was charged and tried as a witch. Samuel Sr. was overlooked… but the Gaskill name stayed in the middle of the trials.

“You are in theire Majest’s names hereby required to apprehen and forthwith bring before us Abigaile Soames Single Woman, now Liveing at the house of Sam’l Gaskill in Salem; who stand accused of Sundry acts of #[Sundry] Witchcraft, (or high suspition there of) donne or Committed by her Lately. on the Body of Mary Warren & faile not

Dated Salem, May the 13’th 1692 P us
*John Hathorne Assis’t
*Jonathan. Corwin Assis’t

(Reverse) Abigaile Soames
I heave Aprehended the person of Abigall Soams Acordinge to warrante exprest on the other side and heave broughte hir to the how of mr Thomas Beadles pr me *Peter Osgood Constable in Selem

May the 13; 1692” (Essex County Archives, Salem — Witchcraft Vol. 2 Page 50)

The documents of the trials shows that Provided Gaskill signed petitions for the defense of John and Elizabeth Proctor.

“To Constable peter Osgood
“We whose names are under witten havinge several yeares knowne John Procter and his wife do testefy that we never heard or understood that they were ever suspected to be guilty of the crime now charged apon them and several of us being their neare neighbours do testefy that to our aprehension they lived christian life in their famely and were ever ready to helpe such as stood in need of their helpe

Nathaniel Felton sen: and mary his wife
Samuel Marsh and Prescilla his wife
James Houlton and Ruth his wife
John Felton
Nathaniel Felton jun
Samuell Frayll and an his wife
Zachriah Marsh and mary his wife
Samuel Endecott and hanah his wife
Samuell Stone
George Locker
Samuel Gaskil & Provided his wife
George Smith
Ed Edward: Gaskile”

Essex County Archives, Salem — Witchcraft Vol. 1 Page 28

So there it is. I am proud to present my 7ggm –
PROVIDED GASKILL – a rebel – standing for human dignity and what she believed.

Thank-you, Great Grandmother Provided.
We women of the bloodline still fight the good fight.