Neysa McMein

Neysa McMein (1888-1949) was an artist. She drew the newspaper strip Deathless Deer (written by Alicia Patterson Guggenheim), about an immortal Egyptian princess awakened in 1940s New York. She illustrated covers for magazines like McCalls and Saturday Evening Post, eventually becoming a well-respected portrait artist. She was commissioned to paint the first Betty Crocker portrait.

1936 - the first official Betty Crocker portrait

Action Figures, Tattoos, and Becoming a Superheroine

I had the totally brilliant idea for a new tattoo, something that would be meaningful, empowering and unique. Unfortunately, my husband failed to exhibit the appropriate levels of enthusiasm for my idea, but I'm forging ahead anyway because I think it's perfect. At Geek Girl Con, artist/writer Alina Pete of Weregeek had a sign on her booth that she does commissions. I told her my idea, asked her what she'd need for that, and she told me photos, and some ideas what I want to be wearing.

I think I'm going to have to create the whole alter-ego persona in order to give Pete the info she needs to do this. And I think it's going to be trickier than I thought...

I sketched the basic idea at the airport waiting for my flight to Seattle. After getting pretty discouraged with my ability to create a properly-proportioned figure, I gave up. Seeing Pete's sign was just the flash I needed, but now I still need to communicate to her clearly what I want. 

And this is why I need to commission an artist...
because that is wrong on so many levels.

A friend suggested I make a list of things I don't want. (For instance, I don't want a magic lasso, or the ability to stretch.) Narrowing it down that way might help.

But for now, I'm holiday-leveling lowbies in WoW while the laundry dries. Cheap and easy XP.

Science Is My Religion!

I am not a religious person. I do not consider myself among the faithful of any organized religion (or disorganized one). I have been, at varying times in my life, a Christian, a Pagan, an Atheist, an Agnostic*... and now, mostly I believe in Truth. I believe in the Scientific Method. Once I even said to some door-to-door god-botherers, "Science is my religion." (As an aside, I no longer find it necessary to be polite to people who bother me in my home, taking my time, when there's a sign next to the doorbell they just used that says "No Soliciting".)

So since I am not religious, I find it somewhat baffling that saints and icons are so fascinating to me. I once digitally altered a saint card, and presented it to my belly dance teacher. I was a little apprehensive; she is Catholic. Not only did she love it, but she showed it to her ma, who also loved it. No higher complement.

The only part of the original card I kept is the gold
border and halo medallion thing. The background photo
is one I took in Istanbul, played with in Photoshop.

So when The Mary Sue featured artists who work in the same genre as my St. Magda card, I was just tickled.

"Trinity" by Jska Priebe, "Super Marie" by French artist Soasig Chamaillard

Prieb's "Trinity" is part of a gallery showing, STELLAR: The Women of Science Fiction. Chamaillard's "Super Marie" is part of a series that appears to be called "Apparitions." She was blasted by Catholic faithful for her "sacrilege," but she responded with grace:

"Faith should be strong enough to remain unshaken by simple objects. I think they need to step back from the object and not forget that it's an artistic work."

It makes me want to find a bunch of cheap plaster Mary statuettes and go nuts... but I already have a project in mind for Wonder Woman. I just need to lay my hands on a bunch of old comics that I don't object to destroying.

*Either all of them are capitalized, or none of them are.