(9/18/2013 I have been having a lot of fun lately creating mixed media versions of the photomontage images from the shoot at the Uncommon Garden in Chapel Hill.

The Mixed Media images start with photomontage mounted on Birch wood panels, which I then embellish with elements of color,  paint and texture. These images and others can be viewed in the new Mixed Media Portfolio on my website.

In the weeks leading up to the Uncommon Garden shoot,  I read “The Swan Thieves,”  by Elizabeth Kostova,  which lead me to discover many artistic treatments of the myth Leda and the Swan. While the myth itself is open to interpretation,  I was struck by the powerful imagery that has been inspired by the story. In my version, the Swan has just touched down on a placid pond with two maidens settled on the bank. I hope viewers will revisit the myth itself and identify which elements resonate with their own experiences.

One of the newer additions to the Uncommon Garden is a stone dragon that breathes real fire.

This commanding dragon provided a perfect catalyst for a new story about a heroine who is on a quest where she has been confronted with an immense,  powerful beast.

Looking at this image,  one has to ask if the heroine has reached a resolution. Will she follow her companion into the cave or return to face the dragon?

We are all heroines and heroes of our own journeys who sometimes have to decide which path to take.