My concept for "Monkeys of Compassion" was inspired by the smiling monkey faces that are the main focus of each piece.  I wanted to create works that remind the viewer to be aware of compassion and goodness in humanity.  The "Monkeys of Compassion" evolved from the idea that, to me, the well known Three Wise Monkeys represent fear.  The world needs to move beyond our fears and respond with compassion.  Courage, kindness, and passion are just a few examples of the strengths of humankind. 

A spiral motif is the dominant design element.  The spirals are made with fortunes from fortune cookies I've been collecting for twenty plus years and three years of collecting Sunday horoscopes representing all twelve signs of the Zodiac.  The messages are slightly obscured, dispensing advice is not my goal, the viewer will gravitate to the words or not.  Placements of random found objects, toys, jewelry, buttons, game pieces and more, compliment the spiral.

"Monkeys of Compassion: Courage"
"Monkeys of Compassion: Kindness"
"Monkeys of Compassion: Passion"
17" x 17"
Assemblages
Materials include:
Vintage buttons from my Mother's collection
Vintage jewelry from my Mother In Law's collection
Fortunes from 20+ years of collecting
Sunday Horoscopes from 3 years of collecting
3 Dashboard Saints from El Santuariò de Chimayó
3 Vials of healing dirt from El Santuariò de Chimayó
3 Small raku offering bowls created by Peggy Zask
Found toys, rusty nails, beach rocks, monkey doll face, game pieces, and more
Vintage Angels wrapping paper
Glue
Gesso
Texture Paste
Mod Podge

The National Gallery of Oslo houses an amazing collection of works by Norwegian Artists working in the Romantic style.  Also, an enormous collection of works by Edvard Munch.  Finally seeing on of Munch's versions of "The Scream" in person.  He created 4 versions of "The Scream", Munch's title is Der Schrei der Natur (The Scream of Nature).

Seasons of Influence; Spring is the first of four self portraits.  Each piece will bring together multiple influences and elements of my life.  This first completed piece includes my earliest icons. Top left, Petula Clark's song "Downtown" was one of my earliest favorite songs.  Top right, Clark is followed by Nancy Sinatra's song, "These Boots Are Made for Walkn".  Bottom left, an icon of the '60's, Twiggy was THE fashion model of the times.  Bottom right, from the live action show, Batman, that looked like a comic book come to life, Catwoman played by Julie Newmar was so mysterious and sexy.  

The Yoga Series, below, was originally inspired by my Goddess studies and interest in symbology. The Yoga series informs the Season of Influence series. Conceived in 2008, I combined pencil drawings of women in Yoga poses with healing flowers, my own digital landscape photography and the Stupa.  Each flower speaks to varying aspects of soul, healing, spirtiuality and sensuality. Each part of the Stupa represents different elements and stages of consciousness.

​

Recommended Reading:
The Color Encyclopedia of Daylilies by Ted L. Petit & John P. Peat
Flower Essence Repertory by Patricia Kaminski & Richard Katz
Goddess -  A Celebration In Art and Literature Edited by Jalaja Bonheim
Power Mudras - Yoga Hand Postures For Women by Sabrina Mesko
Goddesses in World Mythology - A Biographical Dictionary by Martha Ann & Dorothy Myers Imel
Goddess - Myths of the Female Divine by David Leeming & Jake Page
The Crone - Women of Age, Wisdom and Power by Barbara G. Walker 
Goddesses in Every Woman by Jean Shinoda Bolen

Inspiring Works
The Vision and Art of Shinjo Ito www.shinjoito.com  Incredible exhibit was in Westwood CA in 2008, unforgettable works by Shinjo Ito. 

When I was 4 years old, I had a dream I was playing in a sandbox, with several other children, inside a cave.  Suddenly, my family was driving away in a station wagon.  In a panic, I jumped up and tried to run out of the cave, I did not want to be left behind.  The cave exit was blocked by an enormously tall and hairy man.  I woke up terrified. The year was 1962, the next morning my family moved to Saigon, Viet Nam.  Years later I realized the giant hairy man was Bigfoot.  I believe his presence in the dream was as a warning to proceed with caution. 

As an adult, my relationship to Bigfoot is archetypal.  Bigfoot represents my hermit archetype. As an artist, we need time away from distractions, society, events, the normal activities of most people, in order to do our work.  Bigfoot represents the recluse, living a solitary existence, venturing out when he runs out of booze and smokes.  He is elusive by choice, answering to no one.  "Bigfoot's, Big Mouth" explores the themes of isolation, addiction and urban decay with a dose of humor and nostalgia.  

The assemblage frame for "Bigfoot's Big Mouth" is made of pieces that Big Foot, the character in my creation, found in the woods and on the fringes of society.  He is fascinated with the objects that humans give so much value too.  He is equally fascinated with the objects we discard without a look back.  I've created a frame by choosing every piece to reflect the mind set of the subject of the piece.  This frame embodies its subject, Bigfoot, in reality.  I set the objects, one by one, to expand the story of his journey.  What was hidden is now revealed. 

May 22, 2016 Curator Wendy Sherman and Artists Talk at Hearsay: Artists Reveal Urban Legends Losjocos Gallery DTLA 2pm Cartwheel Art Tours - Tickets and more info

​LosJoCos Gallery Hearsay:Artists Reveal Urban Legends 

Odds and ends from my framing collection

Cast of a Bigfoot print that was cast in 1963 in the area of the famous Patterson-Gimlin film.
- bigfootcasts.com

Research Websites
http://www.bfro.net/
http://www.manataka.org/page1487.html

View my studio in 360, click on the link to go to 360 image, click on image to load in full 360.  
All paintings and assemblages by Snow Mack except two abstract paintings, collabs with husband, Kevin Mack.  
https://goo.gl/photos/WaVGGCaDWiM4h9er6

 Stills from my talk "Living with Creativity" at THU 

In September 2015, I went to an event in Portugal called Trojan Horse was a Unicorn.  This incredible event at a resort in Troia will remain one of the most memorable trips of my lifetime. "Trojan Horse was a Unicorn is a unique four-day Digital Art Rave.  The 3rd installment happened in Portugal from 15 to 19 September 2015. A prestige event for Producers, Animators, Game Developers, Concept Artists, All Around 3D generalists, VFX people and all manner of CG professionals and just the curious folk out there."
I went to THU to be a mentor and share my knowledge about art and working in VFX.  I gave a talk titled "Living With Creativity", preparing for the talk gave me so many insights into my own art practice.  
I gained so much more than I gave. I met so many wonderful people; both seasoned Art professionals and enthusiastic and talented students.

Every day the schedule was packed with talks from artists at the top of their game, talk show style interviews and hilarious and insightful fireside chats in the evening followed by live Art Battles.
Through amazing foresight and planning, all of this was captured by incredible teams and live streamed as THU TV. All of the knowledge, inspiration, career advice, technical tips, lessons learned and shared by seasoned artists are available from THU TV on Vimeo.  98 videos including my talk, "Living with Creativity" are available as a subscription.  

The event was held at the Troia Design Hotel, a dreamy location for a transcendent event. 
In addition to participating in THU events, giving talks and being interviewed for a podcast by Christopher Nichols of Chaos Group and Ian Failes of FX Guide, my husband Kevin Mack and I shared his virtual reality art demo Shape Space VR.  We made many life long friends.  I feel I gained so much more than I gave. My creative spirit is rejoicing with abundant energy and feeling synergy with the THU Tribe that resonates to my core.  Thank You THU! 

THU Trailer: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thu2015/143196152

THU on Vimeo - https://vimeo.com/trojanunicorn

Podcast with Christopher Nichols - Chaos Group - October 26, 2015
https://labs.chaosgroup.com/index.php/cg-garage-podcast/cg-garage-podcast-44-kevin-snow-mack/

Review by Ian Failes - fxguide.com - September 19, 2015
http://www.fxguide.com/quicktakes/trojan-horse-wrap-up-abstract-vr-perception-juice-d-up-titles/

​Virtual Reality Art by Kevin Mack - ShapeSpaceVR.com
Kevin Mack's Art website - KevinMackArt.com

Images from the Trojan Horse was a Unicorn event 9/15/2015 - 9/19/2015
All photos by Snow Mack except where noted

Images from trip to Troia Design Hotel, Portugal 9/15/2015 - 9/19/2015
All photos by Snow Mack except where noted

Having fun in my studio, capturing scenarios for future paint projects. 

Photographer: Lee Clower
Art Director for Phyllis Morris: Greg Firlotte
Design and Digital Paint: Snow Mack
Architectural Digest campaign 2005-2008

"Witch Dorothy, The Journey From Maiden to Crone" is a self portrait series that began when a pair of ruby slippers arrived from wizardofozcostumes.com.  From the first photo I shot, I was intrigued by my strong feelings of nostalgia and wonder.  Black and white striped stockings always remind me of the Wicked Witch of the East from the 1939 classic film "The Wizard of Oz".  One never sees this Witch's face, only her stockinged feet curling back under Dorothy's house after it fell on her!  The Ruby Slippers are the talisman that saves Dorothy.
As an artist, I desire to evoke the qualities of the Goddess in my work.  I am influenced by "Goddesses In Every Woman" written by Jean Shinoda Bolen.  Her insightful book explores the aging process through stories of the Goddesses.  At 56, closer to Crone than Maiden, I envision the "Witch Dorothy" series as a self portrait that defies age.  The journey is both physical and metaphorical; the iconic imagery draws the viewer in.  My hope is that at every step along the path, I will gain the wisdom that comes with experience and continue to know the girl in me.  

"Witch Dorothy" is an ongoing project.  The journey began March, 2014.  Images available as Fuji Chrome Prints through the artist.  

Locations so far:
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Fort Worth, Texas
Tucumcari, New Mexico
Flagstaff, Arizona
Taos, New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico 
Will Rogers State Beach, Pacific Palisades, CA

Model:
Snow Mack

Photographers:
Snow Mack 
Kevin Mack 
Dana Burgy-Gautschi
Jonathan Mack

In January 2014, I got a cell phone with a standard cell phone camera capable of taking HDR photos. I took more photos in 2014 than in many years with my digital camera.  Driving across the country and living in Baton Rouge, Louisiana inspired me to rely on my phone to document a wide range of visual inspirations.  My motto is "Stop a moment to take a photo.".  My trip to the Harwood Museum of Art in Taos, New Mexico in September was hugely inspiring.  Even the daily routine of walking with my dog in Los Angeles, has given me reason to pause and compose a shot.  Here is a random sample of photos from the past year, one from each month.   I am looking forward to refining several photographic series and continuing to flow with the inspiration.  Happy New Year 2015!