"Celestial Joy" by Carol Alleman, Bronze, 2011

By Carol Alleman

in an edition of 36
20.5″ h x 14″ w
cast bronze vessel

Please contact Gallery MAR for pricing inquiries

Celestial Joy invites us to witness and join the hummingbird’s dance of joyfully giving, receiving, perching [resting] and trusting. Coupled with the peaceful purity of the orange alpine lily, the vessel glows with a delicate, wide open invitation to live in complete celestial joy, peace, love and trust.

Celestial Joy was born with the union of the delightful, flame colored, wild alpine lily and the female, black-chinned hummingbird.  Commissioned by a couple living in the Lake Tahoe area, the orange alpine lily was a perfect choice for their classically shaped vessel. One of the most frequent and beloved visitors of these lordly lilies of the Tahoe area, is the black-chinned hummingbird.

From the artist, Carol Alleman, “I reflected on the natural beauty of the peaceful wild lily. So often I get distracted with what I shall wear – beyond a practical degree. The lily of the field reminds me that my most worthy garb – always – is the mystical spirit I allow to purely envelope me and radiate around me no matter what my physical garb. There is nothing wrong with wearing quite beautiful clothing, except to the level of distraction from our own inherent, mystical, natural beauty.”

Celestial Joy stands  20.5” tall (14” wide), with 12 stems of wild orange alpine lilies, and 3 female, black-chinned hummingbirds. The female hummingbird was chosen to represent the importance of the feminine energies currently being birthed in new ways in our world. The edition size is 36 (3 x 12). This symbolizes the divine trinity of 3 coupled with a highly tribal number (12) of humanity or the cosmos, while mirroring the 12 stems of lilies and the 3 hummingbirds on the vessel. The edition size is also intended to be symbolic of completion (the number 9 as with 3 +6). To some, the number 12 also represents a number of completion. The companion poetry of Celestial Joy is 9 stanzas, with 4 lines in each stanza equaling 36.  I, as well as, many teachers and leaders believe we are nearing the end (completing) of a huge phase of humanity while growing into (hopefully) a very new, higher and peaceful level of conscious living. The energetic joyful loving of the hummingbird is symbolic of the chosen divine attributes for this transition time on our journey – the attribute companions of joy, love, mutuality and trust. She invites all of us to choose, and to trust joyful loving and peaceful  living.

“Seeds of Harmony,” in an edition of 45, is Carol Alleman’s new sculpture in her “Tree of Life” series.

Bronze bowl (easel optional), 3.25″ h x 16″ w, current price $ 4,800

Seeds of Harmony is a broad open bowl presenting nine pomegranates and a golden serpent subtly intertwined among the ripened fruits. Seeds of Harmony speaks of the potency of current times and opportunities for transformation (symbolically the serpent). The six-sided pomegranate represents harmony and abundance – a call to create abundant harmony in our lives.

Seeds of Harmony was inspired by the rich, beautiful and unique pomegranate fruit.  It is published that each fruit holds an average of 600 ruby-red seeds. That’s an incredible amount of potency!  The sheer abundance of this inspiring fruits’ seeds is enough to cause anyone to pause in great wonder and awe.

The subtle serpent weaving among the branches of the pomegranate echoes a message of transformation and of growth.  It speaks of shedding/leaving the old behind and growing into a new ‘skin’ – a very new way of moving in this world.   What is it, I asked, that needs to die in my life to create space for something far more harmonious to be born? I remain hopeful we are collectively moving rapidly toward a place of realizing absolute harmony.

The edition size of 45 was chosen as a derivative of the number nine.  Nine is symbolic of completion.  We are in the healing process of ‘completing’ a huge transformational and profoundly vital change in the manner in which we live, consider and act – individually and collectively.

A complete viewing of Carol Alleman’s bronze works and writings, including Seeds of Harmony, are available for viewing at www.gallerymar.com. Enjoy the poem below, an accompaniment to the bronze work.

SEEDS OF HARMONY

Ruby-red inside out

pointed, star-shaped crown

marks the place of your

wondrous blooming birth

six sided rounded one

declares intent

for unending harmony

calling us to birth it with you

six hundred ruby seeds

nestled in your skin

six hundred ripe possibilities

something fruitful being born

six hundred hungry opportunities

for new ears and eyes

leading the way

for transformation

and harmony

red – red – red

blood of death

blood of birth

blood of growth

hopeful pomegranate nurtures

the awareness of our inherent abundance

with potent seeds of transformation

Seeds of Harmony

© 2010 Carol Alleman

Gallery MAR is pleased to announce the newest offering from the Carol Alleman Studios, “GARDEN OF PROMISES.”

Garden of Promises, Carol’s first consort of bronze work, is comprised of five, individual crocus vessels (including Promises and Golden Promises, the seeds and inspiration for Garden of Promises). Each season brings its own unique and necessary gifts to our lives, and so it is with the Garden of Promises. The promise of each season being one of potency and perfection.

Each vessel stands 6.25″ high by 4.5″ wide, offering an intricate and unique patina. The vessels may be purchased as a complete set or on an individual basis. There is a notable savings with each subsequent vessel purchase within the Garden of Promises, the greatest being realized when purchasing the complete Garden all at once.

Prices are available by calling the gallery. 435.649.3001

As with all of Carol’s magnificent bronzes, these have their companion poetry, inspiration and research facts which are available upon request. The entire body of work by Carol can be viewed on our website.

These would be a stunning addition to any collection and a unique presentation.

The visual arts and informal writing have been life companions for Carol Alleman. Upon locating to Tucson, Arizona in 1994, she discovered clay while exploring the mysterious desert landscape. Immediately she began digging her own clay and experimenting with slab, coil, and a variety of hand building techniques. Since then she has continued to explore the infinite dimensions of clay, water-based and oil, considering herself largely “self-taught.”

In late 2001, Carol expanded her work into the bronze market choosing her vessel forms as her entry work. Today she continues to develop the bronze cast “Tree of Life” and “Nature Series” of mystical, organic vessels. Both series reflect a visual and narrative imagery of her personal intimacy with the powerful energy, spirit, and symbolism of trees and nature. Companion writings accompany her work.