devilish or divine?

HALLOWEEN tricks or treats can be devilish or divine, respectively. But there's always an edge of one or the other with either—the good always comes along with the bad. Disguised blessings seem to be the rule—one has to stay cognisant of the bright side of things or the lesson learned. My beautiful Calico cat Luci (photo in this post) was diagnosed with cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) affecting her tongue just this week, so I'm greeting this holiday season with a grim perspective of how precarious life can be. I'm trying my best to keep in mind that I still have more precious time with her until that day comes. I try to find solace in knowing that she's fifteen—a ripe old age for a cat. Keeping hopes for the best, her future is uncertain. Cancer of this type is an insidious disease that is practically untreatable. As long as she is not suffering too much, I have her, but I won't let her suffer for my sake. I hope she'll let me know for sure when it is time.

HER NAME is actually Lucifur in longhand. In Latin, the name literally means "light-bearer." It is almost always used as a name for the devil (Lucifer) in Christian convention. The pagan myth of the fall of angels associated with the morning star was transferred and personified as Satan. But in my life with this incredible cat, I can't  begin to think of that name in a negative light. Some contend that Satan and Lucifer are two different beings. It's all mythology to me. Fallen angel or morning star, all I know is that my Luci has been a constant source of light for me and all those who know her.

ALTHOUGH a mischievious and playful kitten, she is quite a divine diva in her adulthood—and deservedly so. Instead of being a devil, she has always been a complete joy. She's the Cat in Man and Cat Omnidesign. Whatever amount of time she has left, she does and will live in my heart—a shining light and a true familiar spirit. She has become a part of my soul.

THE FRIVOLITY of the holidays is always balanced with things to spoil all the fun. St. Nicholas in Europe (especially in Austria) is accompanied by his companion Gruss vom Krampus (or Krampus for short), a devil-like creature with a long tongue (what a terrible irony with Luci's diagnosis). As St. Nicholas travels door-to-door leaving gifts for all the good boys and girls, Krampus deals with the ones who have behaved badly over the course of the year. Krampus is pretty harsh. He shackles the bad ones and stuffs them in a wood-staved pail on his back and carts them away, flailing them mercilessly with a switch from his birch bundle. The jolly, twinkly-eyed St. Nicholas is an American invention, patterned largely  on Washington Irving's tale of the good saint as chubby, pipe smoking and industrious figure. Irving was a member of the New York City Historical Society which promoted St. Nicholas as its patron saint. The writer Clement Clarke Moore's "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and the classic cartoon of Santa by Thomas Nast which illustrated Washington Irving's (under the pseudonym of Diedrich Knickerbocker) "History of New York from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty" popularized the modern form of Santa in America. This fictional history took hold and pretty much erased modern memory of St. Nicholas' discipline-dispensing companions. European traditions of St. Nicholas always rewarded the good and unleashed the punishment of the bad with his dastardly and devilish companions. 

ON THE EVE of St. Nicholas (December 5th), hordes of people gather in Austria and Hungary to participate in an unusual winter festival called "The Running of the Krampus" (or Krampuslauf). It is an Old World tradition in which young men dressed as Krampus are brought into town by the gift-giving St. Nicholas in his long robe, glistening miter (a bishop's hat) and carrying an ornate pastoral staff—and unleashed on the crowds. The furry Krampus costumes are largely handmade and elaborate, sometimes towering seven or eight feet tall. This all serves as a reminder to all that goodwill to all men and charity toward one another should be the modus operandi for all of us in the coming year.

MY CAT LUCI reminds me of all this with complete simplicity. All it takes is a nuzzle and a lick or a bite on the nose to let me know that good behavior is reflected back toward one in many unexpected and mysterious ways. One has to take the bad with the good. Love is as ephemeral as the morning star. Love bites, licks and is warm and furry. And regretfully, it is ephemeral in the end. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

DEVIL IN THE DETAILS | A publishing anomaly it seems (not available at this time), I found this beautifully-designed "Red Fire" edition Bible (above, right) at Ross on the clearance book shelf. It is a bit of cultural anthropology that illustrates the sometimes myopic and unwitting mistakes the culture of publishing makes, along with the sometimes desperate attempts to moving the young masses by modern religion (to make it "cool"). It is accompanied by a mouthblown and handpainted devil/Krampus head ornament by Inge Glas of Germany. Imagine a proselytizing barker standing on the street corner holding this Bible toward heaven and yelling out fiery words of hellfire and damnation.

KRAMPUS AND CAT | A valuable antique Krampus (probably German) scrap ornament framed by a circle of lametta tinsel is from the mid-to late 1800's. It is shown with Halloween postcards, one of which is postmarked October 28, 1908. The stalwart cat sitting on a fence and silhouetted by a full moon is a die-cut Halloween invitation from the Martha Stewart Crafts line at Michael's (2008). The small bumpy glass ornaments from Martha Stewart Everyday at Kmart.

KRAMPUS IN DISGUISE | An unusual candy-colored interpretation of Krampus (left) by talented illustrator Ana Bagayan is deceptively inviting (used with her permission). Her blog is here.

©2009 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, 

photography and styling by Darryl Moland, illustration ©Ana Bagayan

folk wonderworks

GOOD FOLK ART has a resonance that seems timeless and without a place—except in our imaginations. The pure and childlike simplicity (or complexity) of it combines a myriad of ideas in a friendly and accessible way. Santa Claus has always been the subject of folk art. His origins date back to a Dutch (Sinterklass) folk tale derived from the historical figure Saint Nicholas, who was also known as Nicholas, the Wonderworker because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession. Just as primitive art forms visually inform in the most sublime way, the verbal art of storytelling and oral history is passed from generation to generation. It is as if the gift-giving that Santa is known for starts with the spoken tradition of storytelling passed down to the next generation. It is interesting to note that modern Dutch life in the Netherlands heralds St. Nicholas Eve (December 5th) as a much more important holiday than Christmas.

WITH SO MANY varying stories about how and where Santa originates (depending on what country you're from and depending on which form of Santa is popular), it's no wonder one starts seeing Santa as early as Halloween (if not all year in some form). Living in Atlanta (home of the Coca-Cola Company), the ubiquitous American form of Santa in Coke ads helped shape his modern-day image. Although I don't condone kitchy Coca-Cola tree ornaments (why?), the well-designed World of Coca-Cola museum houses an incredibly interesting array of Coke ephemera, folk art and advertising (including a large array of Coke Santa illustrations and ads). To sell flavored, high-fructose corn syrup-sweetened water which is extremely bad for your health, the advertising has to be innovative. If nothing else, Coke is to be applauded for its cutting-edge advertising history. Born-and-raised in the American South, I was practically weaned on Coke-Cola (as true Southerners call it). There is nothing like an icy glass of Coke during the dog days of summer, although I try my best to steer clear most of the time.

IN THIS unusual, almost sinister-looking folk art figure that could be Santa, a snowman, Christmas or Halloween figure (above, right) is holding a pumpkin candy basket in one hand and a goose feather tree stem in the other, you see a wonderful amalgamation of the holidays right through Christmas, no matter what culture in which you learned about Santa. This little guy was so unusual, I had to bring him home. He illustrates such a wonderful and unapologetic folk art weirdness!

I BOUGHT a misfit candy container at a discount store that my friend David Schump retrofitted with a folk art Santa that he made (an incredible folk artist in his own right) from vintage trims and a rabbit fur beard and gave back to me (being re-gifted was never so good). He sculpted the face and hands from clay and painted them carefully. It was such a wonderful surprise to see what he had done (left). This little Santa has a similar effect on me. When looking at him, how can you help but smile and wish good tidings and cheer to everyone—whether Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas? The bubbles might burn your throat on the way down or even bubble up in your nose (like a Coke), but the sweetness will make it go down all right. Let the mash-up we call the holiday season begin! 

HALLOW'S SANTA |The Santa figure (Top) was distributed by Bethany Lowe Designs and originally made by an inspired folk artist Virginia Betourne of Trout Creek Folk Art. I bought it in Westside Atlanta at Star Provisions. 

FOLKSY GIFT |My friend David Schump (a fellow graphic designer) embellished this snowball candy container (Above) in a most sublime way. I'll cherish it for years-to-come. He even placed a surprise in the inside with red-and-white-checked pleated round with a die cut Santa head in the middle. 

©2009 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 
collecting, photography and styling by Darryl Moland