of cats and men at Halloween

I don't know how it escaped my notice until this year, that October 29th was National Cat Day. When decorating and photographing this spooky tree to celebrate Halloween this year, I debated on whether to use my cat painting (by local Atlanta artist, Ronnie Land) as a backdrop over this buffet table. Now I am glad I did—even though the setup is more complex than usual. Because many of R. Land's artworks are packed with hand-drawn imagery like this poster done for Atlanta's infamous Little Five Points Halloween Festival and Parade, it all seems to fit together quite nicely. I've never been a minimalist at heart. I like the discovery and surprise found only when many delightful things are vying for one's attention.

These magical and well-crafted mushroom ornaments by Wendy Addison, designed for Midwest CBK hang from a glittered Halloween tree from Target. I purchased the mushrooms from Bayberry Cove. The large "Christmas spider" ornament is an antique Czechoslovakian beaded ornament from my collection.

"Founded in 2005 by animal welfare advocate Colleen Paige, National Cat Day brings attention to the number of cats that need to be rescued each year. It is also a day for cat guardians to celebrate their own amazing cats." I truly like that "cat guardian" moniker, but I feel it is the other way around. I have always thought of cats as my guardians, or muses, or familiars, or warm and fuzzy companions. My father always loved cats and I have been lucky to have had many special cat companions throughout my life. I've only had one dog as a pet. All the rest have been cats. I love their peculiar nature and independent ways—I truly am a cat person, through and through. Don't get me wrong, I love all animals, but I can't escape the feeling that cats are superior creatures in many ways. The feline world and I have a magical understanding.

Frida, the tuxedo cat (left) and Abella, the Bengal cat (right) are my sweet guardians.

An assortment of cheeses, crackers and fruit are a visual and literal feast.

Cats, magic and Halloween all seem to go together. Add the creepy presence of spiders and earthy balls of moss and you've got a tableau that visually creeps and crawls in just the right way. Mushrooms add a touch of nature's magic that sets the mood for the season, along with an abundant cheese and fruit buffet, of course. And if you're lucky enough to have earned the trust of a cat or two, you're all set for Halloween's spooky route to the beginning of the end-of-year holiday season. Happy All Hallows Eve! 

This mushroom ornament is also by Wendy Addison, designed for Midwest CBK. A glass-glittered wire spider from Pottery barn adds a creepy, crawly touch.

The standard pot the tree was purchased in is dressed up with dried moss and an unusual tire pot by River Market Pottery in Kansas City, Missouri, adapted from sewn leather working techniques, but made from up-cycled rubber tires that had previously been bound for the landfill. The perky bronzed metal mouse sniffing for the cheese is from Pottery Barn.

©2012 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

collecting, photography and styling by Darryl Moland

woodland lessons two: a tale in two parts

WHAT MORE could there be to the history behind the decorated tree? What's the real significance of the custom of putting presents under an evergreen brought inside the home? How could reindeer fly and help Santa spread the good cheer? There are certainly a lot of customs surrounding the literal or metaphorical birth of Christ that are just accepted without question. I will give a little insight into some of the origins. 

NO  ONE  knows all the answers, but the more I read about the lore surrounding the Christmas holiday, the more interesting and resonant it seems to be. The associations with the religions of the world find their origins in the ancient shamanistic cultures predating Christendom. The best way to tame and convert "the heathens" was to adopt the customs of the Old World, forgetting that one day, the dots could be connected in the New World.

WHAT  IS  FOUND in nature inspired it all. The natural world holds the key. There is no denying, even though we sometimes think we have subverted it, we're finding more and more that we are integrally tied to Mother Nature. And in such profound ways that we can no longer ignore our place within its carefully balanced and sustainable systems. Mushrooms and their life systems are a huge part of this.

MUSHROOMS  have long been associated with the evergreen tree, being the literal presents found under it. The truly special ones can be found growing in symbiosis under arboreal trees such as pine, fir, or sometimes larch or birch. In Christmas ornament history and more and more in present day as we rediscover our holiday roots, you'll find red-capped mushroom ornaments dotted with white spots. They are also the mushrooms seen in fairy tales such as Alice in Wonderland. Such ornaments are representations of the lucky magic mushrooms called Amanita muscaria. Muscimol, the hallucinogenic component in dried Amanita muscaria (the raw ones are poisonous) is how the shamans of ancient cultures found "flight." The broadened spacial perception under their influence led them to think of the cosmic guidance while being pulled high above the world in their sleds by mushroom-eating flying reindeer was their contact with the collective consciousness of souls—their God—their point of contact with the gods and the dead. The ancient cultures and shamans of the world used this mushroom manna to help manipulate and open the mind, carefully protecting the wisdom found through their experiences of expanded perception to the masses, making them sacred individuals, which in turn gave the newer religions ground to convert the masses. The later symbolic gestures in religion leave out the actual element of nature.

ALL  OF  THE  associations of present-day customs surrounding the Christmas holiday with the ancient practices are interesting indeed—especially with logic defying mushrooms and the resulting broadening perception of the natural world and how humans first connected to the "Gods." For this alone, they truly are magic.

AS  A  MUSICAL  accompaniment to this post, I can't think of a better angelic voice to bring the old songs of the holidays new life, as is my mission with this blog to bring resonance and meaning back to the old customs of the holidays throughout the ages and in turn, asking questions about the origins of our current-day customs. Annie Lennox has always been one to bring a modern perspective to the old sounds that resonate with all of us. In this new album titled "A Christmas Cornucopia," a new song, titled "Universal Child" precedes the album made up of it and 11 traditional Christmas songs. She says (and I paraphrase her) "that while recording the album, I realized the songs have layers of meaning that are not necessarily only about the Christian interpretation. You can listen to the songs and hear the religious significance, but underneath it all, there is simply a humanistic message." I anxiously await this album as Annie Lennox is one of my favorite recording artists. The album will be released globally on November 15th, 2010. Watch this amazing video of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" here which bridges the origins of the holiday to modern celebrations.

MODERN MUSHROOM | (Top) Although this stylized shroom is not the traditional red and white lucky Christmas mushroom ornament, this spotted version from my collection has a personality all its own.The Amanita muscaria is a real mushroom (seen at right), not just the quintessential fairy tale toadstool. Poisonous in it's raw form, it takes a practiced individual (like someone who meditates or is attuned to more mindful traits) to discover any mind expansion in its psychoactive use (from what I've read).

SNAIL FOOD | (Above, center) Snails and worms hasten the return of the quick life of mushrooms back to the earth. During a woodland outing in north Georgia about a year ago, I found a wide array of mushrooms, picking up this snail along the way which posed perfectly for this shot. I haven't identified any of the mushrooms found, but plan to and I'll update my post when I do.

NATURAL COLLAGE | (Above, bottom) A beautiful assemblage of mushrooms I photographed on warm-hued pieces of scrapbook paper just after my lucky morning outing in the woods gathering them. These are the inspiration for the color scheme of the woodland tree. Once I identify the types of mushrooms, I will update my findings. (Below) The gills on the undersides of the mushroom caps create a beautiful textural study and illustrate the complex mystery of their short lives.
 

©2010 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, collecting and styling by Darryl Moland, photography by Harold Daniels Studio / assisted by Shawn May. Mushroom collecting, photography and styling by Darryl Moland.

Earth Day, every day

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE has become the mantra of the new generation. Earlier generations touted the three "R's" of  Reading, 'Riting and 'Rithmatic, but it seems that these bookish pursuits left out an integral part of our very survival as a living, breathing and carefully balanced part of the ecosystem called Earth. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that we have to take care of Mother Nature in order for her to return the favor. It has become painfully obvious everywhere you look. Nobody needs to be reminded about the oil rig explosion and still-continuing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which could become one of the largest environmental disasters ever. That happened this past Thursday, which was the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, a day first set aside way back in 1970 to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment. It's hard to believe that it has taken this long to get people used to the idea of infusing a sustainable way of living into everything they do. We have a daunting task ahead to save our environment, so we all must be more vigilant. As much as I consider such things, I'll be the first to admit I'm not always completely conscientious. But every little thing helps. Almost every large corporate entity has jumped on the "green" bandwagon, but it remains to be seen whether commerce can find its art again and arrive at truly sustainable ways to do business instead of the empty promises of "greenwashing" just because it's a good marketing idea. Yeah, the beautifully-designed sunny green and yellow BP logo is a lie.

WHEN  I  discovered the Totem Tree  from the Dutch company Kidsonroof, I thought what a beautiful way to get an environmental message across to anyone, especially the kids that will inherit the environment as it is or worse. (I bought my tree in the U.S. from a mail-order catalog named uncommon goods). The concerns we face in protecting our environment is symbolically like putting together the big "puzzle" that this tree provides. If you take the time to find a place for all the pieces, it will create something new and beautiful. And it will take nothing less than a complete paradigm shift in thinking to find that balance again.

THIS  TREE isn’t just a beautiful "puzzle" made from recycled parts (I've shown the process of putting it together in the photos above). It is a building set for the child in all of us. It is packaged as six flat die cut sheets printed on both sides with a beautiful mix of elements, which when punched out, create a set of over 150 colorful cardboard pieces. There are leaves, birds, a birdhouse, apples and mushrooms. From these pieces, one can assemble a playfully unique tree once the trunk is carefully assembled. Each cardboard piece is intricately printed with natural images such as plants and wood textures. Also in the mix are images of leaves layered with subway maps, crushed cans and other ephemera from our lives. The combination of art, craft and subtle reminders of the garbage we produce, make putting it together an interesting and thought-provoking challenge. The Totem Tree is made from recycled cardboard and (in the unlikely event you will want to discard it) is fully biodegradable. I plan to take mine to the office to liven up my space with it as a "living" sculpture.

EARTHY TOTEMS | (Above) The Totem Tree, when pieced together makes a statement all on its own atop a table by Thomas O'brien Vintage Modern from Target. (Right) At the base of the tree, I placed four small globe ornaments (three are reminiscent of vintage classroom globes) from the Home line at Target; the fourth one being from the 2009 ornament line from Pottery Barn (in tree photo above); a wooden box made from a tree trunk; three mushroom ornaments from my collection (an antique spun cotton mushroom and two newer clip-on ornaments); and a magical garden gnome ornament holding a mushroom. The mushroom ornament has always been considered a symbol of magic and luck. Maybe they're more than in helping in our efforts to save the environment:

Click on this link or click to play the video (below) of an amazing science lecture from mycologist (scientific studier of fungi) Paul Stamets who believes that mushrooms can save our lives, restore our ecosystems and transform other worlds.

©2010 DARRYL MOLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

photography and styling by Darryl Moland

Totem Tree by Kidsonroof