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TWPT:
Tell us a little about Abby Willowroot, your art background and who
you are.
AW: I am a Mom, an Artist, an Eclectic
Pagan, and a Solitary. I view myself as a folk artist, I am self
taught and have been earning my living as an artist since 1967. My
heart is gentle and my personality is sometimes abrasive. I grew up
in Massachusetts, a block from the ocean and that experience has
built an early and strong love of nature in me. My life has been full
of diverse experiences, it is interesting, complicated, painful and
joyous, all in all, a great time. I love French films, popcorn,
African Art, lilacs, nasturtiums, trees, rocks & minerals,
Alabama (the group), Annie Lenox, cold winter beaches, good acting,
and people who dare to be themselves. I believe that we are all
artists, and that creating art is our birthright as human beings. Art
is not about talent, it is about passion and courage, the courage to
express yourself, and the passion to do it honestly. Talent is a
bonus, but it certainly isn't necessary. "Artists are people who
refuse to surrender the crayons".
TWPT: What first inspired you to create
Goddess Art? Was there an inspiration to the Art/Idea?
AW: My dad was a successful artist who loved
to look at better artists work, so I grew up spending every Sunday
for about 14 years in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. They have a
fantastic Goddess Collection. I spent hours staring at the Ivory
Minoan Goddess, with her golden ornaments, and at the Venus figures,
and Babylonian lions, and Isis images and Greek carved stones of
Muses and Fates. So, from the time I was about five years old, real
Goddess images were part of my ordinary experience. Perhaps that is
why I am so passionate about the power of tangible Goddess imagery,
and why I advocate creating it everywhere. I know how seeing it can
positively effect a child, I was one of those children it enriched.
Maybe all those years ago, is when the seeds of the Goddess 2000
Project really started to stir in my head. I just needed to wait for
the Internet to make it all possible. LOL
TWPT: When did the "Spiral Goddess"
Web site first go "on line" as an idea?
AW: In early 1997, but much of the artwork
on the website was done earlier. My sons and I produces a
"Goddess Guide " laminated information sheet in the early
90s. That was the first "visual outreach" that grew into
the Spiral Goddess Grove and the Goddess 2000 Project. I wanted to
make Goddess information available in a way that conveyed both the
information and a sense of the sacred that was accessible and enjoyable.
TWPT: The art on your site, the wonderful
graphics that compliment your material so well, are these created by
you to work with the material on your site, or does the material flow
from the graphics?
AW: They are the same thing, saying the same
things. One is visual the other verbal. I build the pages "in
flow" without pre-deciding what graphics will be used, or
exactly what I will write. If I find that a graphic is needed that I
don't already have, I stop and create it. This is why the pages seem
to flow. Nothing is forced to fit, each page grows organically,
sprouting artwork like buds on a plant. Some of the most wonderful
images, like Night Mother, and the Goddess Grotto images, were
created by my oldest son Thomas.
I always
know what I want to say, but am often surprised at the way I end up
saying it. These pages are a sacred space for me, and I hope, for
many other people too. They are intended to honor the Goddess and
also to honor everyone who views them. My son Sam has helped me to
see through others' eyes and understand that we are all different,
and the same. Love those paradoxes.
TWPT:
Tell us a little about the flow of your site, the layout. Was this
the way you envisioned it?
AW: Yes, but it is always growing. There are
a number of new pages that will be added over the next couple of
months. I wanted to create a website that was "organic" and
not just another linear page with info and pics stuck in the same old structure.
TWPT: I see many Spiritual Paths covering
the Goddess in your site, making it very eclectic. Your work also
lends itself to all paths. Was this intentional or did it evolve this way.
AW: Yes it was intentional. Our diversity
spiritually, racially, culturally and aesthetically is what makes
humanity so wonderful. It seemed that many pagan sites I visited were
"way too white" for my tastes, and under represented other
cultures. I am not talking about Celtic or Asatru sites that speak to
a specific ethnic history. I mean Pagan sites in general, where I
seldom saw a black or brown face, never saw Asian faces and saw far
more maidens than mothers and crones.
I wanted to create a website where people
would see themselves represented no matter what their race, age,
gender, culture, or tradition. The Goddess is from all cultures, each
expression of Her essence is unique and rich. I believe that there is
no "one right spirituality or faith" Just the one that is
right for you, and I hope the website reflects that openness of spirit.
TWPT:
Could you tell us a little about your art in general? I know some of
your art is on display and has been used in various media.
AW: My
art has been focused on the Goddess since 1971, primarily in jewelry
and small sculpture. I am both a fabricator and caster, working in
silver, gold, bronze. I also like to work in porcelain, wood and
plaster. I showed my work at the Michigan Women's Music Festival for
many years, and at the California Renaissance Pleasure Faires (No.
& So.), showing Goddesses, one of a kind Magic Wands, Dragon &
Fae sculptures and mystical amulets. I currently do very few shows,
preferring to concentrate on the artwork itself.
My artwork has appeared on SageWoman
Magazine's cover, the book Queen of Swords by Judy Grahn, and in many
issues of WomanSpirit.
TWPT: The
"Goddess 2000 Project". Tell us a little about your
involvement in this, some history and the ideas behind this wonderful project.
AW: There is a page that explains this at
the website (www.goddess2000.org) "Birth
of the Goddess 2000 Project",
and I'm not sure I can do a shorter version. The idea for the Project
had been formulating itself in bits and pieces for a long time, but
it crystallized and all came together on full moon in Dec. 1998. I
made a webpage that night, sent out press releases and thanks to lots
of wonderful visionary Pagans, it happened! There is just so much
support from the Pagan Community for this Project that I knew it was
meant to be.
TWPT: I
see you have posted on the "Goddess 2000" site some of the
wonderful art created by all sorts of people and mailed to you.
Could you tell us about the feedback you are receiving and how
you feel this whole project is moving along?
AW: The feedback has been terrific. People
are expressing themselves in so many different ways! The artwork is
more beautiful than it looks on the web, since we cut down file size
for faster page loading. We are working together to create a visual
language of contemporary Goddess Culture, and each expression of that
is precious. Each week more artwork is added from participants. We
are saving the all the participants' artwork to CD Rom.
TWPT: So,
what next after 2000? Any new projects we should be looking for?
AW: The Goddess 2000 Project will be
continuing through the year 2000 and into 2001. We have such a
wonderful international network of creative and enthusiastic folks
that many exciting projects are beginning to come together. Next year
there will be several traveling Goddess Art Shows and several
performance pieces are in the works. We are hoping to work with Pagan
Festivals around the country and abroad to show work, stimulate the
creation of more Goddess imagery, earthworks and the building of
Goddess Temples. These are very exciting times and what people are
doing around the world to honor the Goddess is just amazing.
TWPT: Other
than on the net, where else do you display your art? Do you do
exhibits or shows that we can look forward to?
AW: LOL, is there life outside the Net?
I am currently working on a series of bronze sculptures that
will be shown in the fall of 2000. Working in Oils is also a part of
the new imagery I am creating, but it is too early to tell you much
more about it.
JBL Statues aka "Sacred Source"
will be offering 3 of my sculptures in clay this fall, with a
percentage going to the Goddess 2000 Project. They are a Spiral
Goddess, a Crone and a GreenMan wall piece. My jewelry is also on the
web and in a few Pagan stores. The Project has really taken up most
of my time this year, and I look forward to doing more artwork in the
coming months. Some of my metalwork can be seen at http://www.goddess2000.org/AWArts.html
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