A Fanciful Figure Study: Penelope Ponders

Here's Penelope. Pondering for mysterious reasons:

Sasha's Place arrives!

Here's a newly completed fanciful figure study, Sasha's Place:

Prismacolor oil and Derwent watercolour pencils on black paper by Jude Cowell.

There's an Eye on the Wall!

Somewhat on the Egyptian side, here's a concoction entitled,

Eye on the Wall:

New! A Portrait of Aubrey

It's A Portrait of Aubrey for you!

'Aubrey' is inspired by past drawings that once filled my now-shuttered art gallery Cosmic Persona Designs. I miss the gallery, its 'Mask Art' and other imprints such as Cosmic Lilith Art, Boudoir Blossoms, and Chiffonery Art by Jude Cowell.

C'est la vie!

~:~

Now Appearing on Neptune's Silver Screen: International Beauty Catherine Deneuve.

Curious Night by Jude Cowell

Here's my first completed drawing of 2020, Curious Night, a Fairy Art concoction of pencil on paper:

(c) Jude Cowell Art 2020

A Rainy Day? Got my 'ShroomBrella!

Back in the late 1990s into the mid-2000s I did quite a few children's illustrations. One such, drawn for a dummy book I never did anything with entitled, Silvery Tree Path (in which fairies appeared unbidden in my drawings for the first time!), is shown below.

And since today (January 2, 2020) and tomorrow in Raleigh NC, "soaking" rain is in the forecast, I'm publishing 'ShroomBrella because it seems that I may be needing one!

If you like, Please Share! And as always, you're cordially welcome to browse other drawings in my Jude Cowell Art Portfolio at Fine Art America!

New! 3 Fanciful Ladies of Fashion!

This quick sketch '3 Fanciful Ladies of Fashion' falls within my Fanciful Figure Studies category!

Browse my Jude Cowell Art Portfolio any time you wish!

Leaves! Close Up a drawing by Jude Cowell

'Leaves! Close Up' a pencil drawing by Jude Cowell:

A Portrait of Muriel Higgins

October 23, 2019: here's a view of a fanciful figure study,

A Portrait of Muriel Higgins:

Pardon! In this scan Muriel looks a bit faded out which is an unfortunate feature of my scanner now placed on a belly-up watch. Any day now it will go belly up and I'll return to an HP printer-scanner, the brand I never should have left!

Available for browsing 24/7: Jude Cowell Art Portfolio.

Favorites around here are Derwent Watercolour Pencils and Prismacolor Oil Pencils on black paper. Note that one or both videos may include an #ad .

Linger at the Mystic Biscuit Tea Room!

The Mystic Biscuit Tea Room! a pencil drawing by Jude Cowell.

Review: Marilyn Hagar's 'Finding the Wild Inside'

Predator at Dusk; pencil on black paper by Jude Cowell

Having received a graciously provided advance copy of Marilyn Kay Hagar's new book Finding the Wild Inside a book review seems in order and what better spot for such a review than Secret Moon Art where I plop many of my drawings, most of which are done on black paper since the mysterious darkness of the paper makes finding and releasing artful wildness more possible! In fact, many scenes depicted in my drawings are actually images from my dreams, images that drift up from the subconscious mind, and so naturally Marilyn's Finding the Wild Inside spoke to me on that and on several other levels.

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For you see, author Marilyn Hagar is a registered expressive arts therapist with years of training and experience and she has written a book that leads readers on a journey to wholeness and healing through honoring the feminine within and listening to our intuition and deepest instincts for these are the valuable things that modern culture has taught us to ignore and neglect. Yet we neglect at our own peril so, for anyone who wishes to reclaim - or perhaps discover for the first time - a sense of wonder and joy, Finding the Wild Inside may be used as a 'road map' or a template that, if followed, leads one to use dreams, art via drawing, painting, or other, plus, a deepening connection to Mother Nature as viable paths toward renewal and a sense of balance.

All through the book are sprinkled Marilyn's own artwork beginning in childhood which I find curiously affecting on an emotional and psychological level as the various stages of life are met, navigated, and explained with Marilyn's deft touch. Childhood, education, marriage, raising children, and caring for aging parents while dealing with siblings are phases of life that most women (and men) face during their life times and all phases have their innate difficulties, some more than others.

Often difficult phases, events, and responsibilities are made harder to navigate by the 'splitting' of our psyches as described by Carl Jung and other psychologists, and the basic need this creates for self-actualization and the process of individuation, so how to successfully deal with this need? One way is to accept Marilyn Hagar's invitation to readers to come along with her on her own journey which she reveals with humor, insight, dream interpretation, and art. For, thanks to modern society, the 'split' between our conscious and unconscious minds has gone too far, become toxic, and has caused many people to feel lost, confused, or simply numb.

Therefore, making our way back to humanity's instinctual connection with Nature is a must and so I highly recommend Finding the Wild Inside for those who could use an experienced guide to smooth a life path and provide encouragement along the way toward healing, wholeness, and a newfound sense of joy!

Finding the Wild Inside release date October 22, 2019; pre-order paperback or Kindle version by following the Amazon link above!

Jude Cowell October 3, 2019

Sneak a peek at a Rain Tree with Fairy!

At last, Rain Tree with Fairy has returned to Secret Moon Art and this may beg the question, does anyone ever know when or where mystical tree fairies might turn up?

Visit Jude Cowell Art Portfolio for your 24/7 art browsing needs!

A fanciful Portrait of a Fool

Here's a somewhat psychedelic example of what can happen when I draw on white paper, Portrait of a Fool:

New! Constellation Orion and the Full Moon

A certain constellation sparkled directly overhead at the moment of my birth and it often turns up prominently or subtly within my cosmic drawings of the night sky. Here's a 'starry night drawing' for you that I'm calling Constellation Orion and the Full Moon:

You're cordially invited to browse a variety of drawings in my fine or not so fine Art Portfolio if you wish by visiting Fine Art America!

Roxy's Red Room returns!

Once upon a time, yours truly maintained an online art gallery full of my pencil-on-paper creations called Cosmic Persona Designs. Then one day google censorship became tiresome and passe so I shuttered the collection of quite innocent yet fanciful figure studies--some with my 'Boudoir Blossoms' imprint, some known as 'Chiffonery Art'--so that now only breezes waft and browse their way through the gallery's empty corridors, its links leading nowhere, its promise unfulfilled.

But today a return of Roxy's Red Room is in progress here at Secret Moon Art and hopefully a vision of Roxy won't ruffle any viewer's sensitive feathers or chide their admirable modesty!

So for those who dare have a peek...here's Roxy's Red Room:

New! A Portrait of Claryssa Owen

May 20, 2019: The recent acquisition of a new drafting table (glass-topped, quite industrial looking) has inspired a new drawing in my fanciful figure studies series!

Introducing A Portrait of Claryssa Owen:

Isle of Ruins at Juniper Pass

Portrait of a pleasant lady

Pencil on black paper by Jude Cowell.

New Art: Lulu's Lipstick! a fanciful figure study

Presenting Lulu's Lipstick, an oil and watercolor pencil design by Jude Cowell.

Path to an Unknown Destination appears

While searching tonight for a certain path'n'portal illustration in my files, I instead tripped across the image below and am uncertain whether it was ever published anywhere--and note that in person, the paper is blacker than it appears here, which of course also depends on the device you're using.

Anyway, check out an incomplete drawing 'Path to an Unknown Destination' which is how it feels these days under the Trump regime to live in a sabotaged America:

Looks as if the drawing was left about 1/3 of the way through...

Images in this online art gallery (since 2005!) are compliments of Jude Cowell Art where you're welcome to browse 24/7.

A Sketch from Fractured Fashions 2012

Look! It's a page of collage, pencil, and ink from my 2012 'Fractured Fashions' sketchbook which I suppose still languishes among the 2012 Project Sketchbooks of other artists in the Brooklyn Art Library:

Plus, you're cordially invited to browse my portfolio of drawings at Jude Cowell Art.

New! Promethea as Mermaid

With watery planet Neptune continuing its leisurely swim through its own oceanic sign of Pisces, a new undersea mermaid drawing may be in order! Here's Promethea as Mermaid:

Pencil on black paper perpetrated by Jude Cowell.

A Postcard from Lorna On Vacation!

Lorna On Vacation! And a jungle-y one at that.

But probably not Costa Rica which some say is the most biologically intense place on earth. What can really keep tourists away from beautiful Costa Rica at the moment is the current advisory from the US Embassy due to protests against the government's fiscal plan. Disruptions are expected.

~:~

View more Jude-style drawings in my Jude Cowell Art Portfolio 24/7. Botanical fish portraits included!

A New Drawing! Portrait of Chironia

Portrait of Chironia by Jude Cowell; a fanciful figure study; oil and water color pencils (dry) on black paper.

New! Pansies in Rain Under Full Moon

You're welcome to visit my portfolio of drawings and illustrations 24/7 @Jude Cowell Art.

Portrait of a Cinnamon Teal in Moonlight

A simple pencil portrait of a marsh duck a Cinnamon teal has floated by under moonlight...

Hey! If you're a member of Facebook then you're cordially invited to join a new group and share your favorite art images with Art Visions...and browsing is also allowed!

Meander to Abandoned Garden with Peonies!

August 7, 2018: Before Summer 2018 ends, I'm feeling a nostalgic meander over to Abandoned Garden with Peonies coming on!

And you're always welcome to browse more art images by visiting my Jude Cowell Art Portfolio at Fine Art America!

It's Moon Rise at the Crossroads!

Well, look what I discovered in some old art files - Moon Rise at the Crossroads!

Plus, you're cordially welcomed to browse more art images in my Jude Cowell Art portfolio 24/7!

New at Secret Moon Art! 'Secrets in Shadows'

Secrets in Shadows pencil on black paper Jude Cowell Art 2018+

July 12, 2018: A new drawing inspired by tonight's Solar Eclipse @20Cancer41 conjunct and activating one of the stars of creativity, Castor. Besides, any eclipse has the ability to suddenly uncover secrets and inconvenient facts with a cosmic blink from the Universe!

A drawing finally completed: Circe with Sisters!

July 2, 2018: Now that my eyesight is greatly improved to its former goodness after two surgeries (right and left), I'm happily at my drafting table again! Actually, the title of the drawing below is, Circe, Charybdis, and Thelma although which sister is which is a challenge only you, dear viewer, can figure out! What say you?

For more Jude Cowell Art images, you're cordially invited to browse my Fine Art America portfolio open for viewing 24/7! Now here are two...

Mythological Links of Interest--plus, Thelma:

The Spellbinding Story of Circe, Goddess of Magic (pronounced kir' kee, y'know).

Who Is Charybdis?

And then there's Thelma, a name which may or may not derive from 'will' or 'volition' for it does sound much like the arrogant Thelema philosophy developed by freaky devil-worshiper Aleister Crowley (1875--1947).

But never fret for no devils ever lurk in any of my drawings!

Portrait of Analise now complete!

April 22, 2018: here's a view of the previously published yet incomplete Portrait of Analise and a larger view of her freshly completed portrait, below:

She's not as ghostly now, don't you agree? Or is she...

all images (c) 2018+ Jude Cowell Art pencil on black paper

You're invited to Dinner at Delphine's!

No RSVP needed to have Dinner at Delphine's!

Oil and water color pencils on black paper, Jude Cowell Art 2018+

#124 Bambo Tuck's 'Shroom Home on Silvery Tree Path!

Here's an illustration of Bambo Tuck's 'ShroomHome #124 from my unpublished children's book Silvery Tree Path (circa 1996):

As were many of my drawings during the late 1990s, this one is drawn on black paper and embossed with metallic pencil which you can probably tell from the silver raindrops (actually aluminum pencil) in this scan of an actual photograph!

Past Has a Way...a drawing of shadows

April, 5, 2018: Past Has a Way...of catching up with us!

You've seen the new Portrait of Darcy Darling!

Here's a new entry into my Fine Art America portfolio of browsable images: Portrait of Darcy Darling (chillaxing at home!! )...

Just browsing art can be quite chillaxing so please share if you care!

Frieda Fretting Flags Friend Flo!

11 Planets - an incomplete drawing

March 3, 2018: an incomplete version of a new drawing 11 Planets created especially for Secret Moon Art!

You're cordially invited to have yourself a browse 24/7 - mosey through my Fine Art America portfolio of 20 images!

Artist Choice: desire a modestly priced yet fanciful image of my work? Why not Art Greeting Cards?

Or this coffee or tea mug sporting a Black-striped butter fish of Western Australian waters floating in his dream scenario!

And speaking of hot beverages...

One of my favorite Abe Lincoln quotes: "If this is tea bring me coffee, if this is coffee, bring me tea." Who can lose with such an amusing attitude? Or perhaps he was bemused!

Related: Why Study Harmonics in Astrology? presented by master astrologer David Cochrane.

And: The Secret Contained in the Number Eleven by yours truly with reference to popular Netflix show Stranger Things and the character Eleven.

An Incomplete Portrait of Annalise

Portrait of Annalise isn't quite finished yet but here's a peek:

Now 'tis true you won't find Annalise in my FineArtAmerica Portfolio though you can browse the drawings there 24/7 as you please!

Portrait of an 'Incomplete Gal' - now Vivian Astoria!

*February 22, 2018: A few days ago I posted here a partially drawn image titled, 'Incomplete Gal' (name this drawing)'. Today I shall post the completed (fini!) pencil portrait of....

Vivian Astoria McClellan and here she is now...

Sending Thanks to All my Facebook Friends (you know who ya are) who suggested possible names for this visage, this character study in pencil!

But why 'McClellan'? For fun. And because for me it represents a 'mysterious' or hidden ancestral line due to 17th century morals (or their lack!) when titled gentlemen kept mistresses as if they were kings (the gentlemen, not the mistresses). And so it seems that if one of my Webb ancestors, John D. Webb, is in the line of a certain immigrant-to-America Thomas Terrance Webb as he apparently is, Thomas took 'Webb' from his mother's family (she, Ann Webb of Colerain, Ireland) and his papa was her main squeeze, Thomas McClellan so long hidden (as things now appear hundreds of years on). If you're wondering, the answer is No, Ann was not his only mistress. (Follow the Thomas McClellan link and scroll almost all the way down to the DF41 Webb Cluster paragraph.)

Which only shows that you never know which sort of nougat you'll bite into when shaking your family tree!

Now as you know, the McClellan surname through the centuries has picked up multiple spellings as so many surnames do and you'll find them and other historic details about the family if you check out the MacLellan Clan pages!

To close, here again is Version One of Vivian Astoria McClellan just to keep both images on the same page (although they are the same drawing!):

Fanciful Figure Study: Blue Bayou Babe

Under a crescent moon, Blue Bayou Babe has dropped by to say Hello!

New! Incomplete Gal (Name This Drawing)

In the olden days of Secret Moon Art ('round about 2005 and beyond) I sometimes posted unfinished drawings in this gallery, then published the complete version a bit later. Since I recently began drawing again, the urge to return to this 2-step practice has overtaken my best judgment.

So here is my latest attempt--its working title, Incomplete Gal:

Of course, in a certain sense, as long as we're still around, we're all incomplete, are we not?

Even so, if you'd like to see the finished drawing, please share this post and/or comment...your suggestions for her name are welcome too! Does the gal pictured above favor anyone you know?

Fractured Girl - a drawing

Here's another drawing from my 'Fractured' series and this lady has a seer quality, yes?

New Collage! Our Cosmic Blinks (Eclipses)

Created January 30, 2018: Our Cosmic Blinks are the 'wild cards of the Universe'...Eclipses!

Counting Solar and Lunar there are five eclipses in 2018: first, the Lunar Eclipse Jan 31, 2018 @11Leo37, the 'We The People Solar Eclipse' of February 15, 2018, a 2 Old North Solar Eclipse on July 13 @21Cancer (Mr. Trump's PE series), a Lunar Eclipse @5Aquarius on July 27 (conjunct America's natal South Node of the Moon--a swipe from the dragon's tail), and on August 11 the Solar Eclipse of the 2018 Midterm Elections, aka, the 'Tower Eclipse' as in the number 16 Tarot card with its 'collapse of plans and/or lifestyles' vibes (Brady).

New Pencil Portrait: Hildy's Highlights!

Feeling drab, Hildy visited her local salon. How do you like Hildy's Highlights?

Have You Met Velma?

Portrait of Velma oil and water color pencils on black paper; Jude Cowell Art (c)2018

'Princess of India' hearts Fine Art America!

Why not take a stroll with the Princess of India?

For you're both cordially welcomed to browse 24/7 in my Fine Art America portfolio of drawings!

Jan 3 2018: A Bit of Jude Cowell Art for the New Year!

Here's a drawing from a few years ago titled, Par-Tay! which seems appropriate for the just-passed holidays. Par-Tay!, with its masks and Chirotic poses, was originally posted to my Cosmic Persona Designs collection but I shuttered it because Google and a few viewers couldn't handle chiffon-clad figure studies. Guess the old adage, Don't Go To those Places wasn't in their lexicon!

But never mind because in 2018 you are cordially invited to browse my FineArtAmerica Boutique of drawings now available in various forms! Actually, an art-decorated tote bag would be nice...

Wishing You All a Happy and Prosperous 2018!

Jude

Wishing a Merry Christmas to All!

Nandina with Red Berries a botanical drawing by Jude Cowell.