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A Whirling Dervish
- WHIRLING DERVISH
DANCING WITH THE STARS!
Baby Whirling Dervish
I’ve always loved Whirling Dervishes!
Maybe because when I dance I whirl about the same way ~ in a sort of trance ~ where spirit takes me away…spinning around and around. Probably some of my happiest moments in my life have been in that whirling state!
In 2005 I started painting whirling dervishes on paper lamp shades and sold/displayed them at Sky People Gallery in Asheville, NC. Since then I have some doodles but last month I became very drawn to painting them again. It is very healing for me to paint them and I’m not sure why. I guess music and dance have always been very healing for me.
Now I’m looking for places to show and sell them. I’m putting a few up in my ETSY & ZIBBET shops. I hope to join The Bennington Arts Guild and sell them there if accepted and South Street Cafe in Bennington, I will have a show there in October. I’ll also have them at Third Thursdays in Pittsfield, Ma. with The Berkshire Made artisans.
I’m really in a trance when I dance and find when I paint whirling dervishes it is also like a trance! Great joy for me! I hope you like them as much as I like painting them!
To see real Whirling Dervishes go to You Tube “Authentic Whirling Dervishes”. Very facinating indeed!
My shops ~
www.zibbet.com/theartangel
www.theartangel.etsy.com
Bethann Shannon’s work is registered and protected under copyright law. Some images are also protected under trademark law. All Rights Reserved. Licensing Available.
Categorized in American women artists, business, life and random
Tags: angels, religion, peace, art, performance art, prayer, human interest, wings, Frida Kahlo, life, Bethann Shannon, heaven, clouds, spirituality, American women artists, folk art, outsider art, CULTURE, LOVE, yoga, faith, hope, Etsy, journey, non-violence, peace activists, hearts, The Berkshires, children, dance, GOD, theartangel, The Art Angel, blue sky, www.theartangel.etsy.com, turkey, trance dance, Berkshire Made, prayer dance, Whirling Dervish, dervish, baby whirling dervish, dancer, Zibbet, www.zibbet.com/theartangel, Third Thursdays in Pittsfield MA, 3rd Thursday Pittsfield MA, South Street Cafe VT, Bennington Arts Guild VT, painted wood, dance your prayers, devotion, trance, soul trek
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ROSIE THE BEAGLE SMILING
"Salty, not sweet!" says Rosie the Beagle
- Artist Bethann Shannon & Carpenter David Deming
David & Rosie
Artist Bethann Shannon & Rosie The Beagle in The Berkshires
Spring has been lovely so far…summer around the corner!
I’m trying to relax and not get so stressed out (as I do from time to time).
The Spring has been very sweet & gentle this year…
well, except for the tree that fell into the street after a rain storm4 days ago!!!
That was a close call…thank God no one got hurt.
I have a lot on my mind and much to do…trying not to worry.
I just hope to move gracefully through it all…
think “sweet & simple”!
There is a saying I like which I think I’ll practice this week:
“Do without doing & everything gets done!”
Sort of zen-ning your way through it…just do it & not think too much about it.
Categorized in 746, random
Tags: American women artists, angels, beagles, Berkshire Made, Bethann Shannon, blue skies, carpentry, children, David Deming, dogs, Etsy, family, folk art, hope, human interest, journey, life, LOVE, naive art, outsider art, peace, peace activists, pets, Rosie, Rosie the beagle, simple, simplicity, sweet, The Berkshires, theartangel, walking, www.theartangel.etsy.com, yoga, zen
Cartoon by Bethann Shannon
Another 3rd Thursday in Pittsfield, MA!!!
June 18th from 5 to 8
(And late night happenings too!)
I will be there with The Berkshire Made Artisans outside of YMCA!
I’ll be FACE PAINTING & selling some folk art!
Hope to see you there!
www.berkshiremade.org
www.flickr.com/theartangel/
Categorized in Entertainment, Events and children
Tags: American women artists, angels, art, Berkshire events, Berkshire Made, Berkshiremade, Bethann Shannon, brut art, children, CULTURE, Etsy, face painting, family, folk art, hope, human interest, journey, life, LOVE, non-violence, outsider art, painted faces, peace activists, performance art, spirituality, The Art Angel, The Berkshire Museum, The Berkshires, theartangel, Third Thursday, Third Thursday Pittsfield, third thursday pittsfield ma, travel, www.berkshiremade.org, www.theartangel.etsy.com
The Art Angel, Bethann Shannon
NUN GUY @ NoAMA
The Art Angel @ NoAMA Sat.June 6th with her painting “Love Is Here”.
It was a beautiful day!
You can find Bethann Shannon on www.ETSY.com
www.flickr.com/theartangel/
www.berkshiremade.org
Copyright 2009
All Rights Reserved
Categorized in random, religion and visionary artists
Tags: angels, religion, peace, art, performance art, violence, running, human interest, documentary, wings, war, Frida Kahlo, life, Bethann Shannon, heaven, clouds, spirituality, American women artists, outsider art, AIDS, cartoons, CULTURE, LOVE, yoga, faith, Etsy, journey, non-violence, humanitarians, John Lennon, peace activists, family, hearts, The Berkshires, children, Latino, GOD, visionary art, theartangel, The Art Angel, www.theartangel.etsy.com, dreamers, Visionary Artist, PLAY, Berkshire Made, Berkshiremade, www.berkshiremade.org, NoAMA, Yoko Ono, AVAM, random
STRANGER PRAYING
Bethann Shannon Praying with stranger in photo booth
Photo Booth Art / Performance Art by Bethann Shannon
100 Strangers Praying
Times Square 1986
I moved from Washington, DC to New York City in 1986 with a mission to find a doll maker for an angel I had a dream about. I took a job as a cocktail waitress at the brand new Marriott Marquis Hotel on Times Square.
In those days, Times Square was quite a bit different than it is today…filled with Triple X movie houses, crowded video arcades and hundreds of poor, penniless, homeless, desperate, and some dangerous souls wondering around the surrounding streets.
After work, I often stopped at an arcade called “PLAYLAND”. I would quickly run into the photo booth inside and take random shots documenting my mood at that moment. One day I found myself praying, really praying…praying hard for help.
The photo booth was an impromptu sanctuary in the midst of a chaotic world. It was private, quiet and reminded me of a church confessional…I closed the little curtains, put a dollar in the slot and started to pray. I remember feeling deep despair that day. I needed help. I needed God to be real.
Shortly after, the picture popped out, I was struck by the beauty of the image of prayer, I decided to continue for one year as a spiritual, if not literally self reflective exercise.
There was also part of me that felt like “Here! I have actual proof that I was praying!” Perhaps I could do an experiment with God?…Will he answer my prayers?…How long does it take to have prayers answered? Or even if there really was a God to validate my prayers? I was consumed with questions about God, spirituality and prayer.
My personal struggles with Faith, God and Religion is a reoccurring theme in my life and my art work.
It was a few days into the project when I found myself thinking about other people…I started watching the people in the arcade and on the streets of Times Square….Do they pray? What do they pray for? How do they look when they pray?
It was at that moment I decided to include strangers in this series of photographs. It was very spontaneous and accidental really…not calculated or planned.
I began approaching strangers everyday for 4 months to pray with me in that photo booth…these are the results…
100 STRANGERS PRAYING
Categorized in 746, American women artists, Angelina Joline, CULTURE, John Lennon, LOVE, Madonna, art dealers and humanitarians
Tags: angels, religion, peace, art, performance art, prayer, human interest, documentary, war, life, Bethann Shannon, heaven, spirituality, American women artists, sky, outsider art, angel, CULTURE, LOVE, faith, hope, Etsy, journey, non-violence, humanitarians, John Lennon, peace activists, peace activist, hearts, The Berkshires, children, Performance artist, GOD, theartangel, The Art Angel, www.theartangel.etsy.com, daily prayer, 2009, photo booth, pray, photobooth, times square, nyc, PHOTO 101, Michael Helper, San Luis Obispo, street art, Yoko Ono, prayers, Philanthropists, patrons of the arts, Misha Helper, ART WALK SAN LUIS OBISPO, World Day Of Prayer, September 10, Unity Church
PHOTO BOOTH ART Artist Bethann Shannon & stranger
Photo Booth Art Bethann Shannon with stranger praying
Variations on my 1986 performance art/ photo booth art…repeated images.
I will be in a gallery show at:
PHOTO 101
952 Chorro Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
FRIDAY June 5th through Sept.1st
Michael Helper (owner) will also have a photo booth available where you to can go in and PRAY and be part of the second series of strangers praying 23 years later and possibly be in a book called “100 Strangers Praying II ~ My Life As A Prayer”.
My limited edition praying photos will be for sale & viewing.
Also, I will be selling simple (off my printer) prints at NoAMA & 3rd Thursday In Pittsfield.
Also at www.theartangel.etsy .com
I made some magnets & bookmarks too!
Copyright 1986 – 2009
Bethann Shannon & friend praying in photo booth 1986 NYC
COPYRIGHT 1986 to 2009
All Rights Reserved
Categorized in 746, CULTURE, people and religion
Tags: 3rd Thursday pittsfield, American women artists, angels, art, art show, B & W photos, Berkshire Made, Berkshiremade, Bethann Shannon, CA, CULTURE, Etsy, faith, Frida Kahlo, gallery, hands praying, hope, human interest, journey, life, LOVE, Michael Helper, NoAMA, non-violence, outsider art, peace, peace activists, performance art, PHOTO 101, photo 101 San Luis Obispo, photo booth, photos praying, prayer, praying, praying photos, religion, San Luis Obispo, sepia toned, spirituality, The Art Angel, The Berkshires, theartangel, third thursday pittsfield ma, Visionary Artist, www.theartangel.etsy.com
Artist Bethann Shannon 2009
Love the chipped green nail polish!
It’s hard making art & keeping up with your nails!
Hope you visit me & my fabulous Berkshire Made team of artists at NoAMA…
A great building in North Adams, Ma to visit!
234 Union Street North Adams!
www.berkshiremade.org
Categorized in ART
Tags: American women artists, angels, art, art in the berkshires, Bethann Shannon, children, CULTURE, Etsy, Frida Kahlo, GOD, heaven, hope, human interest, journey, June 6 in the berkshires, life, LOVE, NoAMA, North Adams Ma, outsider art, peace activists, performance art, sperm, spirituality, The Art Angel, The Berkshires, theartangel, third thursdays in Pittsfield, travel, wings, www.theartangel.etsy.com
AMBIGUOUS ART. NUN? SAILOR? OR MAN WITH A PRAYER CAP?
NUN? SAILOR? Man in a prayer cap?
I have several art pieces that are ambiguous.
I love ambiguity!
These two paintings were recently sold & I believe people are drawn to the double (even triple image).
Is it a nun? Or a sailor in an archway? Or a man in a prayer cap in an archway?
I also have “One Eye Guy” , another of my characters that is “ambiguous”!
www.oneeyeguy.etsy.com
I work with both “The Nun-Guy” & “One Eye Guy” a bunch! If you like them I usually always have some for sale at 3rd Thursdays in Pittsfield, MA, NoAMA and on one of my ETSY shops. I really enjoy making them because they never fail to give me a giggle! Take a look & have a giggle!
www.oneeyeguy.etsy.com
www.veraontheverge.etsy.com
www.theartangel.etsy.com
www.berkshiremade.org
Categorized in 746 and ART
Tags: ambiguity, ambiguous, American women artists, angels, art, Berkshiremade, Bethann Shannon, cartoon, Catholic, CULTURE, Etsy, female artists, Frida Kahlo, GOD, heaven, hope, human interest, journey, life, LOVE, ma, muslim, NoAMA, non-violence, North Adams, North Adams Art, nun guy, nuns, one eye guy, outsider art, paintings, peace, peace activists, performance art, prayer, prayer cap, religion, sailors, spirituality, The Art Angel, The Berkshires, theartangel, Third Thursday, third thursday pittsfield ma, vera on the verge, www.berkshiremade.com, www.theartangel.etsy.com
AMBIGUOUS NUN-GUY by Bethann Shannon
Is it a nun? Or a man with a prayer cap in an archway?
Another “ambiguous” painting by outsider artist Bethann Shannon.
Copyright 2009
All Rights Reserved
www.berkshiremade.org
Categorized in ART
Tags: American women artists, angel, art, art show, Berkshire Made, Bethann Shannon, CULTURE, Etsy, family, GOD, heaven, hope, human interest, journey, life, LOVE, Memorial Day Sale, muslim, non-violence, North Adams Art, nun, outsider art, performance art, prayer, prayer hat, religion, sale, spirituality, The Art Angel, The Berkshires, theartangel, travel, wings, www.berkshiremade.org, www.theartangel.etsy.com, yoga
BERKSHIRE MADE
Join us TODAY mAy 21st!5pm – 8 pm
In front of The YMCA!
Music, food, art and FUN for the whole family!
BERKSHIRE MADE artists!
www.berkshiremade.org
Watercolor by Bethann Shannon of Berkshire Made
Categorized in ART
Tags: American women artists, angels, art, Berkshire Made, Bethann Shannon, children, clouds, CULTURE, Etsy, family, Frida Kahlo, heaven, hope, human interest, journey, life, LOVE, peace activists, performance art, Pittsfield Ma, spirituality, The Art Angel, The Berkshires, theartangel, Third Thursday, Third Thursday Pittsfield, third thursday pittsfield ma, travel, www.berkshiremade.org, www.theartangel.etsy.com, yoga
