95 The Mermaid & Art

PAINTING MERMAIDS

Over the years I have done quite a few paintings and mosaics of mermaids and here is one I would like to share with you called “What the?”  It is acrylic on board and actually framed in mosaic, but that part was not photographed before it sold unfortunately.

What the?

ARTISTIC INSPIRATIONS

I have always thought of mermaids as the beautiful women of the sea and as a child dream about swimming about effortlessly, just as my little niece Annika does now, she is totally fascinated by the mythical legend.  It goes without saying that her whole room is full of mermaids in every description.

The word Mermaid is actually from the French language “mer” is the word for “sea and “maid” the word for woman.

ARTS AND MOVIES

My favorite mermaid movie would have to be Splash a fantasy/comedy starring Darryl Hannah and Tom Hanks.  The 1984 American movie was directed by Ron Howard and also won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

Darryl Hannah was the mermaid and looked like Lady Godiva of the sea and the mermaid tail that she wore was fully functional.  Apparently she was able to swim so very fast with this tail that her safety swim team could not keep up with her.  This was due partly to the fact that Hannah had been fascinated with the Hans Christian Andersen’s tale The Little Mermaid, and had as a child practiced swimming with her legs bound together.

BOOKS AND ART

The classic Hans Christian Andersen’s tale is of course a darker story as anyone familiar with this Danish Author knows, whereby the mermaid takes the sea witches potion to exchange her tongue for real legs, and if the prince falls in love and marries her, she will get an eternal soul.  Otherwise she will die brokenheartedly and disintegrate into foam!!

So all you out there who dream about becoming a mermaid, watch out – it’s not all it’s cracked up to be!  Never mind then the mermaids in the latest installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ where they are ferocious and fearsome and looking more like vampire fish – although beautiful of course.  How else could they lure men to the bloody and brutal demise!

I do think I prefer the sweeter version the “Little Mermaid” cartoon from the Disney stable where everything works out just fine.

MERMAIDS IN SCULPTURE

When I was little and we lived in Sweden I really enjoyed our visits to Denmark and loved to see the gorgeous sculpture in bronze at the Copenhagen harbor in Langelinie where the Mermaid sits on a rock.  The statue was made by sculptor Edward Eriksen and his wife had been the model for it.  Carl Jacobsen from the Carlsberg family (well known for the beers) had commissioned the artwork in 1909 because he had been fascinated by the ballet of the Little Mermaid.

Another memory of Copenhagen is when we went to the zoo.   Mum and dad must have been feeling the pinch a bit being on holiday and all; and told my brother (who really was quite big) to sit in a pusher/stroller, that you could hire there and then tried to pass him off as a 4 year old when he was really 6.  I remember the funny look on his face and the fact that the man in charge did not quite believe the story but let us in anyway.

Lol little bit of naughtiness must run the family as my husband and I did the same trick a couple of times when the kids were little.  However not with the same success as our daughter, little Miss Hillivi who was always a handful (if you remember from other art blogs) and would pipe up and say “No I’m not 4 you know, I’m really nearly 7”.  Caught out again, lol.

So I leave you then with a mermaid poem by  William Butler Yeats (Irish poet and playwright)

“A mermaid found a swimming lad,
Picked him for her own,
Pressed her body to his body,
Laughed; and plunging down
Forgot in cruel happiness
That even lovers drown.”

Till next time happy painting and sculpting to you all,

Love Marie xxx    (c)

If you enjoyed this art blog you may also like this one; 68. We’ve been to Bali too & Art

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.