The Good Slytherin

   



     Rowena Aryabella was just like her mother: long straight dark hair, as well read as her and quite clever.  She was sure she would be sorted into her mother's house..in fact she was named after Rowena Ravenclaw so every one expected it.  Her father was of house Hufflepuff.  She suppose it wouldn't be so bad to be sorted there, but even her father was sure she would be in Ravenclaw.
"My dear not only are you the spitting image of your mother you are just as clever as she was...oh and of course still is I mean."  Her mother always calmed her stuttering father with a hand on his and that look with her very slight smile.  Rowena was an only child and she wondered if she had a brother if he'd be more like her dad.
       
           She stepped up to the hat when name was called and sat proudly waiting for her house...Ravenclaw...to be announced.  But the sorting hat grumbled and mumbled to itself for awhile that even the head teachers looked concerned.."Yes..Yes...sorry everyone, this one took some time....SLYTHERIN!!"    She was so shocked her eyes bugged out of her head and she couldn't say anything.
She was asked to hop down and hurry to join her house...Slytherin? Neither of her parents had anybody in Slytherin..while her father's had a lot of Hufflepuffs there were a few Griffondores and maybe one or two Ravenclaws but never a Slytherin...they are such bullies arent' they?  So many dark wizards came from that house...what was she to even DO there?

         Rowena went to her house table...all the older ones snickered at her.."I think the hat made a mistake...you don't even act 'Slytherin'."

Rowena replied politely, "You're right, I don't, but what's done is done and I shall do my best for our house."  For some reason this made everyone laugh.  Fine then, she could handle it.  She knows the stories from her other friends of other houses and families...the great Harry Potter, and especially Luna who was of house Ravenclaw, and was teased but never let it bother her.  She looked around at her new housemates, wondering if anybody could be a possible friend..well..she may be in Slytherin but she could still make friends outside of her house.  Then she decided that's what she would do.  She would be the nicest Slytherin in the whole house..and a part of her that just was hidden came out, her competitive desire to prove her strength.

         To be sure the other Slytherins did NOT make it easy for her.  But because she was constantly helping the others, from those struggling with mastering simple charms and spells (especially ones from Muggle families) it stunned the teachers who awarded her points for her kindness.  The fact that House Slytherin was racking up a lot of points because of her they left her alone, they didn't become friends, but they left her alone.  One of the older ones, Evacia Blackwatch was having a time with potions, "May I assist you?" Rowena asked gently.  Evacia was not used to kindness and was about to just tell her off but remembered that THIS one was clever, and it was good to allow at least a little help...all to get ahead of course.  "Very well then, though it's not often a first year can help an older one." 
   "I've done a lot of reading."
  The girl scoffed, "oh a regular Hermoine then?"
She shrugged,  "just about, she was going to be sorted into Ravenclaw, she asked the hat to put her in Gryphondore."  then she stopped.."OH why didn't I think of that!!  I was so shocked I didn't even remember that bit..oh dear"
  "Well, as they say, what's done is done, so are you going to be able to help me on this?"
Rowena smiled, "yes I am, and gladly so."  She helped first organized the order, noticed one of the lables was not correct which was part of the confusion, and they both went on in fixing the mixups.
Evacia, not normally warm hearted, started to like the girl..who was indeed too good and kind for Slytherin, and eventually took more of a shine to sit with her.  Her other friends were shocked at that, but in time they started to go to Rowena, at first more as a strong study partner, then realizing how much she knows with her reading ahead and how helpful she was they kept coming to her.
   Rowena continued to help others, including teachers, and was always kind and polite, gentle and thoughtful.  Many of the Slytherins were from old families that demanded perfection..very few felt the kindess and love that Rowena offered..and soon they started being a little more kinder..they were awkward at it, but when a teacher noticed they awarded points...which made an impact on them.  They wanted to win the house cup...and they copied Rowena's way of doing it but though they were doing it for the points, the fact they were doing kindness at all had an impact on their own hearts even their parents noticed.  Not sure what was going on they finally made inquirers and found out about the young lady who was in Slytherin but did not ACT Slytherin..at first they wanted to have her placed in a different house..they felt her kindness was like a plaque that needed to be snuffed out.  But seeing that their house was going to win house cup they decided to just leave it alone..it's only 7 years anyway, and perhaps for the first time with a girl like that, Slytherin will win 7 years in a row perhaps?

She was so curious as to why that sorting hat put her there that she asked the head mistress if she could ask the Hat itself.  "Of course my dear!"  and she lead her to it..resting, slightly snoring she asked the hat..."excuse me?"  the hat snorted and straightened up..."sooo how is the GOOD Slytherin." 
"Just fine, but I was wondering why you even put me there...I'm not the least bit like them."
The had chuckeled..ohhh you are...you are very ambitious..just not about the same things they are, and I figured they could use a good lesson."
"on what?"
"the ambition of being GOOD for a change...that's what you had in you, deep inside."
"Oh!" she thought about this..then, looking back at everything she felt really proud of her year there, and she wondered how much more she could do...like shine up the House's reputation a bit.  Not all Slytheren was bad.  Her purpose there was to remind others of that fact, and her small acts were having a big impact..and this was just her first year.  She thanked the hat, stood up straight, tall and had a smile to each and every one she met.  She was the GOOD Slytherin after all.

Featured Artists

Art by sycamorelullaby


Swing
By Corey Kneedler

She’s a ghost, a vapor burning in the playground’s bubble, trapped amongst the smiling faces, the optimistic glow that each one of them carries.
They all come from realms of stability, planes of a prosperous existence, while she swings up and down into highs and lows, crawling slowly through life as if she were still an infant.
Laughter echoes off the walls of this recreational dome, becoming a piercing shriek that enters the canals of her ears, reminding her of something she’ll never experience.
Behind her mask the tears flow freely. If only they could see. If only they could touch her face and feel the sorrows encapsulated in each and every tear.
Up and down she goes, wishing the chains would break off and she’d fly upward, away from here forever, to a place where she could finally remove her mask, breathe in the fresh air of hope, and dance in fields of jasmine under the warm rays of a comforting sun.
If only she could dream. If only such desires weren’t ripped from her by the poltergeists inside her haunted home.
One day the world will know the beauty she keeps inside. One day the world will know her name, will see her precious face, and they will finally speak her name.

Ghosts Of Home


I love to share Corey's poems.  Check out his website.  I try to help and share artists works and these two are on my top shares..check them out, they are really worth getting to know.

Butterflies in the Light

Art by Julie Akeman   Butterflies In The Light

I just finished painting this piece.  It had some issues before with looking a bit plain before I added the swirls of white that make the outline of leaves and vines.  If anyone is interested in buying this let me know..it will need to dry for a bit as it is oil and I just did it..still undecided if I am going to re vamp my etsy shop.

The Wolf

“The Wolf”
By Corey Kneedler

The ravenous wolf of time grows hungrier for us every day. Each passing day brings it closer, reminding of us of our inevitable mortality.
Plagued with frailty, weakness and the sting of decay, we press on through life’s barriers one by one.
Sometimes moving slowly forward through a sea of molasses we keep going, chasing after the dream of a better life, a new start, something real and fresh out that brings happiness to our souls.
And yet the wolf keeps chasing, hungrier and hungrier as each hour passes.
It’s a fate we can not seem to escape. The hour of devouring will soon be at hand. Meal time approaches, and the table is set.
Will we make it to the finish line? Will we one day bask in the rays of the warm sunlight, free from harm, pain and sorrow?
Come, wolf. Chase after me. Try and catch me if you can. Always pressing forward, I won’t let the foul smell of your breath defeat me. I won’t let your intimidating growls shake me. I won’t let your claws rip me to shreds when I am down.
I will keep pressing on, through the forest of thorns, over the rivers of sorrows, past the desolate landscapes of the lonely desert, and into the depths of the darkest seas.
And when I’ve made it home, one day I’ll look back on you with a fiery confidence in my eyes, and I’ll pull back my bow and fire an arrow into your skull. With a smile, I’ll say, “You couldn’t catch me. Now I’ve caught you.”
And then I’ll stand over your corpse and say, “Thank you for chasing after me all these years. If it wasn’t for you, I never would have made it this far.”

Follow the Ghosts

Artwork by Julie Akeman

Where Are My Dragons!!

Right here!  Yes I do dragons!  I LOVE DRAGONS...I was even born in the year of the Dragon and one of my kids was too sooo I am a Mother of ONE Dragon.


Art by Julie Akeman

This drawing is an old one and not quite finished.  I had just used a book about drawing dragons to help make my dragons look really good..my only issue with this one is that the eyes really are too small for such a big beast, but you have to admit the scales and shading came out pretty good.

How about the Mother of Dragons herself?


From my sketchbook a couple of years back..I need to try this again but this was my second try..and I love doing animals more than people.



I am also a big fan of Tyrion..this one isn't bad at all.


Yes this is a dragon too..in the shape of the Zen sign for the path to Enlightenment.

And another practice run through in my sketchbook.  Practice makes perfect.

Paint Pour Projects

I'm selling these three paint pour projects at the co op gallery I am currently a part of.
These are easy to do and you probably seen the videos of them (yes I've watched tons of them)
I love the marbling effect, love how easy it is when I want to make something but don't have enough focus to do a longer project.  This is also fun to do with your kids...might want to do it outside, but as the cold weather is upon us I use a good size box and set the canvas (any size will do) on upended solo cups to let the paint drip down.

I have used craft acrylic and a bit of water mixed with it to make it flow.  The one on the left hand side I flecked white paint over it..the others I just let the paint flow and drip.

Use a solo cup (or any cup you don't mind having paint in) and pick your main color, put that in the cup, however much you think you need, add a touch of water and stir it a bit, add two other colors what goes well with your chosen color.  I don't mix it together, I then just pour it right in the middle of the canvas..it takes a few hours to dry.

Yellow mixes well with red and orange
White with blue, purple
My yellow in the middle I added purple, which is risky because it mixes muddy but I got a good brownish tone in this one.
experiment and see what combos work for you.

Soul to Soul

SOUL TO SOUL

Peel back my layers

Speak gently

Listen deeply

Touch my heart

Before you touch my body

Let me bare my soul to you

All my pains

All my secrets

What is right and what is wrong with me

What I think is wrong

Let's spend some time

Opening up

To each other

Let's walk in the sun

In the moonlight

Under trees of falling leaves

Walk though crisp air

And sparkling snow

Our hands, connecting

As we talk of all 

Of ourselves

One night

I promise that one night

I will welcome that intimate closeness

Skin on Skin

Because we already spent time

Soul to Soul.

Julie Akeman

Featured Poem

“Turn”
By Corey Kneedler

Left turn or right, either way the path leads nowhere.
Doesn’t matter where I go, I’ll never find love there.
Been driving for too long, busting my eardrums to love song after love song.
I wouldn’t give a dime for any of my exes.
New gallery of heartbreaks, trying to figure out who the best is.
Wrecked bedrooms, late night shenanigans.
I’m sick of searching, don’t want to get lost again.
They only speak when they think they want some. But who’s talking now? Cat got your tongue?
I won’t give another the time of day if they can’t prove to me that things won’t turn out the same way.
Everybody wants a piece of me, lining up around the corners. But when they come back around, they walk away mourners.
Logic tossed out the window, excuses pour down like rain. Are their problems real, or are they imagining it all in their brain?
The world’s fucked up, everyone’s got issues. Fix your own problems and stop using guys like us as tissues.
I’m tired of fighting for them, letting my heart get shot to pieces in a shooting range.
Here’s an idea, why don’t you make sacrifices and fight for me for a change?

Follow the Ghosts

Art by Julie Akeman 

Reach Out

This is a powerful piece by Corey Kneedler   Please check up on your friends that are struggling  someone else shared on my Facebook that they lost a good friend to suicide after he was helping her get over her struggles.  Please reach out for help, and others please listen without judgement.




Reaching for Respite
by Corey Kneedler

In the early hours I wake, through the house I tiptoe, not a sound I make

Past the bedroom where the child lies, sleep little darling, don’t make a noise, not even a sigh.

Into the kitchen I flip on the light, searching for respite in the middle of the night.

Into the cabinet my fingers crawl, where are you my honey, my sweet fentanynl?

With the sound of a bottle’s rattle, I begin my nonsensical prattle.

“Mommy needs a little pick me up, before I start to throw up.”

With shaky hands I open the bottle, grab a tablet as my heart hits full throttle.

Sweat pours from my forehead and saturates my skin. My body quakes while the demon stirs within.

Pour a glass of water - is it just me, or is the room getting hotter?

Down the hatch, relief will soon be here at last.

Fall to the kitchen floor, take a deep breath. How much longer before this causes my death?

Cold floor, restless night. I promise you that one day I’ll finally get it right.

“Mommy, what are you doing awake?”

“Honey, I....I just wanted to grab a bite of cake.”

“Can...I have some too?”

“...Sure, sweetheart. I’d love to share some cake with you.”

Her frown suddenly turns to a smile. She might as well enjoy her daughter’s company for a while.

Mother and daughter share a tasty treat so sweet, and hold each other tight in the middle of the night.

Mother realizes in this moment of late night bliss, life won’t always be like this. From now on, she’ll do everything she can to guard her. From now on, each day she’ll try a little bit harder.

And on that night hope returned to her broken heart. Life was reset and she found her new start.

Goblin King Painting

This is one of my favorite painting I have done.  I did this two weeks after I heard about his death.  I was so upset when I went online that day to hear of David Bowie's passing that I decided to wear the Labyrinth shirt that I had that features him..and about two weeks later I did this Jareth, as well as Alan Rickman as Snape.  I might see about resetting my Etsy shop again and selling this piece, though it is one of my favorites and one of my best.

Book Review

I listened to the audio book on Hoopla. Great to listen to when knitting or any other things I tend to do..and I am surprised I wasn't sitting down to sketch dragons! Maybe on the next one. I am dragon crazy and this book really feeds into that. I love the title since it is a bit of a twist from Darwin's Beagle voyage. A very nice slide is Isabella being basically called a transgender..although the term Isabella used was transvestite. And the island local calling her a dragon spirit being..well...I can relate to that. I am also born in the year of the dragon so the fact I really connected to dragons made this book a fantastic read for me. I love the Victorian style of the piece and the audio book was well done. I've read the first two books and this was the first audio I listened to and it was very well done and this one on Hoopla had an interview with the author, nice!

The Voyage of the Basilisk

Worth Your Salt

At work yesterday on another easy project.   Red Wash and then tossed sea salt on there and then went to work and left it to dry.  Afterwards I scraped off the salt and ...didn't know what to do next.

I love the speckled effect of the salt..try it ..it's fun!

I wasn't sure where to go from here...didn't want to paint anything over it really because the speckles are so nice..My friend Corey set up a poem.

“Scattered”
By Corey Kneedler

When autumn comes knocking on your door, look for me where the leaves fall

 - that’s where I’ll be, scattered along the ground far away from the trees.

I’ll let the wind carry me to destinations unknown. Don’t worry about where I’ll go. It doesn’t matter where 

I end up, as long as it’s somewhere far, far away from here.

Like a tree full of life in Spring I once felt the warm rays of the sun hit me,

 bringing me happiness as I danced to the sways of the breeze.

I held onto that happiness for as long as I could,

 even when the hot, dry months of summer took their toll on me.

But when that paranormal wind begins to blow, I’ll find my way to lands unknown.

Ghosts of Home

Nice right?  Well, it reminded me I do have a maple leaf stamp.  I haven't used it in awhile so I forgot about it.

Not bad right?  It's subtle and leaves the salt speckles alone.  It would make a great card if I had a way to scan it properly.  I want to do a blue version and use the salt again but leave room for other elements like a moon and dark branches.  Happy Fall everyone!

Plot Twist!! : A Knitting Story

Yarn Entrails 

I take a little twist now and then and do a knitting project.  I walked into a Hobby Lobby and was intent on getting art supplies when I found this bunch of yarn...yummy yarn.
I am terrible at math so my projects are pretty limited to scarfs.  This time however this scarf was having an identity crisis.



Yarn Mail

If I had picked a more looser pattern this would have not been a problem.  The scarf is not a smooshy cozy thing...it's pretty stiff.  I was debating on frogging it (completely unravel the whole darn thing)
and remaking it..this was a garter stitch by the way, the basic stitch new knitters learn. I just wanted to make a simple scarf.  The result is very thick and taut.  I realized though I can make it into a small bag.  A knitted bag, I remember reading about a project like that in a book I've got. I am going to knit it a little further then fold it over and I should have enough yarn to make straps to carry the thing.

A Sketch a Day Keeps the Boredom Away

At least I TRY to do a sketch a day...just something to make me loosen up. Anybody can do this.
I used
Watercolor sketch pad
Watercolors
One Chinese brush and one wide brush (you can pick whatever you like)
Ink stamp and any kind of rubber stamps...I used a discounted Willow Tree stamp and butterflies

First a wash...I always start with just a color wash to set the tone for what I might want to do.
I usually don't have a set idea..I decided to use greens and yellows and though the Willow Stamp would be perfect.
I used butterfly stamps but I used my wide wash brush to spread watercolor paint on the butterfly
Stamped onto the still wet paper.
Cleaned it off and then decided to use the gray stamp ink pad for two more butterflies..I think the effects make them a little ghostly compared to the paint butterflies.

let it sit flat to dry...but oooh got another idea...I paint splattered on it...sounds like it would ruin a painting...it doesn't ..try it out..or just do a wash and then flick paint all over it
I love to do this because even though I have been a painter for a long time I still get fearful before starting a project..this puts me in the right frame of mind because NOTHING is at personal stake here.  It's just a quick project to either start your day or to wind down in the evening...I did this one last night.

Featured Artists

Please come and explore the works of these two artists...one a poet, the next an artist who does amazing drawings..

Ghosts of Home

"Yesterday you were smiling in the sunshine..."  Corey Kneedler

Art by Sycamorelullaby

Crowley..The Not So Demonic Demon

Watching Good Omens for a second time...and mostly because for Halloween I wanted to dress up as him.  I happened to notice his snake tattoo was in a shape of a Zen sign for the path to Enlightenment.  I noticed it because my one of my smaller dragon designs was based on it.  I wondered if there was a meaning for that.  Crowley is supposed to be evil..but he just seems to think on his own, he even stands out from the others, in that he has a lot more imagination than the other demons (ok so the others have NO imagination whatsoever)


I painted that on and didn't have anyone to help me but that's pretty much Crowley's tat.  Crowley was an interesting character to fall in love with...yes he's a DEMON!  But what is there to love...here is a list.
Damn cool car!  and I'm not a car person but that Bentley was awesome!
QUEEN!!!  I mean yeah, I love the band too so WHOO HOO Crowley you have taste man!!
He helped Aziriphale a time or two from just getting paint off of him to getting him out of the Bastille when dopey Azi got a hankering for crepes and went to France ....during the feaking REVOLUTION!! 
He only does half of what he is told by his superiors...he wasn't all too keen on the world being ended, so he can't be all bad.
He LOVED his car...no spoilers on that one but the ones who have seen the  show KNOW what I am talking about.
He kept a very important book even when he thought his best friend was dead.
Crowley makes a very good Nanny LOL
He's clever, he takes chances and risks...he asked Azi to get him HOLY WATER.
None of the other demons really appreciated his ingenuity anyway.
Crowley is really our own dark selves if we ever wise up to owning that.
In all honesty if I could stand to sit under a needle I'd get a tat like Crowley's..besides, the serpent has many more meanings in many cultures besides just evil.

Art Is Life

That is my new studio...it's the laundry room in my house but enough space to create my place.  I work with all kinds of media and kind of go overboard with my personal projects.  I struggle with trying to keep my focus and getting things done before moving on to the next idea..but at least I am never out of ideas.


Art Is Life
What else shall I do
with all the pain and tears I see
as we go on living, or at least trying to
Disaster after disaster, plagues us all
What makes life even worth living?
What makes up for all the loss?
Think of what is hurting the most.
Let your eyes and hands do the work.
Piecing things together, working ..creating
grab a little something here, something else there.
and in the end you have before you your own creation.
as well as your own answers
to life's many blues.
Julie Akeman

Rise Up

RISE UP
Rise up whether it'd dark or dawn.
Get up and move not matter how withdrawn
Rise up and shine, even if you fake it
It will be the only way to just make it
Other days will be bad, better or even worse
Live your life even if you want to curse.
Just rise up and make that bed
Rise up because you are not dead
Move just a little more, towards your goal
Even though your life feels like one dark hole.
Rise up and you will see
that inner strength really becomes thee
Rise up, Rise up and shine
Because others need to see, it's your Time.

Julie Akeman



Art by Julie Akeman

The Fine Art of Healing

Having had a divorce after trying so hard to make things work I was exhausted, angry, my mind was fuggy...that was the best I could describe it at the time.  I work only part time at a library that I feel the safest to work at, I couldn't leave it and besides there are not a lot of jobs in this small midwestern town I live in.  I am an artist so I turn to my art to help get me through.  I came up with this masterful idea of collecting my many favorite pieces that have gotten broken do to my kids never keeping their hands off my favored objects.  I bought an old printer's tray and just a few weeks before the Art Show was to start in my town I got my pieces to tell a story...I didn't know exactly what story I was telling till I figured out it was about broken and reforged relationships..the piece was called What We Do With the Lost, The Broken and the Found.  It is also a first collage piece as well as the first time I encased in resin.  I also added items that represent the town I lived in.  I was pretty stressed over the final part of the piece, making the resin, but it all came out perfectly..even my 17 year old trans gender son said it was beautiful and I often get more snarky criticism than praise from that kid. 

And here is me with my winner, my first Best In Show.  I will have to see about getting an up close shot and spend some time explaining the pieces and why I did it that way..granted mostly I just went with my gut, and the understanding of the significance of the work dawned on me.  It was a strong feeling of healing when I did this piece because I put all my hurt and brokenness and my regrets and past pains in it, but good memories are in there too.  The  guy who was the judge is also our towns new art teacher for the community college here, and he was going on about how this piece fascinated him and how he loved the title..I had other works in oil paints there but this was my winner so I might try it again now that I am comfortable with using resin.  This was the most happiest moment of my life here, I was so proud and I hope to come up with something great for next years show.

November 2 of 2019..it has been quite a few years since my last post...things have happened..major things..a furious fight with my now ex husband, divorced last year,  been moving on and remaking my life.  My grandmother had died last year, which is sad but for quite some time she has been expecting to go, especially since my grandfather went first..she left money to her offspring, including my dad and he used it to buy me a house.  Happy in an older home though I really think I should sage it...not so much haunted as there is just something left over.  And now I am trying to get my blog up and running again and trying to figure out what it's going to be all about...besides art.  I do want to include some writing and feature some of my other writing and artists friends both real life and online..I just got on here tonight to see if it's still existing.