Yes. Another chance for renewal.
Right this very minute, we are under the New Moon in Aquarius. This is the second New Moon after the Winter Solstice which marks Losar, the Tibetan Buddhist new year celebration, and the Chinese New Year. These are both celebrated this year on the 12th, which also happens to be Lincoln's Birthday. So, Happy Birthday Mr. Lincoln! Now back to the new year.
2021 is the Year of the Metal Ox in Chinese Astrology. In honor of this and to celebrate new beginnings (and who couldn't use a new beginning right now?) I've drawn up a piece of wall art that you can easily print at home.
I am celebrating setting up my new studio and getting back to the drawing board,
I offer you this digital download to print yourself. Pay what you like. With purchase, you'll receive easy instructions to print at home in color for the oh, so subtle tones of brown, black and grey, or in simple black and white which looks fine, too.
I'm kind of tired of slick, digital images so I've worked to keep the rough-hewn, hand drawn quality of the original image. Hope you like it.
Click here or on image at top to purchase.
Right this very minute, we are under the New Moon in Aquarius. This is the second New Moon after the Winter Solstice which marks Losar, the Tibetan Buddhist new year celebration, and the Chinese New Year. These are both celebrated this year on the 12th, which also happens to be Lincoln's Birthday. So, Happy Birthday Mr. Lincoln! Now back to the new year.
2021 is the Year of the Metal Ox in Chinese Astrology. In honor of this and to celebrate new beginnings (and who couldn't use a new beginning right now?) I've drawn up a piece of wall art that you can easily print at home.
I am celebrating setting up my new studio and getting back to the drawing board,
I offer you this digital download to print yourself. Pay what you like. With purchase, you'll receive easy instructions to print at home in color for the oh, so subtle tones of brown, black and grey, or in simple black and white which looks fine, too.
I'm kind of tired of slick, digital images so I've worked to keep the rough-hewn, hand drawn quality of the original image. Hope you like it.
Click here or on image at top to purchase.
You can print this on plain old printer paper and stick it on the fridge or you can frame it up, maybe using better paper, to more formally remind you of the much-needed qualities the Ox hauls in this year.
Click here for your reminder.
(You may notice a copyright watermark on the image above. That does not appear on the digital print.)
The Ox is hard working, honest, diligent, dependable and, of course, strong.
Traits to emulate. And remember, there are all kinds of strength and each one comes in handy just about every day.
How the Heavenly Oxen came to Earth
"According to a myth told by Chinese peasants, the original plow-oxen lived in Heaven, as the Ox stars. However, the Emperor of Heaven, taking pity on the starving people of the Earth, and wishing to help them, sent the Oxen with the message that if they worked hard, they would starve no more, and that they could be sure to have a meal at least every three days. The Oxen got the message mixed-up, and instead told the people that the Emperor of Heaven promised them that if they worked hard, that they would be able to eat three times a day. This put the Emperor of Heaven in a bit of a predicament, since the people on their own would not be able to accomplish this. Therefore, to punish the oxen for getting the message wrong, and not to appear himself to be a liar, he restricted the Oxen to the Earth, where they became regular oxen, working the farms helping the people of Earth with their farm work." —Wikipedia: Anthony Christie, Chinese Mythology
I prefer the variant on this tale that says when the Ox realized his error, he chose to stay on earth to help the humans. More noble, less punitive.
In truth, I fashioned this drawing after the ancient aurochs. They're extinct since the early 17th century but prehistoric drawings of them can be found on the walls of caves in Lascaux and Chauvet. All domestic cattle in the world are descended from the aurochs and I rather love them.
Click here for your reminder.
(You may notice a copyright watermark on the image above. That does not appear on the digital print.)
The Ox is hard working, honest, diligent, dependable and, of course, strong.
Traits to emulate. And remember, there are all kinds of strength and each one comes in handy just about every day.
How the Heavenly Oxen came to Earth
"According to a myth told by Chinese peasants, the original plow-oxen lived in Heaven, as the Ox stars. However, the Emperor of Heaven, taking pity on the starving people of the Earth, and wishing to help them, sent the Oxen with the message that if they worked hard, they would starve no more, and that they could be sure to have a meal at least every three days. The Oxen got the message mixed-up, and instead told the people that the Emperor of Heaven promised them that if they worked hard, that they would be able to eat three times a day. This put the Emperor of Heaven in a bit of a predicament, since the people on their own would not be able to accomplish this. Therefore, to punish the oxen for getting the message wrong, and not to appear himself to be a liar, he restricted the Oxen to the Earth, where they became regular oxen, working the farms helping the people of Earth with their farm work." —Wikipedia: Anthony Christie, Chinese Mythology
I prefer the variant on this tale that says when the Ox realized his error, he chose to stay on earth to help the humans. More noble, less punitive.
In truth, I fashioned this drawing after the ancient aurochs. They're extinct since the early 17th century but prehistoric drawings of them can be found on the walls of caves in Lascaux and Chauvet. All domestic cattle in the world are descended from the aurochs and I rather love them.
In other news...
My new rotating monthly gallery of fresh watercolors is now open on my watercolor page. Each collection will only be up from new moon to new moon so don't forget to check them out.
My new rotating monthly gallery of fresh watercolors is now open on my watercolor page. Each collection will only be up from new moon to new moon so don't forget to check them out.
By the way,The Ox of the Year is only available through the Losar celebrations so make sure you download your print now, while you're thinking of it!
Wishing you health and strength in this Year of the Ox
Thanks, as always, for reading. I expect to be much more regular with my posts in the coming year.
Wishing you health and strength in this Year of the Ox
Thanks, as always, for reading. I expect to be much more regular with my posts in the coming year.
