I am so late finishing this commission that I could spit! (my grandmother's expression), but I'm glad to be nearing the end. These wheels are painted on a round of wood--sanded, gessoed, drawn in with charcoal, under painted with acrylic, final layer of oils and then some gold accents.
The circular center is what I imagine an early morning, late winter sky could look like, (that's when this person was born) The lines, red, blue and dotted orange, are the aspects or the pathways of energy between planets.
The houses, (the pie shaped pieces radiating out from the center), define twelve areas of our life.
The zodiac is around the outer edge. These charts can be pretty accurate--(more so than my magnetic wheels, see previous post)
The cusps of the houses, (the beginning of each house), fall in a certain degree of the zodiac--(this is all figured out mathematically with all the birth information---birthday, year, time and place) Computers can figure out a chart in seconds where as, not too long ago, people were calculating birth charts with the use of logarithms.
The planets also fall on a certain degree of the signs in the zodiac. I paint in their symbols and I sometimes paint next to it a little picture of what I think represents that particular planet.
I'm still trying to figure out where I fit, concerning astrology. Walking through my library many years ago, I saw a book on how to calculate and put together charts, (just the math part of putting a wheel together) I leaned that, and successfully put together a handful of charts (it takes awhile)
To read a chart is a different story; it takes intuition, memory and years of practice. I find myself flailing when I try to read or interpret a chart. I'm still drawn to it though--I'm visually drawn to it.
I probably won't be doing any more natal chart commissions because it does take me awhile to paint one--if I do I'll have to charge a bit more.
OK, so now you know, I'm a geek at heart, if I actually want to make an accordion folder! I made this one to hold all my granddaughter's school work, book orders, letters, school pictures, art work... It was all getting out of hand way too quickly--this is still just the beginning of school!! It's heavy already! She told me what to write on the handle.
