applique - ash keys

After finishing the 2 lochs quilt I wasn't sure how I would start again ! However this is the first time I just picked up some charcoal and started sketching without thinking of the next pieceof work. Then I caught an ash seed outside after watching it twirling downfrom a blue, blue sky. These mini helicopters are such fun and very effective in their job of seed dispersal. I drew it and then researched ash trees and found myself immersed back in celtic meanings of the natural world.

More drawings of seeds and then I discovered some sculpture by Wendy Taylor which led me into this next piece of work.I knew I wanted to try and portray the movement of the falling seed and also the immense sign of hope I found the ash key to be. I back painted a plain piece of fabric blue , brown / purple and green - deliberately in quite severe horizontal bands and then appliqued on sisal fibre and papers. I deliberately chose gold silk for the seeds - golden wings of hope., which I slightly padded and embroidered some veins onto the wings.I was pleased with myself for handling the process with more confidence this time and love the orange, golden silk pieces. Beads were added at the centre of each wing to signify the seed pod - these could have done with being smaller beads but I am using what I have here as much as possible. Finally after begging furnishing fabrics off friends for the collection of fabrics and discussion of social settings for textiles (see next blog !), I cut out some lettering from one piece and appliqued this onto the middle section. It seems to be the nature of things that faith allows one to let go of one life, travel through darkness and allow new life to grow. And so it is with the process of creation in art and life.I finished the piece by mounting and surrounding it with wood - for obvious tactile reasons and because I hoped some perspective of the seed falling among trees would be given.

Below are excerpts taken from the web about ash. As you can see a great deal of mythology has been written about it in many cultures.

The Ash tree in Norse mythology is seen as the world tree Yggdrasil or Cosmic Ash. As it spans the Universe it also roots deep into the earth. "Know yourself and you will know the world." This ancient Druid phrase describes to us how we are linked to our world, and how the Ash was seen as spanning the world around us and within each of us.

The Green Man Tree Oracle by John Matthews and Will Worthington STRENGTH GROWS FROM DEEP ROOTS Strength comes in many forms and is often wrongly confused with power. It can also allude to endurance, the ability to survive in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. One of the most powerful characteristics of humanity, strength endlessly represents itself in the darker pages of our history, and is often exhibited in the desire to protect a piece of land, or to die for the needs of one's country. Such feelings arise from a sense of rootedness, of belonging to a particular place. Inner strength, the gift of a spiritual presence within each individual, also lends itself to the imagery of the tree, whose life-giving sap courses through it like blood, drawing on the energy of the earth to give it the strength to grow. Growth itself is another aspect of strength, since without inner resources we may cease to grow and may find ourselves increasingly weakened. Whatever you may be looking for, Ash instructs you to consult your roots and to be sure of your inner direction before you act. The dual powers of the ash are its strength and its rootedness in wisdom.

Ash, Oak and Hawthorn make up the triad of powerful faery trees. If you stand in the shadow of an Ash, the fae will leave you alone. Put Ash berries in a baby's crib and the fae will not steal it and leave a changeling in its place. The spiral buds of the ash are linked to the spiral of life.

Tree Magick by Gillian Kemp A Tree of Life. You are strong enough to stand alone and triumph over difficulties like the rugged Ash tolerating nothing poisonous within its strongly branched shadow. The medicinal sap within its buds and bark show that you have the power to easily remedy a situation. You firmly cling to what you know is right, just as the dense, fibrous roots of the Ash grasp the earth that holds them. You are safe from harm in the same way that when the Ash is cut down, it revives easily and springs up as a young sapling. You may soon be spreading your wings and taking flight to new pastures, like the winged Ash seeds carried by the winds of Fall. LESSON OF THE ASH fromThe Wisdom of Trees by Jane Gifford

Through their understanding of Universal Order and their appreciation of their own unique role in it, the Celts discovered a deep sense of belonging and a purpose for their existence. Our modern and hectic daily life is usually far removed from the cycles and forces of the natural world, and it can often seen empty of any real purpose. The ash is a key to healing the loneliness of the human spirit out of touch with its origins - it can provide a sense of being grounded and of belonging. The ash reminded the Celts of the interlinking of the Three Cycles of Being. Likewise we are encouraged to consider the role of the pastin creating the present, so that we can better appreciate the many ways in which positive thought and action today can help to create a brighter tomorrow. Through a constant process of balancing and marrying opposites, we, like the ash, can achieve harmony within ourselves.

Whispers from the Woods, by Sandra Kynes 19th Century England and France: If a person had fever or toothache, they buried their finger-nail and toe-nail clippings under an Ash tree because they believed it would help cure the ailment.

The Great Goddess Saga

OGHAM The Celtic Oracle by Peter Pracownik and AndyBaggott The ash tree represents the world tree or axis mundi as it is known in Latin. It has roots deep in the earth and its branches reach upwards to the heavens. It thus represents the connection between the three worlds of the underworld, middle earth, and the spiritual realm. It is also taken to represent the integration of past, present and future. You are connected to the web of life and your every thought and action reverberates on that web affecting your reality. It is important to integrate spiritual lessons into your physical life so that you "walk your talk." You may face adversity but have the strength and wisdom to overcome any situation provided you draw on all your resources. The key-like fruit of the ash signifies the unlocking of doors to new knowledge that are hidden within you, so when the going gets tough, look inside for the answers and solutions you seek. Stand firm in your beliefs and stay in the eye of the storm rather than being drawn in to the conflicts of others.

Viking ships were made of ash. Many ancient cultures believed that humans originated within the ash - for instance, souls were born in the branches of Yggdrasil. The goddess Nemesis carried an ash branch.


The Ash tree has deeply penetrating roots and sours the soil, making it difficult for other vegetation to grow beneath it. Its twigs are thick and strong. In Norse mythology, this tree spans the universe - its roots in hell, its branches supporting the heavens and with Earth at its centre. In Celtic cosmology in particular it connects the three circles of existence - past, present and future, or as confusion, balance, and creative force; there being no fell, but only continual rebirth as passage is made from circle to circle until the Land of the Blessed is finally reached. Also, the Ash can be seen as spanning both microcosm and macrocosm, the little world and the great world. In this interpretation, man and Earthly things are reflections in miniature of the universe, the cosmos being reflected in us, and thus expressing the meaning of the old expression: as above, so below.

Not only was its girth tremendous, its height was towering.Some ash trees are known to soar over 200 feet tall. Such incredible growth owes credit to a fantastic root system. It's mass, height, and deeply imbedded roots were all metaphors for the spiritually minded Celts (and us too). The ash speaks to us of growth, expansion, and higher perspective. If we think symbolically as the ancient Celts were apt to do, we can liken our own soul-growth with that of the ash. With greater (higher) attainment, the more we need to stay grounded (well rooted). This concept falls right in line with the mystic message of the ash. Indeed, certain druid accounts indicate the realm between earth and sky were connected or held together by the mighty ash. Although it is associated with the element of air, the ash is also akin to the fire element for its amazing burning qualities. The wood of the ash burns with intense heat, even when green. This surfaced ideas of resurrection and renewal for the Celts. The ash was commonly used for protective rituals because it was believed that helpful energies were contained within its great body. Specifically, the ash was thought to be the guardian of children, and was often used as a healing agent for childhood illnesses. Its association with children may come from creation myths within Celtic lore. In some accounts the ash was considered the cradle of life, so too was it considered a gentle giant and a protector of youth.

Fraxinus 
ASH Names: Nion, Nuin, Nin (pron. Nee-uhn Noo-in ) "Cosdad Sida, checking of peace, that is nin, ash n: its is the maw of the weaver's beam as applied to wood: a sign of peace is that. Achecking of peace with him is that the ash of the weaver's beam" - Word Ogams of Morann Mac Main - The Scholars Primer, Calder, 1917. Ash is a tree of interesting mythology and character with a connection to this order the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids - For the first founder Ross Nichols took the name of Nuinn, Ash. The Ash tree has always been given mystical import and character, frequently being associated with healing and enchantment. In Celtic literature, there are many references to the Ash tree, but in particular as associated with the Welsh Magician-God Gwyddion, who bears an Ash staff/wand, a symbol of healing and especially transformation and empowerment in matters of destiny. As such in the Mabinogion the magic of Gwydion is concerned with tricking Arianhrod to give the young Llew his arms which she had previous sworn never to do, having placed a Geis ( or conditional curse or fate ) upon him. Gwydion used his powers of enchantment and transformation, to create a Phantom army fleet of ships which then tricks Arianhrod into giving Llew his arms, and thus removing the Geis upon his destiny. Llew is later said in the myth to rest as an Eagle in an Ash Tree. Ash was often used for spear shafts or handles for weapons and hence also Ash can be also seen to be Checking the powers of peace as above in the Word Ogams of Morann Mac Main. In this sense, application of force to destiny may bring peace through resolution of a conflict - which would be seen as healing. The English name Ash may have been derived from the Anglo-Saxon word Asec which is the name for a ritualistic spear. The name Nuin or Nin, literally means letters inthe Celtic languages. Ash cannot be mentioned without making reference to its related symbolism as the World Tree, which spans between worlds vertically from the waters of Annwn ( the lower world ), Abred ( this world ), Gwynvid ( Upperworld ) and finally into Ceugant. In this manner it symbolises the Cosmic axis of the universe, as the central column or conduit spanning through the many levels of realms and realities. In this sense, it could be seen as the Spine or backbone of the universe, or the central column of the tree of life, with many branches leading into the upper wordly realms and many roots in the lower worlds. Symbolically, it is interesting to consider our own incarnations as individual leaves upon this tree - the leaf that falls and returns to the roots to nourish the tree, in terms of the cycles ofdeath and rebirth. The symbolism may have come about due to the height of the Ash tree - typically they grow up to one hundred and fifty feet tall and due to its large root structure is a quite well spaced out tree. It is one of the last trees in the year to come out in bloom in leaves. All these factors may have combined in the imagination of the ancients of Europe to associate this tree in particular with the Cosmic Axis. In the Norse mythology the Ash tree is known as the Yggdrasil and associated with the God Odin who is similar in some respects to the Celtic Gwydion. In order to obtain the Futhark Runes, Odin is said to have hung himself upon the Yggdrasil and received the Runes in his trance.

It is related to the ridge pole of the world, over which the beautifully embroidered star spangled sky is thrown. It is related to the world axis and is a symbol of Union" - Chetwin In the Book of Druidry, Nuinn mentions the association of the Ash and Yggdrasil. p. 38 "The ash tree, with its wide embracing form, especially as the Umbrella tree played in the North part of Europe something of the same part that the bo-tree played in India: it was the Great Mother, eventually the Cosmic World-Ash Yggdrasil." The Ash was seen as the feminine counterpart to the All-Father tree, the Oak: "In these, two trees the oak and the ash, the concepts of the All-Father and the all-embracing world mother found the widest lodging. They are still found by many to be deeply symbolic and meaningful" There have been archaeological Druid finds of Ash wands carved with spirals in Wales which evidences indeed the powers of the Ash were reverenced and employed by the Druids. A folk practice was recorded in Suffolk, England in 1834 where an Ash tree is split longitudinally and a baby was passed through the hole formed three times. The tree was then bound up and if the tree successfully healed itself - all was to be well with the child in life. The practice was also recorded in several other counties for the purpose of healing Hernias in small children and was performed either at midnight or dawn. The use of Ash Keys is generally though to be protective against negative sorceries. Ash Wands are thought to have been used for the raising and directing of healing energies and enchantments. Ash leaves placed under the pillow before sleep were thought to bring prophetic dreams or were placed in water containers since it was thought the leaves fought off illness. Another use of the tree was for the curing of lameness, swellings in cattle and general pains - which were thought to be caused by a Shrew running over them. Thus a shrew would be thrust deep into a hole bored in an Ash tree, and plugged up. It was then thought that any animal or person who was brushed or asperged with leaves from that particular tree would be cured. In Richmond park in London, in the mid 19th century such a shrew ash was widely visited with the intention of healing children of whooping cough and other ailments. It was also a folklore tradition that Snakes could not bear to be near an Ash tree or a wood cut from an Ash. In Irish folklore if shadows were cast upon crops by Ash trees, it was though the crops would be ruined. At many of the sacred wells in Ireland Ash stumps have been found which suggest its association with healing/wishing well and well dressing traditions. Ash trees were also thought in northern England to cure rickets and warts. One Celtic tradition states that Ash trees originated in the underworld Annwn or in the underworld sea realm Tethys.

There is a well known English folklore verse which predicts how much rain there will be in spring from the dates when the Oak and Ash trees bud: Oak before Ash we are in for a splash
Ash before Oak we are in for a soak. Another verse, associates Ashes with the ability to draw lightning: Avoid the Ash,
It Draws the Flash. References:

Medicinal properties: Ash bark can make an infusion that is a mild laxative and diuretic. The rood bark is the most potent with astringent properties, and was used to treat liver diseases and arthritic rheumatism. Other uses include reduce fever, treat kidney and urinary infections, expel intestinal parasites, and treating malaria. Magickal properties: The leaves attract love and prosperity. Burn Ash wood at Yule to receive prosperity. Sleep with them under your pillow and you will have psychic/prophetic dreams. Sleep with them in a bowl of water next to your bed to prevent illness. Wearing garters of green ash bark protects against the powers of magicians. Ash can heal children just by passing the child through a split in the tree's trunk. It promotes strength, harmony, and a sense of being in tune with your surroundings. In an ancient Greek creation story, humans were formed from Ash and Oak trees.

Ash Tree attracts lightening, so don't stand under one during an electric storm. 
 Greek mythographer Hesiod claimed thefirst man was born from the ash tree. This became the custom of planting an ash tree at the birth of each baby. The state of the tree served as an indicator of that person's health and strength. 
Ash is the key to healing the loneliness of the human spirit, forming a link between the gods, humans, and the dead in the spirit world. Ash holds the key to Universal Truth and Cosmic Wisdom, and it takes on the important role as a Tree of Initiation. given.Ashsize. - Nuin - he Celtic meaning of the ash tree deals with power and magnitude. The ash is an expansive specimen of the Ogham, and the ancient Celts were rightly impressed by its massive girth.

We find spiritual transformation as an important aspect of trees in many traditional accounts. The Buddha becameenlightened under a Bodhi tree (“Tree of Enlightenment”), which signifies that like the tree’s renewal through new foliage, the Buddha was spiritually reborn that day. It involves a death of the ego for a new life like shedding old leaves for new. 
Odin the chief god of Norse mythology, gained his wisdom hanging from a huge ash tree, the Yggdrasil. He spent nine nights hanging from that tree in order to find the runes, an alphabet used to write Germanic languages. Odin’s sacrifice on the tree symbolically parallels the crucifixion of Christ.

Wendy Taylor Sculptures:

Wendy Taylor has often stated that what she aims for is "bulk, form, feel, even smell". It is with this notion of textural sensuousness in mind that she has created Sycamore. 



For many years, Taylor has created detailed drawings of plants and animals alongside her sculpture. She is a member of the Royal Zoological Society and is scrupulously accurate in her depictions, researching the anatomy of her subjects. Sycamore is a continuation of this attention to detail and accuracy.

Following on from her smaller-scale Seed Series, this sculpture evokes notions of time and potential. Seeds are potential life encapsulated in species-specific casement, each of which serves a different function pertinent to the conditions it needs to start to grow. The sycamore seeds' job is to glide, to twist and turn that they may gently fall to the ground, to rest on the surface and be brushed into the soil. Wendy Taylor presents the seed at the moment of rest. Its other wing is either buried or broken off and it stands poised at an unsustainable angle, pluming up from the soil.

That she presents it to us in this position reveals it as a moment of destiny captured. We know not what will happen to the seed, or whether its potential will be realised and a tree will grow from it, only that it has fallen here and that it is beautiful. The fact she has chosen to realise such an ephemeral object in bronze, an enduring and ancient material, is to underline this association with time.

The size and position of the sculpture also encourage us to engage with it. As it thrusts into our eyeline, the enlargement of every vein means we can truly marvel at the beauty and detail of this natural form.