Omens and Portents

[David Stafford]

Ed Giecek made me some stickers (see lower right) that were made for a moments like this. After I tumped a bottle of Higgins Black Ink over my drafting table the massive spill resolved itself into a raven! I am still left wondering whether this is an omen or a portent however. Either way, it's definitely not the worst thing to fly off this table. Thanks, Ed.

[CtlAltDel]

Nevermore

[David Stafford]

Most excellent, Thom. No one else could have parsed it as you have. I appreciate the time you spent figuring this darn thing out.

Your analysis is what my ex-wife would call a "positive reframe." From angry poltergeist to loving collaborator. I'm afraid the latter just doesn't suit my temperament but I'll make an effort. 

(Wasn't there an all-woman band in the Bay Area called Ace of Cups? If only there were a way to track them down, he said to himself.)

I should consult the tarot (an anagram of Thom Courcelle in many languages) more often.

Thanks again, Thom and Laura, as well, for your kind words.

[Thom Courcelle]

Okay, so this tarot deck I use has RAVENS on all the suit of Cups cards and when I tried to find the closest image to your desk mess, I came up with the ACE-OF-CUPS!  (Aces encompass all the potential and possibilities of the suit of Cups, dealing with emotions and feelings.) One of the obvious association with the Ace-of-Cups is the evocation of the search for the Holy Grail of Arthurian literature...OR PERHAPS OF ILLUSTRATION NIRVANA. 

In older versions of this card—like in most Marseille decks—the cup is depicted as a fantastical contraption with eight sides and a coverlet…which is meant to represent the baptismal font in churches. This evokes BAPTISM, or even the baptism of Christ in the River Jordan, and the start of Jesus’s mission of sharing the message of [God’s] LOVE with the world.

Now, the color RED...has a spectrum wavelength of 650 nanometers. USING NUMEROLOGY we add 6+5+0 to come up with the number 11. Then reduce again by adding 1+1...and we come up with the number TWO (2).  I'm gonna call this the suit of Cups because it was TWO BOTTLES of INK THAT WERE SPILLED.

And the 2-OF-CUPS card is the card of LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP! ...It could be Philia—a deep friendship—or Pragma—a longstanding love relationship…but it definitely has to do with the entwining of two souls.

So I would say that if you were worried about the drafting table's previous owner, he is actually—obviously—speaking to you and telling you how ENAMOURED he is to have such a thoughtful and creative artist using his desk to bring joy to other people.

YOU'RE WELCOME!!!!!!!!  (normal tarot reading fee waived in lieu of mail art exchange...)

[David Stafford]

Wow! I'll have what you're having. Thanks, Laura. 

[David Stafford]

So long after I posted this original blog I managed to tump a precious half-bottle of Noodler's Ink Red over the black raven, adding yet another layer of color and a more ominous portent. Especially when it's juxtaposed with a folk art salute. (see above)

I didn't mention in the original post that the drafting table at one time belonged to Paul Cataldo, a noted calligrapher and author of several books. It was given to me by his daughter, Barbara, who I worked with for a time. Is it possible these ink mishaps are Mr. Cataldo's poultergeistian tricks? Does he object to the downmarket productions of my years with his drafting table, imbued, as it must be, with his deepest tactile self? I'm consulting my tarot for answers.

[Nancy Bell Scott]

That table is drowning in character, and now with a raven, no less. It's a beaut. You don't need the original owner's skill sets; they might mess with your own unique style.

[David Stafford]

Thanks, Nancy. The table has a lot of character because it originally belonged to calligrapher John Cataldo whose daughter, Barbara, gave it to me. Alas, the magical transference of skill sets through the drafting board has not yet occurred. 

[Nancy Bell Scott]

Fabulous blog, Dave! This might need to be printed out and pasted on my wall. Also, probably more than one of us really would like to see more of your drafting table.