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Then on a long-ago road trip (early '90s) down I-95, construction blocked traffic seemingly the entire length of the east coast from Virginia to Florida. We crawled for four days. I thought about the marblings and the characters began to speak. I put a pad on my knee and jotted notes while the car inched ahead. Those stories took many shapes over the years and one version, "The Grand Hill Giant", was picked up by WFSU-Radio for their "Stories In The Air". Wilbro, with his "Coat Of Many Faces", won best in short fiction with Seven Hills Review. Other characters await their turn. |
The marbled illustrations Marbling involves a mix of paints or dyes floating on a gelatinous surface, pushed and swirled into patterns. Each original is by hand, then imprinted on a variety of papers, some handmade. When dry, they are clarified with pen and ink to render more clearly the imagery that appears through the swirls of colors. Some include metallic inks that catch the light and make their colors glisten. Instead of traditional patterns of chevrons, or paisley, characters and magical scenes appeared. A swirl of dye at the top of the page becomes a horse throwing back it's head in a cascading swirl of a waterfall. A rainbow of patterns becomes a magical coat. The white, negative space within other colors becomes the shape of a goose's head or falcon's wing. A tree grows out of the side of swirled greens. Personalities peek from within the swirls, and began unfolding their stories within my mind. These marblings became my "go-to" backdrops for creating the Summer Hills. The five have been included in art exhibits. |
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Each of the titles demonstrate a theme or priniciple for the lead character regarding the many expressions of color. Several are stories within stories. TOC 2. "The Coat Of Many Faces" with a theme of energy follows form, and the vibrations of purples and lavenders, tells of Wilbro, an inspired fiber-artist, as he is energized by a dramatic storm and creates a magnificent coat. Theme: whirled purples; force and form. 3. "Jason's Goose, Hannah" with a theme of like attracts like, is a short vignette of a country craftsman and his pet on a visit, where Hannah finds herself in a mirroring reflection of Jason. Theme: shades of peach, ambers and orange; reflection. 4. "Justin's Dream" - Parallel stories of Wilbro, the visionary artist, and Justin, a colt, illustrate a theme of inner vision. Wilbro helps Justin find value in his dreams and is literally transformed by his fantasy. Rainbow hues permeate the hills. Theme: rainbows; fantasy. 5. "The Legend Of The Grand Hill Giant", a story within a story, carries a theme centering around the vibration of the primary color red, and its associations to grounding and courage. It follows Granya and Bon Rosalie, the falconer, on a hike to the hills and relates the source of an ancient legend. Theme: reds; courage. Story within: Grand Hill Giant. 6. "Joscelyn's Golden Basket" has a theme of imprinting the subconscious and illustrates the primary color yellow. A folktale demonstrates a principle of mind and thought. Joscelyn, the children's mother, evaluates her many collections. Theme: yellows; mindset. Story within: Tarreljeff, the elf. 7. "The Emerald Basin" revolves around the theme of growth. A mysterious letter triggers elderly Granya to a coming to terms with old judgments and fears she thought long buried. The vitality and balancing vibration of the color green characterizes the font of the Summer Hills magic. Theme: greens; growth. 8 . "The Falcon's Silver Necklace", also a story within a story, illustrates the vibration of the third primary color, the peaceful, yet invigorating blue. Bon Rosalie is involved in a quest for identity, or determining personal essence vs. outward roles, with two tales of unique birds of the Summer Hills. Theme: blues; peace. Story within: Azure, the falcon. Each story is somewhat sequential as it carries characters throughout their experiences from spring to fall. |
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A magical land born of lava and mist, it evolved iwth time, carved and flowed, then deepened and rose, and blossomed. But something was wrong. A debilitating force yellowed its leaves, drained its streams, and fell like lead into its hollows. Yet for the people of the hills, life went on, for most, unaware, unchanging. "The
Summer Hills are legendary. Here is a storied place of burgeoning folklore
that drew kith and kin from across the river to settle where they could
release the stress of urban needs. Here was a placid time when dwellers
this side of the gently flowing currents pulled back from a coarser
workaday world to quieter times when they could focus their craft, replenish
their spirit, and renew ties with each other in the village. It was
a region of vibrant flora and fauna, charmed by the sun, enthused by
the winds, and quenched by waters both flowing or deep. But the enchanting
land of the Summer Hills needed help. Granya saw it, and she knew what
to do. "The Jujubee Tree", Tales From The Summer Hills, Alice Cappa |
Meet
Granya and her family: son Dalen, Joscelyn, and the kids, Ranier and
Babitt. A master herbalist and spinner of both yarns and stories, she
must journey through healing turns for a long-awaited dream. Armed with
her story beads and legends of the hills, Granya prepares for a pivotal
trek, which leads off the sequences of the other tales from spring storms
to the autumn Founder's Fest. Meet Bon Rosalie as she builds up her courage and her aviary with her falcons, taking heart from the legend of the Old One. |
He was a giant of a man, come out of the hills in the dead of a winter's night. A strange one, he often traveled in the company of a primeval red falcon, shadowing his gait from high in the air. He first drew eyes as he walked through the village streets, torch lights flickering, reflecting from swept up snowdrifts to his rough and shaggy face. His beard was short and his coppery hair hung long from a high-browed head, and some lichens stuck fast to his whiskers. A crimson scarf bound his waist, the ends fluttering behind him. "The Legend Of the Grand Hill Giant", Tales From The Summer Hills ~ Allice Cappa |
"The Emerald Basin", Tales of the Summer Hills |
Meet Wilbro, a fiber artist, following a mission dependent on the magical forces of the Summer Hills.
Other
characters such as Jason, the jeweler, with his pet, Hannah, * * * * * or elfin Tarraljeff and winged Azure and Bluebeard, all play their part in bringing out the story of the Hills and Hollows. * * * * * |
Six
Hours....
"The Coat Of Many Faces", Tales of the Summer Hills * * * * * "Tarraljeff?"
"Joscelyn's Golden Basket", Tales of the Summer Hills |
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The Scrolls Several of the tales are printed on handmade or otherwise fibrous papers and scrolled, rolled, and nested three to a box.
Some are mounted on a backdrop of collaged papers. Some papers were first printed with a faint, overall image, such as a watermark on the background of this webpage. |
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The Book A montage of handmade paper pages, collaged with printed papers or cut and pasted with actual drawings, became the beginnings of a book. In between the signatures are more marbled inserts, which will be hand-sewn as part of the binding. Still in progress, there are more pages to be added: marblings, illustrations, cut-outs and pop-ups. Some collages include fibrous textures or plant leaves, blossoms, threads, spices and scents. This multi-dimensional story grew into a multi-dimensional experience. |
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contact: yarntalk@alicecappa.com
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