After the meeting at the Vet’s Hall tomorrow, I’m hoping to head over to Persimmons for a look at Mykol Blackwell’s art.

Press Release: Mykol Blackwell grew up among the colours and seasons, of a small New England town. At an early age his family moved from the inner city, to the outskirts of that town; and his playground became what seemed at the time to be an endless forest, and a huge reservoir! His explorations and evolutions,led him to become a lover of the natural world; its cycles; and designs!

In his twenties his travels led him west to California on several occasions, before he eventually moved to Santa Cruz; which was to him what he always imagined California to be! His playground became the beaches and surf of the Pacific; and the Redwood Forests!

During this time a friend and mentor turned him on to the writings of Joseph Campbell; which he took to heart, and his art continued to evolve further and further into myth and legend; not only from the past, but from the future, as well as his imagination! He moved to the North Coast, Humboldt County, and has for years now lived a stones ( so to speak) from the Pacific  Ocean, in and around the magnificent ancient Redwoods! Inspired by these surroundings and his continued personal, spiritual, and metaphysical studies; he on the one hand continued to sculpt Dragons, and other phantasmagorical creatures from pieces of wood which seemed to magically present themselves to him, with the wish to be brought to life!! On the other hand his drawings and paintings evolved into a series of oil paintings, which still continues to grow; and he dubbed  ‘Totem Souls!

The words of Joseph Campbell had echoed in his mind for decades; if we are going to save this planet, we need to create a new mythology, which reveres and respects the wonders of the Natural World! Those words brought him to combine human and animal (birds so far) anatomies, creating through the brush visionary glimpses of a new mythology born from the melting together of ancient Celtic, Pacific North West Native  American myths, with those from his minds eye! His art has been shown up and down the coast of California; and many a Humboldt viewer feels at home in the landscapes, that make their way as backdrops into these mythical beings portraits! He resides still in Humboldt County; claiming his soul has found its home; and that the inspiration is as limitless, and endless as a clear starry night there!

Having lived in So. Hum. the last 20 years, Mykol’s become a Jack of all trades, Master of a few! He’s designed 100’s of T-shirts, & posters for clients, as well as his own “Humboldt Nation,” line; Freelanced for clients, illustrating 2 Coloring Books; “The Headwaters Forest Story Coloring Book,” for Darryl Cherney & Earth First; & more recently “The Johnny West Circle X Ranch Coloring Book,!” for Terri Coop, owner of Marxman Creations! Which led to an eBay adventure building, & selling 1/6th scale “Old West” building facades, for collectors around the country! Before that, he also designed & built a line of Castle dollhouses, selling them on eBay, & locally! He also wrote & illustrated a few children’s stories of his own, which, with the evolution of self publishing, he’s now saving the money to publish!

If you’ve lived here a while, chances are, you’ve seen his work; in one form, or another!! Whether you have or not, he invites you to Persimmons; where his work will be showing for the month of October, with the opening on the 7th!