tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69976445427383868852024-02-20T07:48:42.816-08:00Scales of the SerpentSpecialising in the Arts of handworked flesh.Aaron Rathbunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564973535318886403noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997644542738386885.post-11328606267671544442012-10-22T08:17:00.003-07:002012-10-22T08:17:41.186-07:00RestructuringAs part of simplifying the business side of things I'm revivifying my DeviantArt account as my primary gallery and doing away with my "Business" Facebook page. My apologies on the extra shuffle. Please amend your bookmarks and links appropriately.
Cheers!
-Aaron-Aaron Rathbunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564973535318886403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997644542738386885.post-15177764773096722622012-01-23T14:58:00.000-08:002012-01-23T15:02:17.071-08:00Imbolc 2012I'll be taking most of this year off to focus on better refining my business infrastructure and product development. My apologies to the many wonderful folks of the Strange, the Unusual, and the Fantastic communities both local and abroad. Keep your eyes peeled for ETSY updates and for more current (Professional and otherwise) updates look for me on Facebook!Aaron Rathbunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564973535318886403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997644542738386885.post-14262783512857506022011-10-29T08:28:00.000-07:002011-10-29T08:32:03.057-07:00Samhain 2011 UpdateIn some traditions Samhain is held as one end of the calendar birthing a new year. In Texas that's often when the weather turns from hot and intimidating to less hot, less intimidating and we receive more exciting, cooler winds. It's a month I look at where business is concerned as the dawn of my Enterprise, this mid-month marking two full years since I started working on making my passion a profession. However as the cycle of seasons turn so too does the eye of pragmatism re-evaluating at this milestone operational efficiency when juxtaposed in consideration towards greater objectives and goals.<br /><br />Education has always been a core tenant to my ideology. The Universe is a vast, marvelous place, so much so that even a hundred human lifetimes cannot comprehend all there is to know. From relationships and perspective we learn there are more truths to each story than the ones we think we understand. Even when all sides are observed there are still facets that elude us, revealing ours is but one telling, one version, one unique instance founded upon factors unique and random and non-replicative from a boundless dimension of possibility. To specialize is to choose, to limit oneself from infinite potential. Yet we do this, transient beings as we are, because it is part of our nature. We have such little time to explore the vastness of existence that even lethargy or the abstention of intent and activity is a choice in how we openly engage our lives while we are alive.<br /><br />If I've often had difficulty establishing a mission statement it is because I consider my profession and who I am for my time here inexorably related. It seems like it should be enough that I chose a name for my business which embodies the spirit of what my activities signify to me. Whether in artistic performance or in making concepts of the mind a physical reality the underlying essence has remained the same. An Enterprise. A word meaning initiative and challenge, innovation with scope; that rather than lie recumbent as heart and flesh dissolve in entropic decay one strives to guide with creative intent forces that go forth as ripples in a pond to shape and inspire our world as this shining sphere of mineral and memory so too has stoked our heritage. To defy our own mortality by embracing it, in defining purpose where such may not exist we forge meaning through our choices and activities and make of uncertainty a truth. To embrace and understand one's legacy for some people even a lifetime isn't enough, and often on paper few words do little justice to crystalize the apotheosis of who we are, who we have been and the potential of who we may one day become.<br /><br />I am entering a new phase of my Enterprise. As with any resolution or analysis certain aspects of life become revisited to be restructured, archived or eventually eliminated. Of the lessons, experiences and people who have become a part of my journey I would not trade a thing these last few years. You are a part of my life that has enriched it as I hope I have enriched yours. Through this shared time I've learned much, and though I would love to charge on braving new paths in the landscape of what leather art could become I have tested and acknowledged the pacing restraints that equilibrium asks of all pilgrims.<br /><br />I will be moving within a year. To some of you the noteworthy aspect of this news is that I've stepped towards a finer analysis of the prime candidate cities. Dallas has been a welcome nest to develop my work in to where it is today, however as in tendering the earth soils must be turned, fields left fallow and seeds set adrift to cultivate a vaster bounty. I seek opportunities this home does not provide as eagerly that will more strongly enable my work to grow. In pursuing such potential I aspire to develop a stronger foundation from which a greater art and more potent legacy may flourish.<br /><br />As consequence to this decision I will be consolidating my activities. Though my skills will still be available for commissioning I may not be able to take on as many as I have in the past. Concordantly I will be attending fewer venues and events as my business. The professional developmental activities I have enjoyed engaging thus far unfortunately do not provide quite the cut of resources necessary for workshop relocation.<br /><br />Perhaps of more significance to me however will be the consequence of leaving those I have come to look on as clan and family over these last many years. Most my life has been lived within a thirty-mile radius. Reunion, casual engagement and communion has often been readily available with the greater part of those who have inscribed my heart. To move will be to interrupt those days for me now and indeterminably. The star of Aquarius is cold and distant and wide-seeing but not without a soul and in it's home too it is a sun. Of this community I withdraw from some are long acquaintances while others have become quick companions. Whether I know you well, have not seen you for years or am only beginning to discover the marvel of who you may be know that in each of you I cherish the seed of Divinity I see shared within myself. Our paths have touched each others' lives in ways no one else's shall, and though we may not have grown alike, wear the same woes, tread the same paths anymore or find joy in similar majesties know that you are a part of this world as rich and complicated and infinitely integrated into the lives of all others, dear to me as my own brief voice in the Great Song of Being.<br /><br />My moving date will be one of prospect, objective and opportunity. Once the final evaluations are complete I will better be able to define the criteria necessary for relocation before proceeding to make such happen. Till then I remain your faithful artisan, crafter of dreams.<br /><br />~Aaron Rathbun~Aaron Rathbunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564973535318886403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997644542738386885.post-57644816769971877922011-02-02T19:17:00.000-08:002011-03-10T09:55:02.929-08:00NEWSLETTER - Imbolg 2011Boy and Howdy Folks!<br /><br />2011's kicked off to a fast start! January's already come and gone with what looks like a busy Spring ahead. If all goes smoothly I'm planning on spending more time developing a good number of product lines including refinements to older models as well as debuting some new ones! Most of my planned events for this year look like they'll be centering around the Dallas/Fort Worth area so my temporary apologies to you extra-North Texas terrestrials. Keep your eyes peeled for art pieces however, especially you Reader's Studio folks – I've got a few special items in the works with the words “Fancy Dress Ball” written all over them!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT: Tarot & Zodiac Charm Key Fobs</span><br /><br />With the new year I'm excited to introduce a charming new series with vast potential for custom personalization! Ever since my first experiments with laser burning I've been itching to put miniature Tarot cards on whatever they'll look good on and now, with my new line of key ring fobs, I've got the excuse to do just that and say they're practical at the same time! Able to embellish any distinct, illustrative work down to the 1/1000ths of an inch level of precision my currently available Laser Library includes the full major arcana from the Marseilles tarot, a complete set of plates from the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot (majors, minors and court cards) and original designs for the twelve grand rulers of the Zodiac. Ideal for gifts and keepsakes Tarot and Zodiac Charm key fobs make a fantastic addition to anyone's personal affects!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">OF NOTE: Wacky Planets on the Horizon!</span><br /><br />Saturn has gone retrograde just in time for Mardi Gras starting off 11 solid months of planetary reversals. While the Celestial Taskmaster is backwards expect to see a general levity in the air. Adventuresomeness & risk-taking are likely to emerge more but beware rash decisions that may have lasting consequences.<br /><br />Mercury goes on its first semi-annual flummox shortly after the Ostara Equinox on 30th March spelling temporary mischief for matters of study, travel and communication. Fortunately for those attending Reader's Studio this year the Winged Adept returns to normal about 23rd April, a good week before the Beltaine sabbat.<br /><br />Pluto jumps in on the fray 9th April further enhancing the capricious challenges instigated by Saturn's retrograde. With the Dark Lord reversed anticipate a little melodrama from sources believing their feet are bigger than their shoes. Be careful about starting new projects with long-term goals.<br /><br />Take extra caution from 9th - 23rd April when all 3 planets are dancing backwards together; matters of maturity and business ventures - especially contracts - should be dealt with patient and considerate examination to ensure an ideal outcome for all parties involved.<br /><br />For candle practitioners seek out soothing indigo or violet to appeal to Saturn's discipline when you feel your focus is wavering, keep a striking yellow or orange on hand if Mercury's mischief starts causing more problems than you can handle and stock up on the serious browns or black should Pluto's mantle obscure your goals.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">CALENDAR OF EVENTS:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">11th February - "Carnival of Creatures"</span> (Sons of Hermann Hall; Dallas, TX)<br />A Masquerade Variety Show incorporating 17th century Venetian Carnivale with a Steampunk twist!<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">I will be attending this event as a vendor. <br /></span><a href="http://blaminggrace.com/carnevale/">http://blaminggrace.com/carnevale/</a><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=160033524033039">http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=160033524033039</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">4th-6th March - "North Texas Irish Festival"</span> (Fair Parks; Dallas, TX)<br />One of the largest Celtic culture and heritage festivals outside of the Emerald Isle itself.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">I will be participating as an artist creating a unique chalk installation tailored to the event.<br /></span><a href="http://www.ntif.org/">http://www.ntif.org/</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">19th March - "Deep Ellum Outdoor Market"</span> (Indiana & N. Oakland Ave; Dallas, TX)<br />A monthly bazaar in the eclectic Deep Ellum district of Dallas featuring a variety of talent from the local arts & crafts, homemade goods and odd collectibles scene.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">I will be working this event as a vendor.<br /></span><a href="http://deepellummarket.com/">http://deepellummarket.com/</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">23rd April - "Cedar Springs Art Fest"</span> (Cedar Springs & Reagan; Dallas, TX)<br />The second annual Spring street art fair located in the heart of the Dallas gayborhood.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">I will be working this event as a vendor.<br /></span><a href="http://www.shopcedarsprings.com/art_fest.asp">http://www.shopcedarsprings.com/art_fest.asp</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">29th April - 1st May - "Reader's Studio"</span> (La Guardia Mariott Hotel; New York City, NY)<br />One of the world's premiere Tarot events bringing celebrated luminaries, initiates and adepts alike together for a weekend of esoteric study and engagement.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">I will be attending this event as a vendor.<br /></span><a href="http://www.tarotschool.com/RS11/index.html">http://www.tarotschool.com/RS11/index.html</a>Aaron Rathbunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564973535318886403noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997644542738386885.post-43317088129274546102010-12-09T12:54:00.001-08:002010-12-09T13:26:05.095-08:00New product line - Tarot and Zodiac key fobs!Salutations all!<br /><br />I'm very pleased to debut a new product line just in time for Yule - <b>Arcane Charm Key Fobs</b>!<br /><br />Keep your personal arcana, glyphs and tokens of esoteric reflection close at hand emblazoned upon a durable leather key charm. They make great gifts for initiate and adept alike!<br /><br />Current products may be found at <a href="http://www.etsy.com/people/disscordia">my ETSY store</a> - drop on by!<br /><br /><b>Current designs available:</b><br />* Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot (major arcana)<br />* Astrology - Signs of the Zodiac<br /><br /><b>Coming soon:</b><br />* Rider-Waite-Smith (minor arcana)<br />* Marseilles Tarot (majors)<br />* Astrology - Planets<br />* Runes!Aaron Rathbunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564973535318886403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997644542738386885.post-67343648496228252872010-12-09T12:37:00.000-08:002010-12-09T12:53:28.039-08:00Artifice, DedicationArtifice is more than the manufactory of transient goods or the standardization of aesthetic labor. In a world where much is conceived with its own extinction in mind at the whim of fad or fate or fiscality the raptures of endurance and deeper meaning seem obscured in pursuit of fleeting ends. It is the nature and duty of the Artificer to transcend beyond this; to combine the disciplines of business with the communion of Art; to erect upon the world enduring testaments of the majesty of human imagination; to impress the divinity within in heritage and legacy unto the greater human story. It is the gift of the Artisan that spans the primeval recesses of history reaching unto a multifluous future that binds the mortal material with enduring spirit to make manifest the act of creation. It is the Artifact which embodies divine alchemy and crystalizes a celebration of the sacred nature of our own humanity even as we pass from time. This is my work, my sacrament and my legacy.<br /><br />I dedicate my talent, skills and madness to my family without whose influence I might never have come into this relationship with life: To my Father, a true knight, who's passion for tinkering and forever practicing the noble virtues of human being lie matched only by his affable absentmindedness and tendency to gab your ear off; to my Mother whose inspiringly multi-faceted mastery of creative arts lie tempered beside and equally keen and sometimes infuriating razor of rational, patient practicality; to my Brother for whom a childhood's loathing and envy has become the long absent companion of honor, respect and admiration; to my Uncle without who's twisted influence I might not have developed some of the more unusual if not perverse affectations to my personality; and to the ever extending clan of community - of friends and foils, godfathers and godmothers, lovers, villains, teachers, conspirators, creeps, freaks, heros, competitors and flakes - who make this world more than a mere smorgasbord of elements but a vibrant journey of dreams exploring the boundless possibilities presented by our manifold human condition.<br /><br />To all my muses, ancestors and inheritors, Namaste.Aaron Rathbunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564973535318886403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997644542738386885.post-25636285930648797352010-08-16T12:03:00.000-07:002010-08-16T13:20:41.855-07:00BATS 2010 & Dallas PrideLess than two weeks until the San Francisco Bay Area Tarot Symposium and counting! The journey has been arduous with many unexpected challenges but the Golden Gate Bridge at the end of the rainbow looms ever closer in sight!<br /><br />At this point I am placing a hold on all new commissions for the next month. My apologies but amidst the final preparations for BATS and the annual Dallas Pride Parade there will be little time left to properly address unique requests. Quality is paramount to my work and I wish to ensure that all custom orders meet with the expectations of their clients. Exceptions for this will be case orders received at the Bay Area Tarot Symposium so be sure to drop by if you have a chance!<br /><br />~~ SNEAK PEEK ~~<br /><br />I'm real excited about this new batch of cases. Not only have the standard clasps been improved upon but I am proud to offer a NEW CLOSURE style for all cases!<br /><br />On top of that additional features have become available for the Reader on the go. To see what these might be check out the teaser image below!<br /><br /><br />~~( )~~~~~~~~GALLERY PIECES~~~~~~~~( )~~<br /><br />Ladies, Gentlemen and Those-of-You-Who-Have-Yet-to-Make-Up-Your-Minds, I bid you welcome! Before you now is a gallery of the gruesome, the divine, the select works in Leather and Chalk of Aaron Rathbun originals!<br /><br />CASES<br /><br />Practical, efficient, multi-utility, cases serve an innumerable series of functions from helping us organize or ways within the world to keeping safe our most sacred treasures. These cases are specifically designed for Tarot decks but can be created for any set of dimensions. Decoration styles vary from the basic to the unique to one-of-a-kind originals incorporating specific artwork and elements tailor-made to your desires.<br /><br />BRACERS<br />(aka vambraces, cuffs, wristbands, bracelets, gauntlets, ETC..)<br /><br />For fashion, for function, for costume perfection few things jump out quite like the accoutrements we wear near our wrists. From the effervescent elegance of slivered charms dangling from the hand of the sanguine maiden to the sovereign menace of razored steel bound to the arm of an unchained gladiator bracelets enhance more than just the aesthetic of the body but how we celebrate a diversity of being. More than a medley of tendony digits our forearms bear in them a symphony of structure, connecting our minds to one of the greatest and most versatile tools we are born with. Whether secretaries for our thoughts, crafters of our needs or dancers for desire our hands are priceless assistants in guiding the shaping of our will into the world. Why not treat them to the artistry and comfort they deserve?Aaron Rathbunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564973535318886403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997644542738386885.post-10078107520927111352010-04-18T14:08:00.000-07:002010-04-18T16:25:06.978-07:00Reader's Studio 2010, UpdatesSweet Subscribers,<br /><br />Way back in the Long, Long Ago of the dark ages I created this blog with the inhuman aspirations of having some kind of web presence while a more stately storefront/gallery site could be established. How foolish was I when such established communities as <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/disscordia">Etsy</a> and <a href="http://disscoria.deviantart.com">DeviantArt</a> could provide for those needs accordingly. In consequence to such convenience and human ennui not much has changed here since those first few inimical putterings save for the random image being contributed every now and again. Life's lesson's are thusly learned.<br /><br />Nevertheless, I have resolved to once again pursue that age-old dream, that long-remembered fancy and over the course of the next indeterminable while I WILL CREATE a website dedicated to providing 24-hour, worldwide service while I myself am dead, sleeping or otherwise occupied (whichever comes first) with pursuits contrary to that of siphoning off of my life-energies to the viewscreens of Internets Present by engaging in that ancient and arcane custom known the world over. I'm hiring a professional to do it.<br /><br />Now onto the present.<br /><br /><br /><b>~~( )~~~~~~~~READER'S STUDIO 2010~~~~~~~~( )~~</b><br /><br />Though I do not have a table set aside for this year keep your eyes peeled as I'll be wandering around the convention with maybe a few pieces on hand.<br /><br />In case you miss me or I run out of pieces-on-hand I will be open for commissions starting MONDAY, APRIL 26TH. Please have an idea of what you're interested in as far as (1) an EMBELLISHMENT STYLE (Basic / Laser Burned / Hand-Carved & Tooled), (2) COLOR scheme and (3) DECK INFORMATION including (a) exact size/dimensions (b) name of deck and (c) whether you want a snug fit or extra "wiggle" space inside the case.<br /><br />(As indicated per the above note I intend to streamline the ordering process in the not-too-distant future.)<br /><br /><br /><b>~~( )~~~~~~~~GALLERY PIECES~~~~~~~~( )~~</b><br /><br />Ladies, Gentlemen and Those-of-You-Who-Have-Yet-to-Make-Up-Your-Minds, I bid you welcome! Before you now is a gallery of the gruesome, the divine, the select works in Leather and Chalk of Aaron Rathbun originals!<br /><br /><b>CASES</b><br /><br />Practical, efficient, multi-utility, cases serve an innumerable series of functions from helping us organize or ways within the world to keeping safe our most sacred treasures. These cases are specifically designed for Tarot decks but can be created for any set of dimensions. Decoration styles vary from the basic to the unique to one-of-a-kind originals incorporating specific artwork and elements tailor-made to your desires.<br /><br /><b>BRACERS</b><br />(aka vambraces, cuffs, wristbands, bracelets, gauntlets, ETC..)<br /><br />For fashion, for function, for costume perfection few things jump out quite like the accoutrements we wear near our wrists. From the effervescent elegance of slivered charms dangling from the hand of the sanguine maiden to the sovereign menace of razored steel bound to the arm of an unchained gladiator bracelets enhance more than just the aesthetic of the body but how we celebrate a diversity of being. More than a medley of tendony digits our forearms bear in them a symphony of structure, connecting our minds to one of the greatest and most versatile tools we are born with. Whether secretaries for our thoughts, crafters of our needs or dancers for desire our hands are priceless assistants in guiding the shaping of our will into the world. Why not treat them to the artistry and comfort they deserve?Aaron Rathbunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564973535318886403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997644542738386885.post-45742919101989170742008-12-06T11:24:00.000-08:002008-12-06T11:33:14.900-08:00The Communion of FleshPractically anyone can go to a Cash-Mart in this country and buy just about anything they need cheaply and in great quantity. We're spoiled on it, and it rots the concept of value a bit. Some of the nice things about leather wear is that it's not cheap and it's not run-of-the-mill everywhere. Leather goods are designed for special purposes that cater to a need to jar our lives out of the 21st century worker-drudge mundane.<br /><br />Yet there are morally complicated aspects to the medium as well. Moreso than many vegetable or mineral goods leather comes directly from the expiration of a living being. Nature has evolved an awesomely orchestrated ecosystem where nothing goes to waste. The lesser carnivores consume the herbivores which in turn subsist off the vegetable matter of the Earth. They in turn are preyed upon by greater carnivores which in the end expire only to be reintegrated by the soil and decomposers. Matter transforms, petrifies, changes shape into or out of energy and transcribes various states of being.<br /><br />As omnivores with the capacity for abstract thought the human race is capable not only of taking the actions necessary for survival but for making the choices to effect or to not effect our ecosystem. We can choose to not eat meat. We can choose to hunt for sport. We can choose to transform alloy into metal, sand into glass, uranium into radiation, sound into art. We can choose to waste or facilitate renewal.<br /><br />Our mere existence demands an interaction with our environment. A relationship. Life persists only through the integration of other life: an adage that requests parallel interpretations when relating to a lion devouring the flesh of a lamb for survival from the incorporation of a Shakespearean plotline as part of the side quest in a massively-multiplayer online video game. As in Nature what survives is needed and reflects a grain of the precedents which contributed towards it. Like Religion. So too Art.<br /><br />Because of the remarkable properties of skin it stands out among mediums. Living flesh can heal or scar. Pierced, it can recover. Tattooed it is a canvas. Rife with sensations and nerve endings detecting pleasure and pain it is a living network of information and awareness. Heat, cold, soft, serrated, caustic, slimy, parchment, motion, raw and in great subtleties. We read the world through our skin, detecting slight changes in how a thing feels and associating experience with understanding.<br /><br />Skin that has been severed, changed, transformed from a living extension to independent being bears grains of its history. Removed from the renewing processes of life it becomes a relic of experience. Each mark is remembered, each knife cut made manifest. Where the needle punctures will always be a hole, where the wine spills will always be a stain. Skin that has become more than just living skin has transcended its own existence; become a time script; become legend; become artifact.<br /><br />That is why working with Leather and Flesh to me are sacred things; to direct one's energies on it is a spiritual act; to manifest its change is to touch the divine. When we mark the world we mark our legacy. To take something wherein exists a touch of life and choose to invest our energies into it facilitates not only its own being but a new existence: a harmony of communion; the prodigy of Life.<br /><br />From our own lives comes new life. That is our legacy. This is my Art.Aaron Rathbunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564973535318886403noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997644542738386885.post-4274810790296299972008-07-03T14:50:00.000-07:002008-07-03T14:56:31.169-07:00Contact InformationAs of 7-3-08 the following information should be up-to-date:<br /><br />aaron.rathbun@gmail.com<br />This is intended to be my primary e-mail account. I am led to believe that it's not working, so if you get a bounce from this please try<br /><br />dubhinis@yahoo.com<br />my secondary e-mail account for the time being.<br /><br />My dmentia@utdallas.edu account is no longer active. Anything sent here will be lost.<br /><br />For those of you on DeviantArt.com you can look me up there by my handle "disscordia".<br /><br />Phone is the best way to get ahold of me usually.Aaron Rathbunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00564973535318886403noreply@blogger.com0