The Hero’s Journey
Story by Derek Lindamood | Photos and Art courtesy of Linden
“Throughout the inhabited world, in all times and under every circumstance, the myths of Man have flourished; and they have been the living inspiration of whatever else may have appeared out of the activities of the human body and mind.” – Joseph Campbell, Hero with 1,000 Faces
Local Artist Linden, formerly known as Lindsey Harnish, is a nine- year Ferndale resident who recently moved to New Center, Detroit. A long-time artist, she is looking to use art as a means of bringing people together within a community. Last May, she led a group of artists on a project inspired by author Joseph Campbell, called “Monomyth,” installed at the Lincoln Street Art Park and Sculpture Garden in Detroit.
“The basic idea is that, in many myths and stories, there is a recurring plot pattern, essential elements that occur in ancient books like the Bible to modern tales like Lego Movie,” Linden explains. “This archetypical pattern was called ‘Monomyth’ by mythologist Joseph Campbell.” The monomyth involves a hero going on an adventure. In a decisive crisis, she or he wins a victory, and then comes home changed or transformed.
“What my project sought to do is reinterpret those themes in a creative way, so that anyone could experience a heroic journey for themselves. I hoped that, by walking through the Monomyth installation, they would also realize that we are all heroes in a story and these themes that seem so epic on the movie screen reoccur in our own lives in a way that is grand, unique and gorgeous.”
In Linden’s interpretation of Monomyth, passerby going through the “ordinary world” would encounter a sign that read “To Adventure.” Linden’s idea was that the Monomyth’s integral feature would be its labyrinth, while each individual artist designed his/her own art piece representing one piece of the journey at each station. Other artists involved with creating these stations included Mike Ross, Joseph Lapham, Sicily Amaris McRaven, Stephanie Mae, DVS, John Finazzo, Terri Light and JoJo Smedo, with much support from other artists.
“We all want to be doing our individual work, but I’m trying to incorporate art into community,” Linden comments. “Art is an individual expression, but it takes working together to bring it out in the world. Monomyth really taught me how much it takes working together to make something great happen.”
Linden’s own recent work is inspired by myth and symbolism, but the ties to Campbell are loose. Most of Linden’s paintings are inspired by internal psychology and human identity. She found the artists for the project and filled the gaps.
“I went into this project with the intention of giving, but I got so much back, even getting a shifting impression of my new neighborhood. There was this guy pull- ing bottles out of a [trash] can near our project. He asked me what I was doing. I told him about it, and he really got the idea, made some very insightful com- ments on it. This taught me that some- one doesn’t have to be Oxford educat- ed to see and appreciate something like this. The literal ‘man on the street’ got it.”
Before Monomyth, Linden’s art was primarily painting. “I used to be a writer, but you can get to a point there are things you can’t articulate, so it’s easier and more…expedient…to just make art. The stories in my art are bigger than me. A friend recently said we pull these things out of the stratosphere, which I think is a great way of putting it.”
Two years ago, Linden shifted from painting in oil and acrylics to using ancient painting technique called encaustics. “This type of piece is made with beeswax mixed with resin, then painted. The picture must be painted
while it’s hot. So, [the medium is kept at] 200 degrees while painting, and has to be fused with a hot iron, a heat gun, a blowtorch or some other fiery element. It all has an interesting smell.” Linden was drawn to this labor-intensive form of painting upon seeing encaustic paintings at museums and galleries. Even after visiting the studio of Birgit Huttemann-Holz at the Pioneer Building in Detroit and taking a season of classes at Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Linden was hesitant to pursue the medium further. “It’s labor intensive, [there’s] a lot of equipment, it’s dangerous, toxic—but once I started, it changed my life.” Because of the toxicity of encaustic painting, Linden typically works outdoors. She keeps painting until it’s too cold to tolerate. “Last year, I stopped in December.”
Linden hopes to work with other exhibit spaces in Ferndale and coordinate gallery nights, like the Third Thursday events in Detroit, where studios often have open houses or receptions. She also works for the Ferndale Area Chamber of Commerce and is helping to produce the next year of “The Artist in You. “ This program, put on through the CoC, the DDA, and Ferndale Schools, put on a contest for artists from Ferndale High and surrounding areas, and put the students’ art on large panels mounted on businesses around Ferndale. “Last year was a little bit too subtle; this year, hopefully all of the students who participate will get some recognition, other than just the winners.”
Linden is now teaching encaustic painting classes at PonyRide in Detroit. “I’m only able to paint this way because others shared it with me, so the classes are a way of continuing that sharing,” she says. “I also am excited to get plugged into the creative energy of the PonyRide community, where they’re doing a bit of everything, in a way that is very Detroit.”
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If you are interested in learning about encaustic painting, Linden’s classes are twice per month. Details are at http://lindenartworks.com/classes
Pictures of the MONOMYTH project can be seen on http://www.detroitmonomyth.com and Linden’s personal art can be seen at http://lindenartworks.com
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