I am excited to be starting this week with news that has been hard to sit on all summer….For the first time ever I am doing a print sale of my most popular work, Mermaid Food. This was the first body of fine art work that I made in the middle of 2015 in the midst of some major life transitions. I had just moved out of an apartment, gotten out of an abusive relationship, left a toxic job, and was exploring the camera and creation in a new way. Through the darkness I was finding the light, and thus was born Mermaid Food.
The photos and film explored 6 of the most noted mermaids in Greek and Mesopotamian mythology. As my version of the many stories goes, mermaids were originally humans that were plucked from earth by the gods and turned into winged phoenix’s who’s primary goal was to watch over Persephone. But soon the phoenix’s fell in love with the other mortals turned hand-maidens to the gods - Icarus and his father.
One day as Persephone was napping in the woods the phoenix’s ran off to play with Icarus and that was when Persephone was famously kidnapped by Hades. Persephone’s mother was so angry at the phoenix’s that she ripped their wings off and cast them to the sea, but left them immortal.
Soon after that Icarus and his father built wings to be able to join their lovers, the phoenix’s, in the sky, but as we know they flew to close to the sun and died at the bottom of the ocean. The phoenix’s, now mermaids, were forced to watch their one true love’s die at the bottom of the sea and to this day kill any man that dares to act like he loves them in the same way Icarus and his father did. Their siren song is their calling to the gods for mercy, to turn them mortal so that they too may die with their love at the bottom of the sea.
I have spent the past year testing different fine art papers to make sure that it is represented the way it is meant to be and worked on pricing structures so that it can still be accessible. To celebrate my birthday I am doing a special early launch of these images for 6x9” at $40 each! For one week only from Sept 23-30th you can find 9 images from Mermaid Food as well as a special edition Collection Set (includes 11 images packaged in an archival print box) in the Print Shop.
After September 30th these prints won’t be available again until the Holiday’s! If you are interested in learning more about Mermaid Food click here. If you have any questions about the sale feel free to email me at ashleyggarnerstudios@gmail.com
