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My husband, Vincent, and I were just having a little conversation about the amount of impact of Role Playing Games and comics have had upon yester-year’s youth. Then the subject turned to “The Story of Jasmine” fantasy adventure tale I’d created in my early years as an artist. My fantasy story was published in The Dragon magazine (1980-1981) but got discontinued before the its plot line had developed. I pulled out my story boards for him to see and he was immediately taken with the Guardian of Wisdom character (below) seated on a mushroom, smoking a pipe.
Guardian of Wisdom (c)1980 DARLENE

“Was that modeled after Gary or me?” he asked, half-seriously as he mimicked the figure I had drawn.

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Hello Darlene, I was wondering if you had on line any references to a
book titles, I Am Yours. Kamalesha?
Thank you,
Pam

Thank you for your request. In response, I have prepared the following regarding this little-known gem published in 1996 by Feathered Serpent Publications.

Heavily illustrated, “I Am Yours” is a journey which moves the reader through several levels of spiritual attainment within an internal landscape. The type and style of the illustrations, as well as the symbology, progress with the story. At the beginning, the art is representational, but as the journey advances, the images become more and more abstracted.

The art matches the experience of the author, Kamalésha, as he journeys through several landscapes and realms. Because water is symbolic of the emotions, the author moving through different types of watery terrain is a metaphor for working through emotional issues.

I AM YOURS illustration by DARLENE 1996 “I AM YOURS” swan illustration by DARLENE 1976 Lakefront illustration by DARLENE, 1976, for “I AM YOURS” book

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PERSONAL ARCHEOLOGY:  

I seem to be rediscovering the creative person I was at the beginning of my career. I recently found a box where I’d collected all the scraps of paper containing my notes when the Story of Jasmine was first being conceived. Now I remember how words would tumble into my head and I’d try to jot down my thoughts as quickly as possible.

 

 This passage was hastily written on a notepad: 

In their haste, it seemed to Jasmine, that her companions neglected to see the beauty in the hills they were passing through. More than once, her pauses were construed as rest. More than once, Jasmine had to limit her pauses, aware of Thorne’s impatient eyes upon her. “Tired?”

“No, just looking at the valley.”

But her reply was not heard as Thorne already urged her horse to join the others who waited at the ridge above.

 

found scrap #1 by DARLENE

 

These phrases were jotted down on a second note page affixed to the first: 

Clouds shading parts of the landscape. Sense for the virtue of the order of nature increased Sense the air for danger.

 

Jasmine Scrap #2 by DARLENE

 

For more about The Story of Jasmine, refer to the Pages Above.

Beautiful Minds

Darlene and Allen Hammack in a theatrical production of “Camelot” This is a polaroid of DARLENE with game-designer Allen Hammack during a theatrical production of CAMELOT.

Throughout my life, I’ve chosen to spend my time with people who have beautiful minds—those capable of intellectual rigor but are still open to infinite realms of possibility. All those I consider to be my friends can pleasantly converse on a variety of interesting topics, contributing their unique insights and unusual perspectives. This is also true of the men who’ve attracted my interest and fascination.

As I recall, during the vintage 1980s RPG era, I got on very well with TSR’s game designers. They are an interesting lot who converged on the small Wisconsin town of Lake Geneva, and all came from diverse backgrounds (physics, biology, history, theatre, etc…). Everyone was accomplished in their chosen field and everyone’s story was remarkable. This was the creative group at TSR I preferred to spend my time with. Missing my college days, I relished listening to whatever issue was worth discussing or arguing about.

In the early days of TSR, the game designers and writers were a creative bunch of people. Spending time with them was fun. I remember the “Fine Fellow” designation presented every Friday to someone on the third floor of the Hobby Shop who was deserving of that distinction. The reward for being a “Fine Fellow” involved lunch. Now was the Fine Fellow treated or did he have to buy lunch for everyone else?

Before the publication of the French translation, it was decided that a native speaker should review the manuscript before the print run. The mother of Mike Price, one of the game designers, was French-born and agreed to read the translation for mistakes. It is a good thing she did. The phrase “Carpenter Ants” had been mistranslated as “Prostitute Ants!” There was a lot of hilarity regarding that one. And for about a month, drawings of sexy ants leaning against lamp posts littered the walls of the hallways.

I also hung out with the game designers, writers, and editors during their game-play. I was able to appreciate their wittiness, their stratagems and the beauty of how their tactics unfolded. My participation was passive. I simply watched the action and hoped my presence wasn’t too disruptive. I was a Tom-boy growing up and always considered myself to be “one of the boys.” That’s why being tagged as the original “gamer-girl” amazes me. But now that I think upon it, maybe a talented woman artist with intelligence and allure would be somewhat noticeable among a roomful of males.

However, there were also people within TSR Hobbies who were less tolerant of my presence. I seem to have threatened some of the more immature of the artists, several of whom took every opportunity to discredit my chances of finding free-lance work at TSR. Ever wonder why I wasn’t assigned to do any cover work? Why would people (who got a steady pay-check) choose to make life so much more of a struggle for someone alone in the world trying her best to survive? What could justify treating anyone with such disrespect?

Now, three decades later, I am able to understand more about how projection works within the human psyche and can better recognize and appreciate the dynamic at work. People who know little about the subject, are referred the works of Robert Bly.

When someone sees another through the lens of their shadow, they are projecting their internal issues onto others. People’s shadows are filled with bits of themselves that they cannot accept as a part of themselves, so they stuff it deep away, relegating it to the hidden parts within their own psyches. There had to be something about me that resonated with some of their own shadow content. Thus, they were really not attacking “me” as much as their “idea of me.” However, I suffered the fall-out of their actions nonetheless.

I just googled the word “shadow” and “psyche” and came up with a quote by Jean Houston in an interview she gave to Scott London (The Salt Journal (November / December 1997) in which she said: “There are two great shadows in the American psyche. One is the rise of women — powerful women, intelligent women. There have always been powerful and intelligent women, but they have not necessarily been in the public eye before. And the other is the fear before imagination. Take those two together and you really have the shadow of our age.” Wow, I think I’m going to meditate on that.

I have since taken Gary Gygax’s advice when he offered it in 2004 and have forgiven all those TSR people who, knowingly or unknowingly, did harm to me. And I pray that what ever internal issues I mirrored finally got resolved. In the meanwhile, I will continue to laugh, dance and play with the beautiful people who are my friends—those who have honored and fostered the beauty within me.

Alchemist’s Daughter by DARLENE “The Alchemist’s Daughter” is a painting I created in the early 1980’s to please myself.

I’ve been asked to give advice to young people who wish to become the type of artist who does illustrations for other people. Following are some of my thoughts on the subject:

For anyone possessing artistic ability, what do you choose as your life’s path? If you choose to do art as a livelihood, you’ve chosen a life of enormous challenges. Striking a balance between changing things to please the client and getting paid is an on-going process (issue). More often than not, economics becomes the presiding factor when accepting work. The “business” of art is very wearing and tearing, a true anathema to creativity. Would it be better to choose a different vocation so to keep the spirit of your art alive and uncompromised? The answer is different for everyone.

I’m an artist in the fullest sense of the word (which is another way of saying I’ve always teetered on the edge of poverty). For thirty years, I have been exploring this territory. Attainment is usually measured in terms of amassing green survival tickets. Yet attainment can be defined in many ways. Artists are people who see and relate to the world through a non-ordinary lens. Our thought processes are different and it is this difference in our art that speaks most sincerely. True art communicates deeply and on a deep level. True art is able to bridge archetypes and symbols in a way that holds meaning for those who experience it.

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In response to a request to autograph books through the mail, I have just created a Pay Pal Account with which to make “donations” for  book signings.

Please include return postage (remember, it’s YOUR book). I understand that people charge for signings, but at the moment, I’m thinking that I wouldn’t charge anything per se, however, I do request a “love offering.”  How much is it worth to you to have me sign your book(s)?  

Send books to DARLENE at Post Office Box 877, Mt. Gilead, NC 27306

THANX FOR BEING GENEROUS.

Acceptance Mark

Last week, a woman at work came in with a DMG (Dungeon Master’s Guide) under her arm and asked me if I had done any of the artwork within. She said it took a great deal of convincing to wrest the book out of her son-in-law’s hands. Only 15 years ago, he’d borrowed the volume from a friend but still intended to return it. As a “thank you,” I signed the title page.

DMG title page with Unicorn by DARLENE 1979

It’s been a long time since I’d actually held a copy of the DMG in my hands. After twenty-nine years, it’s hard to remember the circumstances of my involvement, but I will do my best. I was just out of college and still very green as an artist when I first met Mike Carr who introduced me to the handful of people who, like himself, worked for TSR at a 2-story house off of Main Street across from the Pizza Hut.

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By DARLENE

Let me raise a glass and toast

to the memory of Gary Gygax,

and add my voice to the chorus

of well-wishers who knew him well

and those who only knew him through

his monumental and influential work,

I think I speak for many when I say:

“We give to you honor, Gary Gygax,

you have left your mark upon the world

as we continue to benefit from your good works.

You’ve bestowed upon us the magical gift of fantasy,

of living imagination and eternal merriment!

We mourn your passing, Gary Gygax,

and we shall surely miss you,

for we all know (and know all too well):

the world is now a lesser place without you.

May you take your place among the stars

as you become another manifestation

of the Archetypal Man of Magic, a Cosmic Sage,

who, with a gleeful laugh and a wicked smile,

rolls many-sided die to decide the fate

of the planets under your control!”

Salude!


Gary Gygax, the magicman

Gary Gygax as “The Magic Man”

I’ll always remember Gary fondly and extend my deepest condolences to his family at his untimely passing. Darlene
When I didn’t receive Gary’s usual prompt response from an e-mail I’d sent him earlier this week, I knew something was amiss. Now I wish I’d followed through on my impulse to pick up the phone and “disturb” him with a friendly call.

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Who Knew?

Paul Stromberg of Treasure Trove and I decided to re-schedule the auction of my vintage RPG-related art to occur at the beginning of Spring. Who knew my RPG collection would end up being so voluminous? I’m certainly surprized.

The RPG stuff I have is on so many different levels, I’m positive that there will be something for everyone—items affordable for fans as well as higher ticket items suitable for collectors. Interested individuals should contact Paul (stormber@cox.net) for details.

The beginning of 2008 shall be marvellous for everyone!

Undergoing A Process of Rediscovery

Pic of Darlene today

My husband, Vincent Bridges and I, along with our three crazy cats, live in a 14-room Victorian home, filled to the brim with books. Since mid-summer (2007), I’ve been preparing for the auction of my vintage artwork, publications, and other things related to being an artist during the formative years of TSR Hobbies, the first company devoted to producing RPGs (Role-Playing Games) of which D&D (Dungeons & Dragons) was an integral part.

Hidden within the many recesses of our strange house are boxes containing mementos from days gone by. For the auction, I already knew where to find my old copies of The Dragon magazines and other printed matter from TSR’s classic period. I also knew where I’d stored the actual samples of printed pieces I’d retained for my various portfolios. And, for all these years, I’d had my original RPG art gingerly tucked away within different photo-boxes where they have been kept both dry and dark. Locating where I’d stashed the rest of my RPG stuff became the next challenge.

Aha! A small wooden map file in the art room gave up many folders containing original RPG art and calligraphy incorporated into actual paste-ups for different logos, brochures, and RPG graphics projects (such as the fantasy rubber stamps and calendar stuff). There were also some original paintings of unpublished fantasy illustrations. Within a large hard-to-unzip black portfolio case hidden in the back of Vincent’s workroom closet, I uncovered several old sketchbooks containing, among other things, some 1981 pastel portraits of some of the game designers. Within the oak roll top desk, I found several files containing all my TSR contracts, letters, correspondence and some old photographs from that time. In the bottom of my grey filing cabinet, I found pencilled designs on tracing paper that I’d forgotten about completely. Thus, for several months, I’ve been recovering the details of my life as a local artist freelancing for TSR Hobbies during the early 1980s.

As I reconnect with individual pieces of my early fantasy days that are been put away for years, I’ve been undergoing a steady process of rediscovery. Now, nearly three decades later, I’m able to view my situation and the work I produced from a more detached perspective. Since July, I’ve revisited my life as a young artist, green and freshly out on my own. My personal archaeology’s reacquainted me with the idealistic person I was in 1977. Regarding corporate politics, I was totally clueless and unsure of myself, naïvely I gave too much of myself.

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