Sculptures representing the story can be seen

via sculpture link, and copper etchings are

available to purchase at the bottom of this page.


Yeannoh


During the day Yeannoh rests her stone form, nestling amongst other rocks, their similarity to her a temporary disguise.

Occasionally people with an adventurous spirit chance upon her, for she and the rocks reside in a remote area of a high up mountain. Some of those people, with more than logic to inspire them, sense a difference in her presence. They touch and stroke her with guarded anticipation.

Unleashed, their dogs are drawn to her, licking her surface, tasting the salt of her travels, her coolness quenching their thirst, renewing their energy for further runs over the mountain.

When viewed from a distance a group of birds may be seen hovering over her, now singing, now silent.  Dancing, dancing a cascade of movement in the air, rays of light, like tendrils connect their flight to her. Resting too, on the rise of her shape, yet never soil her crystalline surface.

For a time, a long time before now, Yeannoh was a somewhat different form, her edges rough and jagged yet streamlined and striated as is quartz in its natural state. Now the irregular edges are becoming smooth, her shape fuller, her body dense and opaque. She is changing, always changing, for one reason or another.

As the sun sinks over the horizon, not always visible, often part hidden by clouds, Yeannoh prepares from deep within for the approaching dark hours, her special time, when the rest of the mountain sleeps, this stone- rock trembles and stirs.

Gradually, as the air chills, Yeannoh unfolds from her slumber and rises, filling a white vaporous space. From her stone-rock shape emerges a moving form of woman, and of wing. She rises into the sky to dance, into the crisp clear air of the night.

With grace she glides and floats. Like a flicker of light she skips. As a fallen leaf in a running stream she twists and and twirls!  The dance of passion her performance to the stars, the more joyful and ecstatic her movements, the brighter the stars shine.  Her partners the clouds, gather and tease her, then pass on, for their journey is endless, they cannot stay with Yeannoh.

The stars are a wonder to her, for their twinkling and darting she dances all night, familiar with their changing locations in each seasonal sky.

However the moon, the moon is her challenge. For like a moth to a light she is drawn to him, knowing he will change her by her dancing too close to him. Every night except one she is able to resist his endearing glow. This is the night, when he is complete, strong, and proud.
His face has a brilliant fullness and beams a soft endearing expression of desire to her.

This night, his glow outshines the stars and Yeannoh yields to his attraction. Her dance is chaotic, pulling her towards him she is ecstatic and in despair for the nearer to him she ventures, the softer and smoother her vibrant body becomes… and so his face gleams.

The transformation is so slight it can hardly be detected, but as the years go by and full moons pass, her form of woman and of wing becomes round and shiny as glass, until one day for sure her flight will diminish and her day time stone shape will be as rounded as any rock can be, and flight just a memory.

Some people notice the change in the rock, and blame the rain or pollution, their own stroking hands, even the warm tongues of their dogs. But they do not know of the dance, the dance for the stars, and the dance for the moon.


Copyright
Valerie Anne Bartlett 1997

Yeannoh I                          Copper Etching 15 x25cm                           Yeannoh sleeps in her rock form £15

Yeannoh II Copper Etching 15x21cm Yeannoh unfurls her wings £18

Yeannoh III Copper Etching 28x13cm Yeannoh rises into the night £20

Yeannoh IV Copper Etching 25.5 x 21cm The chaotic dance despair £20 Prints will be posted in a tube for safety, and postage is included for UK only.