ArchiveAlchemy Kallie Harris

First, some things about me;

Hello, my name is Kallie Harris and I am a University Student, majoring in Art History and minoring in Anthropology. I enjoy anything that pertains to the Middle Ages, specifically Europe during the Middle Ages. I have always been fascinated with mythical creatures, often sneaking into my older brothers' room to look at his many fantastical books on cyclops' and giant serpents, or about various mythologies. My favorite movie growing up was The Last Unicorn, and it still remains one of my all time favorites. But I think the thing that solidified my interest the most, was my first Art History class in community college. We had a very, very brief section dedicated to Medieval Marginalia. I remember reading an article (which I will link at the end), and running to show my mom and dad to show the pure silliness and stupidity of each image, and laughing with them about the drawings of tress with penises and hares killing men. After that, it felt like I had really found something that I wanted to stick to forever, something that was mystical, that didn't seem so terribly serious. I've always had a habit of being in my own world, believing in magic and superstitions, so to find something that felt so whimsical and in a way familiar, felt like I was finding a piece of my purpose.

Pertaining to The blog;

I will make several posts each week, with images or media that I find interesting and/or inspiring. I will write a reflection/description to the pieces, as well as cite the artist or source which it comes from. I doubt all of these images will be linked to or inspired by the Middle Ages, due to the fact that I do in fact have other interests (lol). But, do not be surprised if images/media I post that seems like it's inspired by the Middle Ages is frequent.

I believe that is all I want to cover, If you stumble across this blog and decide to stick around, I appreciate it. I do plan on running this blog even after I finish this class, and I may even include some of my art from my personal work or from this class that I am proud of.

Thank You :)

I think it’s fitting to end on my fixation. Unicorns. These two pieces are very different, one clearly from long ago and the other much more modern. It’s also interesting to see how the mythological creature has developed and evolved to what it is now, how different it is. I will always find unicorns inspiring, reminding me of my childhood and keeping me in tune with my inner child.

It’s no question why I really like these pieces. It reminds me of old fantasy, depictions of knights and crusaders fighting treacherous enemies. It’s nostalgic for me, but also reads very modern due to the smoothness of each piece.

As someone who is not usually a fan of bright reds like this, I love these pieces. Each one screams eerie-ness and violence, reminding me of hares depicted in medieval marginalia.

I find these pieces remind me of old Greek statues, the stereotypical white, muscular yet soft cutting of stone. I like how the fabric falls from the corset piece, leading into a much softer look towards the bottom.

Another artist that I think has a very dreamlike art style, except this one is more reminiscent of a bad memory or some eerie nightmare. It’s haunting, doll-like in a creepy way. Angel wings present, but a sinister vibe to it all.

more curated images that I think fit together!

I've always been really interested in wet specimens. I know most people find them quite morbid, especially today, but if done ethically, I really find them beautiful and almost sacred. I do not view it as something disrespectful, it is admittedly a bit weird, but in some way I view it as preserving the beauty of a body once filled with life.

Again, pairing pieces that do not necessarily go together, but their blue, gold and silver tones make them pair together beautifully in my eyes.

I love the dull, green tones in all of these images. Although none of them are really related, other than the cards on the bottom, I feel like they fit perfectly together. I love doing this, finding images with the same vibe and pairing them.

Some more framed work, but by a different artist with a different technique. None of these spiders are real, all beads and jewels perfectly embroidered and threaded. I love these because they might not be very fantasy inspired, they’re still very pretty. They’re both a mix of something dark and something girly.

These pieces are all so, SO ethereal to me. They encapsulate some sort of old, antique look, yet are so full of life and beauty. I feel as though you’d see these in a princesses bedroom in some fantasy world, both a mix of dark and light.

I overall just love trinkets, collecting old things and abandoned things. I’ve had projects based around this, and I think that’s why these images really resonant with me. They’re very well organized, pretty and so full of energy to me.

There’s something so dreamlike about all of these images. The fuzziness, much like the recollection of a dream or a memory, or even actively being in that dream state. It’s almost psychedelic, like these pieces are in some inbetween of reality and fantasy.

I believe these images will stick out quite a bit amongst my blog, because of how modern they are. But, I love these images so much. I’ve always adored this fashion, bright and colorful and unique. It reminds me of Junie B Jones, a childhood book series that I used to love.

These pieces on the other hand, are very fun to me. I feel as though I’m looking at something someone at a Victorian Circus might wear, or a jester in a fantasy inspired world. They’re playful and weird, each one changing the silhouette drastically.

The first thing I feel when I look at this is completely haunted. Something about it is so unnerving, and yet I can’t look away. It reminds me of something out of a Dark Souls game.