Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

As many of you know I've been spending much of my time in Vancouver...awaiting my Canadian permanent residency.  Often I have taken the B.C. Ferry to Victoria and passed through the breathtaking area called Active Pass.  Last time I took this trek, the boat passed by, what must have been a hundred gulls resting on the water.  As we got closer, they took flight simultaneously and hovered until our ferry passed.  I know that my wife, Andrea, has witnessed pods of Orcas swimming through this channel.  So it is not unusual to see various sea beasties about...and apparently this includes mermaids.   In 1967, ferry passengers witnessed what seemed to be a mermaid chowing down on a salmon at the entrance to Active Pass.  

It was even reported in the papers.  However...all photos have gone missing....hmmm.

I'm sure she looked something like this

Of course she could have been a Fiji mermaid.  Actually the Fiji Mermaid (originally Feejee mermaid) was a trick P.T. Barnum used.  

Upper torso of a monkey skeleton 

+ 

back half of a fish

 + 

paper mache

 =

Not very seductive.  I guess mermaids don't have to be all that sexy.

  Less erotic versions seem to pop up through the ages.

Though to me...I always envision them as sirens that lure sailors to their ruin.  Now this is more like it.

Those folks who are in for a bit of mermaid burlesque....Coney Island has an annual Parade of Mermaids.

Here's some photos I found online in a post by Brian Dubé 

Okay now lets get to my version.

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

As some of you might know this particular piece started with a little poll I did on Facebook.  I asked folks to vote on the which mythological creature they would like to see me create a piece of art about.  Mermaids/sirens overwhelmingly won.   

Vampires were second place.  Dragons third.  

I do believe some folks thought I might have a bit trouble addressing such a seemingly innocent creature...well, lets just say there was little doubt that I would bring out this sea-being's more shadowy side.

Much time was spent devising a working mechanism.  It took a bit of figuring out but eventually I got it so the waves move to and fro.

 And, oh course we need some nautical elements

And a shipwrecked sailor...

...or two.

 So I'm certain you'd like to see the piece in action...

Don't get stuck between the Devil and the deep blue sea.