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Terry Hooper-Scharf

Monday, 31 January 2022

Maakika Enough For You?

 As a publisher, artist, writer....editor...uou know. Anyway, it is odd for me that the Maakika art * has received the most critical acclaim and the  following piece is a tad old now as views of the art have exceeded 6,000.

Now read on and at the end I will explain why I am talking about Maakika again!

______________________________________________

 Yes, to answer a couple of queries, the book is still available.  Also, I was surprised to find that the Art Wanted page had 5, 331 views and 14 comments -mostly from female artists who appreciated Maakika.


Here are some comments:

"i said in another post that these make me think of some hinted at mythology. you should do a book of these with just title s to hint at things so we can read them and let our mind run wild!"

"Seriously, these are the best things you do and you should concentrate making more or using them as a design project (T-shirts, posters whatever). Clean 'em up just a little and they'd be incredible."

"interesting.. kind of tribal... - the shapes down the left hand side, do they symbolise the moon phases, by any chance? :)"

"These Maakika pieces are wonderful Terry!! I find them really fasinating."

"So charming! A real treasure!"


"very cool"

Pity that none of the art was ever purchased -and neither has a single copy of the book.  Artists really do need support you know.


Whenever I try to explain to someone the origins of The Maakika I get odd looks. I have no idea why, unless the people I'm explaining this to have no artistic minds and have never known a fevered mind!

However, the story I told on the original Maakika Art site in 2008 is factual. These pieces have been called some of the best work I've done -my comic work getting swiftly dismissed! I'm also told, though I never saw it that way myself until I went through all the pieces again, that the pieces seem to form a type of mythology or at least hint at one.  I'll let YOU decide.

The Origins
"What is Maakika Art?"  I get asked that a great deal and to be honest it is a very brief story!

In 2006 I had a serious respiratory infection.  It came and went but,in 2007,it came back with a vengeance over several months and with complications I thought it would see me shift this mortal coil -and I am NOT joking!



Around May, 2007, it got really bad.  Then, suddenly,pouring with sweat, while seated on a bus, my mind started getting a rush of images -maybe 50-60.  I got home exhausted but I sat down and began to draw.  Honestly, at 50 years of age I had drawn many things but these new images were so out of my usual frame of image reference that I was stumped.

I drew a few, sat back and thought "What the bloody hell have I drawn?!" Almost instantly the word "Maakika" [pronounced "Mah-kee-kah"] came into my head.  At the same time I got the definition "solid black and white art under guidance from the Maakika".  Ahh, a fevered mind -and no drugs involved!

I've searched the word on the internet, in books and anywhere else I can but it seems not to exist. I cannot find anything similar.

And with each came a title or description.

So,a divine gift from the Maakika pantheon seems credible!

And lucky.

The original images are all 21x29cms and though I've not parted with the first "inspired" drawings which look crude to my eye, several were sold for between £150-£300 each.

I still have the original images in my mind [they won't shift!] but I've been inspired to work on larger images [60x42cms]. 

So,if you have any questions or comments get in touch! 

And remember:only one person does Maakika art -me (and I have absolutely no idea what's coming next!)


The Maakika Art ~ you can buy the book!


Paperback, 
A4
32 Pages 
Price: £10.00
Prints in 3-5 business days

According to  one review:

By J Stransky

"Unique and eye catching. It is equal parts disturbing and wonderful. I've cut a few out and put them in frames on the wall in my work room. They are, I tell you, really quite though provoking. Recommended to someone with an interest in primitive art or hypnosis-state painting. Look at these images deeply for a while, they will seep into your soul."
                                                      ______

I have decided that with nothing else to lose I need to utilise the Maakika. Therefore during February I will be making prints available via the Art Wanted site as well as postcards -the ones I printed myself sold well.  

But there is more. Oh, yes, getting ready for summer (or any time really) I will be creatinf Maakika T-shirts.  I think that baseball caps may be a tad ...over kill,
So await the announcement my munchkins!

Maakika is (c)2022 Terry Hooper-Scharf

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