Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Happy New Year 2014

I would like to wish all my readers a very happy splashy new year! This week, I would like to share some art and music with you all.

Queen and Mermaid Triptych

Today, let's pay a visit to Trungles' Deviantart page where we find a triptych depicting a queen and a mermaid. Note the attention to detail in the hair of both the queen and the mermaid. Beautiful!

For those that are not familiar, a triptych is a three-paneled artwork in which the center panel is usually larger than the side panels. You can find out more about this style of art at Wikipedia.


Kaukonen - The Mermaid Song
Jorma Kaukonen


I recently discovered another piece of music with a mermaid theme, The Mermaid Song by Jorma Kaukonen. After giving it a listen, I would have to say that I prefer The Mermaid Song by Dylan Guthro. Same title, very different lyrics.

Let me know which version of The Mermaid Song you prefer! I would also like to recommend these other titles with a mermaid theme:

Mermaid by Train, from their CD, California 37.

The CD, Solo Piano for Love, Peace & Mermaids by Louis Landon.

The soundtrack to H2O: Just Add Water by Kate Alexa.

The two-disc special edition of Disney's The Little Mermaid soundtrack.


Selkies Art

Artist Phillip Light thinks mermaids have been played out, and selkies (woman + seal) are where it's at. I am not sure I agree, but do swim on over to io9 where columnist Katharine Trendcosta has the details.

Note that the two examples of Phillip's artwork shown in the article may not be suitable for all ages.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Mermaid and Manta Rays

Here are a number of great photos of mermaid Hannah Fraser swimming with Manta Rays off the coast of Isla Mujeres, Mexico. The photos are by award winning photographer, Shawn Heinrichs.

"The larger species of manta ray, Manta Birostris, can grow to a width of more than 20 feet and can weigh more than a ton."

In addition to the photos, the article in The Daily Mail (UK) includes a video. Be sure to take a look.


Drowning Mermaids

Act quickly, the Kindle version of the novel Drowning Mermaids is available for free today (Dec 24th). The novel is normally 99 cents for Kindle readers, and $11.69 for the paperback version.

"To escape the war in her underwater kingdom, the noble daughter of a murdered king must flee to Alaska. Doing all she can to keep her younger sisters safe, Aazuria tries to assimilate and work among the Americans, with her feisty red-haired bodyguard at her side..."

Read the entire summary over at Amazon. Kindle readers are available for most personal computers and tablets.


The Fantasy, Then the Fashion

Mermaids come to life in these Tim Walker fashion photos of model Kristen McMenamy. It isn't often that you see mermaids photographed in evening dresses. Columnist Ruth La Ferla has the story in an article at The New York Times web site.

"Their shared vision eventually took shape in a series of eerily unsettling photographs that made their debut in the December/January issue of W."


Big Girl Room

In the past we have seen mermaid themed rooms for young girls. What about the older girls?

Over at Honey & Fitz, Dina presents Chloe's big girl room with plenty of photos to capture every detail. After all, you are never too old to have a mermaid themed bedroom!

"For this 'mermaid' room, I kept the mermaid elements restricted to just art and accessories. That way, when she decides she hates mermaids and is all about butterflies, you don’t have to re-do the whole room!"

Thank you, Dina, for this great article and your attention to detail.


Happy Holidays to one and all,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Wednesday, December 18, 2013

The Mermaid's Tale

The Mermaid's Tale by Laura S. and William L.B. Wharton is the second title in their Mystery at the Lake House series. Tyler Tichelaar has done a fine job of reviewing the book, and you can see the review at Seattle Pi.

"Jock is skeptical when Chip says he saw a mermaid, but Lynna thinks they should believe her brother."

According to the review, the authors consulted with a real mermaid during the planning stages of the book. The book can be found in paperback form at Amazon for $8.99 US.


New New Evidence

Animal Planet recently ran yet another mermaid special, “Mermaids: The New Evidence – The Extended Cut.” Programs such as these have prompted so many calls to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) that they now have a section of their web site dedicated to addressing the volume of questions.

An article on the new Animal Planet offering can be found at Examiner.com, but do be warned that the site will throw a number of popup ads at you. Not cool.


Second Anniversary

On Friday, this blog turns two years old! The first edition of Cynthia Mermaid was published on Blogspot on December 20, 2011. The first article was entitled Music for Mermaids. A total of 130 articles have been posted so far, and approximately 57,400 page views have taken place.

Thank you all, my readers, for visiting my blog and for sharing it with others. Do keep in touch, and let me know the kinds of articles that you enjoy. My email address is below.

Note that no correct answers have been received for the Treasure Hunt 2013 contest. The contest will officially end on December 31st at midnight US central time. No entries will be accepted after this date.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, December 10, 2013

A Mermaid Anthology

If you love mermaid artwork and poetry, then this is for you! Lines Underwater is a mermaid anthology based on the Poems Underwater project. Authors Laura Seymour and Kirsten Tambling present Lines Underwater to explore mermaid myths in the modern world.

'Lines Underwater' re-envisions mermaids for the twenty first century. This anthology explores mermaid myths in the modern world and creates new ones. Featuring artworks, writing and audio from over 40 contributors, here are tales of botched cosmetic surgery, 1950s glamour girls, mermaid chairs and singing sirens, postcards from Jenny Hanivers, and memories of love affairs in the navy. Edited by Laura Seymour and Kirsten Tambling

One of the stories in the book, 'Gold' by Chelsea Cargill, is a Weeki-Wachee inspired tale about a golden mermaid, complete with illustration!

For more information on 'Lines Underwater', check out the Poems Underwater blog. You can also purchase the book there.


Denver Downtown Aquarium

The Denver Downtown Aquarium brings you up close and personal to piranha, sting rays, tigers... and mermaids! With a total of nine exhibits, there is certainly something for everyone.

You can find out what's happening at the aquarium by paying a visit to the blog, 'Long Wait For Isabella and Nathanael'. The little girl's reaction to the piranha is priceless!


The Fish House

You may not be planning on moving to Singapore any time soon, but you may find The Fish House By guz architects to be very inspiring. An article at Just Luxe invites you to 'live like a mermaid', and The Fish House certainly fills the bill.

"The breezy spaces allow natural ventilation while allowing residents unobstructed views of the ocean."

If you ever find yourself designing your own home, take some tips from The Fish House.


Mermaids Growth Chart

Here is a cute gift for the young mermaid fan, a personalized mermaids growth chart. The growth chart is brought to you by Olive Kids, and can be found at the blog of Kids Bedding Pro.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Robot Sea Turtle

Many shipwrecks are difficult for humans to explore and map. The Tallinn Institute of Technology has developed a solution, the U-CAT mapping robot. The U-CAT is designed to imitate a sea turtle, and is nimble enough to turn on a dime.

Read about the robot sea turtle in this article by Jon Fingas for Engadget. The article also contains a short video.

Readers of the article have posted their comments, and they range from Wonderful to Doomed. Will the robot prove useful in mapping shipwrecks, or will it be swept away by the ocean currents?


Mermaid Melissa
Mermaid Rescue and Release

Mermaid Melissa is the focus of an article on Spy 360 GH. Melissa would like to remind everyone, “Let’s help save the oceans before all creatures become mythical.”

The four minute video is entitled, Real Mermaid Rescue and Release TV Footage. But shocking? You be the judge.

For more information, take a look at my interview with Mermaid Melissa from February 2012.


Mermaid Interview

We return once again to Weeki Wachee Springs where CL Atlanta has an interview with Mermaid Crystal. In the article, Andrew Alexander chats with Crystal about how she became a Weeki Wachee mermaid, and what the training is like.

"My parents would bring me to Weeki Wachee as a little girl, and we would watch the show. I was pretty much obsessed with the mermaids."

The interview includes photos and a short video of Mermaid Crystal in action.


Best wishes and starfishes,
-Mermaid Cynthia
cynthia (at) goldmermaid.com

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