Maureen Hurley Art: Celtic

Tuesday, February 1, 2000

Celtic scarf, silk habotai, acrylic gutta, 12 x 60”, 2000

I made this Celtic scarf as a prop for finals in my MA MFA playwriting classes on monologue at San Francisco State University. Making the scarf went off without a hitch, after a lot of research, I banged the drawing out in about 45 minutes, and another hour or so for painting it with dye. The pin I was using to hold it in place, slid off during my monologue, and Justin Chinn dinged my performance for a costume fail. It was a monologue reading for fucksake. He was an absolutely horrid teacher, resting on recent theatrical accolades, and should never have been teaching. The class was a required waste of space. I called him on it. He gave me a C-minus for the class. I had worked hard in that class, so I fought the grade and won. But the A-minus dropped my entire MA/ MFA perfect GPA to 3.9. May he rot.

I also simultaneously used the St. Brigid scarf for a final in my Celtic studies class with Professor Dan Melia at UC Berkeley, I came to class dressed as the goddess/St. Brigid, so it must’ve been Imbolc, February, 1, 2000, as I began the poem in November of 1999. I made a halo of twelve candles (little battery operated Xmas lights) dressed in purple robes, a green Celtic cape, and kirtle with all her symbols attached to my costume, including a candle, an iron horseshoe, and a rubber chicken, I read a version of my poem monologue, and prepared a traditional Celtic feast for the class. Salmon, bread, and beer as she was the goddess of the hearth, bread making, and beer making. Dan sniggered and said you can’t bring alcohol to class, pocketed the Guinness for later. I got an A-plus. Sadly, I don’t have a clear in-focus photo of the scarf.