Tonight When I Tame The Dragon - Limited Edition Print by Ariane Callender

In Surrendering to Alchemy, Ariane Callender explores the unseen forces that shape creation. Her work is a dialogue between control and surrender, intention and accident. Like the alchemists who sought to transmute base elements into gold, Callender experiments with materiality—layering texture, color, and gesture to encode meaning within the surface.

This theme of transformation became deeply personal after the birth of her first child. Motherhood, like alchemy, is an act of creation—one that is both intentional and unpredictable, both physical and intangible. Each painting in this exhibition reflects that journey of transition, renewal, and becoming.

Original: Tonight When I Tame The Dragon (2025) 

42 inches x 56 inches

Acrylic and Oil Pastel on Canvas

Print Attributes:

30 Editions

Print Size: 18 inches x 14 inches
Margin: 1"
Inkjet on Moab Entrada RAG 290gsm Bright White

(Frame not included)

Curator’s Note:

A bold and commanding presence in deep, fiery reds, this piece may be the most visually intense work in the collection. Unlike the others, which incorporate red in subtle threads, here, the color consumes the canvas—unapologetic and powerful feminine energy. 

Created after a long stretch away from the studio, the painting embodies the catharsis of returning to creative expression. It captures the sensation of regaining control, particularly in moments when the mind feels overwhelmed by uncertainty. The title, a reworking of a familiar phrase, reflects the process of quieting intrusive thoughts—taming rather than chasing them—through meditation, breath, and self-awareness.

At its core, Tonight When I Tame the Dragon is a study of control and release. It invites viewers to consider what can be controlled and what must be surrendered, serving as a reminder that strength is often found not in resisting chaos, but in learning how to navigate it.

- John Wesley Sargent, Curator and Art Advisor