REMINISCENCES OF AZTLAN/ My Trip to Mexico 1977/ Pictographic Art/ ABSTRACT PAINTING/ Figurative Abstraction

           

           

                                            Reminiscences of Aztlan

                                            1977
                                            by Eric Whollem
                                            earth paints, casein and watercolor on paper
                                            Collection of the artist.
                                            14" x 10 7/8"
                                               Copyright by the artist

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A SHAMAN OF TEOTIHUACAN

The antler crowned figure in the painting above is my fantasy rendition
of an Altantean shaman. The meandering blue form represents the
canals of Teotihuacan, which was an island city, now found near Mexico
City. Aztlan is the legendary island home of the Aztecs. Some say that
Aztlan was Atlantis.

The square forms represent pyramid sites. The general style of this work
is based on my studies of prehistoric petroglyphs.

I mixed earth pigments gathered in nature with resin to create the back-
ground texture for this work. And the final delineations of line were
painted with a stick brush, being thick, homemade earth paints.

This abstract art is one of my early works from the 1970's. It harkens
to a degree to the works of Paul Klee, yet bears an American stamp
to it, incorporting as it does a measure of Native American rock art
stylization.

FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTION