LITTLE SPIRIT PEOPLE/ kakinim from the lore of the maidu indians/ AN ABSTRACT WORK OF ART BASED ON A STUDY OF PREHISTORIC CALIFORNIA ROCK ART: PICTOGRAPHS AND PETROGLYPHS

    Little Spirit People

    1984

    by Eric Whollem

    watercolor and wax resist on paper

    Collection of the artist.

    9" x 6"

         Copyright by the artist.

Kakinimkodom

The Maidu Indians of Northern California divide their heavenworlds

into three zones. Kakinimkodom, the country of the spirits, is the

highest level.

In this image I depict images of Aki, the duck, and the waters of

Supi Poboku. Supi Poboku is the Middle Fork of the Feather River.

Aki is the highest spirit in the Hesi Dance Cycle of the Kuksu Secret

Society.

This imagre is from my own imagination, but derives stylistically from

the pictographic rock art of so-called prehistoric California.

See my posts about the Maidu Indians on this link:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/maidu%20indians

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Abstract art, mixed media painting, pictographs, rock art, Maidu Indian lore.

FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTION.

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PICTOGRAPHIC EXPLICATIONS/ a figurative abstraction

   Pictographic Explications

   1985

   by EricWhollem

   gouache and wax resist on paper

   Collection of the artist.

   9" x 6"

       Copyright by the artist.

FLICKERING SPIRIT DARK/ a contemporary vision of california indian rock art

                 

     Flickering Spirit Dark

    1984

    by Eric Whollem

    watercolor and wax resist on paper

    Collection of the artist.

    9" x 6"

        Copyright by the artist.

POLARITY CALIFORNIA/ watercolor and wax resist on paper/ FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTION

                                           

                                             

                                                  Polarity California

                                                  1984

                                                  by Eric Whollem

                                                  watercolor and wax resist on paper

                                                  Collection of the artist.

                                                  6" x 9"

                                                       Copyright by the artist.

THE LION'S CAVE/ wax and plastic emulsion resist on paper/ FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTION

      The Lion's Cave

      1985

      by Eric Whollem

      watercolor and plastic emulsion & wax resist on paper

      Collection of the artist.

      9" x 6"

           Copyright by the artist.

______________________

See my image gallery of PAINTINGS:

https://picasaweb.google.com/earthpaint/AbstractArtByEricWhollem#

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

THE VIDEO

BELOW SHOWS MORE OF MY

ART

ERIC WHOLLEM                                

MOUNTAINS OF THE PRIMAL MERCURY/ an alchemical landscape/ FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTION

   

     Mountains of the Primal Mercury

     1985

     by Eric Whollem

     gouache and wax resist on paper

     Collection of the artist.

     9" x 6"

        Copyright by the artist.

ANGULARITY/ a geometric abstraction influenced by native american art/ PICTOGRAPHS

                                                  Angularity

                                                  1980
                                                  by Eric Whollem
                                                  earth paints, polyvinyl resin, acrylic and watercolor
                                                      on paper
                                                 Collection of the artist.
                                                 7 3/8" x 10 1/16"
                                                   Copyright by the artist.

NATIVE AMERICAN PICTOGRAPHIC ART

For many years I have been a student of American Indian
rock art. Also pottery design and pictographic images
painted on rawhide have been of immense interest to me.

I am not Native American, but have lived in close proximity
to Indian families--notably of the Concow Maidu Indains
of Butte County, California.

__________________

View my posts on the MAIDU INDIANS on this link:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/maidu%20indians

See my posts on FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTION here:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/figurative%20abstraction

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BLUE JUNGLE/ an abstract gouache and wax resist

             Blue Jungle

             1986
             by Eric Whollem
             gouache and wax resist on paper
             Collection of the artist.
             9" x 6"
                    Copyright by the artist.

SQUARED FORMS/ a geometric abstraction utilizing raw natural earth pigments

                                                Squared Forms

                                                1981
                                                by Eric Whollem
                                                earth pigments and watercolor in polyvinyl resin on paper
                                                Collection of the artist.
                                                4 1/16" x 5 5/16"
                                                   Copyright by the artist.

OVOID SNAPS/ earth paints and watercolor in polyvinyl resin on paper

                                                 Ovoid Snaps
                                                 1981
                                                 by Eric Whollem
                                                 watercolor, polyvinyl resin and raw earth on paper
                                                 4" x 5 5/16"
                                                 Collection of the artist.
                                                     Copyright by the artist.
 

SCRIPT OF THE SEA/ a pictographic mixed media abstraction

              Script of the Sea

              1998
              by Eric Whollem
              oil stick, casein, parafin, gouache and India ink on paper
              Collection of the artist.
              Copyright by the artist.
  
An Evocation of the Ocean

I painted this work near the Pacific Ocean. I was doing an art
show in Mendocino, but travelled northwards to the tide pools
near Fort Bragg.

This is a good example of the utilization of the pictographic
rock art of California Indians in a work of modern art.

KORE/ a figurative ceramic sculpture by eric whollem

                                              

                                                   Kore

                                                   2007

                                                   by Eric Whollem

                                                   oxides on white clay

                                                   Collection of the artist.

                                                   9 3/4"

                                                        Photo copyright by the artist.      

The Greek Kore

Kore means maiden in Greek. Images of a maiden,
usually with her feet close together are commonly
seen in the archaic art of Greece. The maiden was
a perfect symbol for use in allegories of the Goddess
and Nature.

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Ceramic Sculpture Video by Whollem                       

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THE BOAT OF STARWHALE/ the goddess Atargatis/ CERAMIC SCULPTURE

                                          

                                               The Boat of Starwhale

                                               2002
                                               by Eric Whollem

                                               oxides on white earthenware with flax cord

                                               Collection of the artist.

                                                     Photo copyright by the artist.

The Iconography of Atargatis

Here we have a sculpture of the Near Eastern Goddess Atargatis,

shown in an imaginative format: sailing her ship, bearing the offering

plate for grain. She was a Goddess of the harvest. She ruled the

Zodiac as Goddess of Fortune. She corresponds to the Empress of

Tarot. Traditionally Atargatis is seen with an eagle on her head.

The boat in this sculpture is loosely based on Phoenician ship

design. Usually Phoenician craft had horses' heads at the bow,

while the stern is designed to look like a fish tail. The sailing

vessels were intended to evoke the seahorse. The horse is

a traditional symbol of the power of the tides.

Atargatis was worshipped in Syria and in Palestine by the

Nabatean peoples originally. The Nabateans were those desert

folk who were related to the Mesopotamian cultures to the east.

Atargatis is related to Derceto, the Starwhale, the mother of Ea,

the Mesopotamian god of wisdom.

THE PHOENICIANS

Phoenicia could be called alternatively Philistia or Palestine.

They developed the first phonetic alphabet, based originally on

Egyptian hieroglyphs. The word, phonetic, derives directly from

the word, Phoenician.

The Phoenicians were a polyglot people, which is to say their

language was an amalgam of a variety of languages. Polyglot

peoples are formed where diverse cultures conmingle. The

Phoenicians were great seafarers, traders, and explorers.

PHOENICIAN EXPLORATIONS

Barry Fell, in his book, America, B.C. gives a good account

of theories of Phoenician contacts in the Americas long before

Columbus or the Vikings.

Phoenicians were known to have explored the coast of Africa

long before other nations in the Mediterranean.

They established the Carthagenian civilization, which nearly

conquered the Roman Empire under General Hannibal, who

led armies with Elephants into Italy.

The Boat of Starwhale

2002

by Eric Whollem

Photo copyright by the artist.

See more of my sculpture

on the video below:

ERIC WHOLLEM                                      

This link will take you to more posts of CERAMIC SCULPTURE:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/ceramic%20sculpture

BELOW ARE A FEW

RELATED

CERAMIC

CREATIONS

(Photos coypyright

by the artist)

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE

ATARGATIS

earth paints on terracotta

Eric Whollem

BOAT OF THE ARGONAUTS

oxides on whilte clay

Eric Whollem

NEREID

oxides on white clay

Eric Whollem

BOAT OF THE GODDESS

The Empire of Amphora

a faux postage stamp

by Eric Whollem

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Anthropology, mythology, mermaids.

MERMAID/ gouache and wax resist on paper/ FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTION

                                 

                                        Mermaid

                                        1983
                                        by Eric Whollem
                                        gouache and wax resist on paper
                                        Collection of the artist
                                        9" x 6"
                                           Copyright by the artist
  

THE SEAHORSE KING/ a cinderella stamp from the micronation of Amphora

"THE SEAHORSE KING"
Empire of Amphora

Amphoran Postal Union

2001

by Eric Whollem

edition of 100, plus ten artist's proofs

48 x 79 mm.

Copyright by the artist.

A Ceramic Wallpiece Featured on

a Fantasy Stamp From Amphora

I created the sculpture seen on this stamp in the early

1990's. It is one of a series of seahorse sculptures. No

molds are used in the creation of my sculptures, which

are one of a kind.

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Readers interested in my Cinderella Stamps should look at: 

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/cinderella%20stamps

Those interested in Mermaid Art should view these links to my aquatic posts:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/mermaids

If your general interest is in my Ceramic Sculpture see:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/ceramic%20sculpture

My posts on the topic of THE SEA HORSE are on this link:
http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/sea%20horses

SEAHORSE FANTASY STAMPS FROM AMPHORA/ Ceramic Sculpture/ Photo Collage

"AMPHORAN SEA HORSE"

2001

Empire of Amphora

by Eric Whollem
edition of 100, plus ten artist's proofs

Copyright by the artist.

A Seahorse Stamp From the Continent of Amphora

This stamp, constructed by a collage of photos, including

one of a ceramic sculpture of a seahorse, stands as a

portrayal of Voltumna, the seahorse god of the ancient

Etruscan culture of Italy.

FONT OF VOLTUMNA/ a figurative ceramic sculpture celebrating the seahorse art of the ancient Etruscans

                               

                                    The Font of Voltumna

                                    1999

                                    by Eric Whollem

                                    oxides, earth pigments in acrylic emulsion and copper carbonate

                                          on white clay

                                    Collection of the artist.

                                   11 1/4"

                                          Photo copyright by the artist.

Voltumna, the Seahorse God of the Etruscans

Tuscany, just north of Rome, was the site of an ancient

culture that had a language different from most others in

Europe. The art bears affinities to Greek and Egyptian

art, probably through diffusion of artisans throughout the

Mediterranean world. This was the world of the Etrus-

cans.

         A video about Voltumna by Eric Whollem, 2011

The ceramic sculptural tradition of the Etruscans was

very imaginative and unique. Their mural art utilized

earth paints in a style reminiscent of Egypt and Crete.

THE SEAHORSE GOD

Voltumna was the chief divinity of the Etruscans. This

was the Seahorse. This may seem odd at first. The

seahorse, insofar as it is a being that includes the horse,

the serpent, and the fins of a fish, is a type of of Chimaera,

or composite entity.

The Chimaera appeared in the art of the Etruscans in

the earliest stages of their culture. Before that it was

a Greek idea that stemmed originally from the Hittites.

The Chimaera is generally regarded as an embodiment

of untamed natural powers, but the seahorse was a more

benign symbol, as far as it was interpreted by the

Etruscans. The seahorse was the embodiment of the

highest concept of god to the mind of the Etruscan.

SEAHORSES AND WATERHORSES IN FOLKLORE

The Greek god, Poseidon, a sea god, had among his

chief powers the power to transform into a horse.

The race of Centaurs of  Greece, originally were con-

ceived as having the tail fins of a fish. They were thus

seahorses as well.

In the Sheltand Islands there is folklore concerning a

race of diminutive horses that wash up in the tides. These

were called  the Shoopiltee or  the Tangie.

The designation, Kelpie, is used to describe the magical

waterhorse of Scots and Irish lore. The term is Nokken in

Noreway. In Iceland the Ninnur.

MIKA WALTARI

I base my observations on Voltumna on the novel,

The Etruscan. by the Finnish author, Mika Waltari who

relates that the Etruscan seahorse god was considered

a universal spirit by virtue of it's inclusion of mutliple

animal aspects as mentioned above.

Waltari's novel gives a spectacular description of the

mystic visualizations in the initiations in the temple of

the seahorse. A great vision of Voltumna is evoked.

The novel describes the journey of a priest of the

Etruscans through the ancient world of the Mediter-

ranian. A boy destined to be a priest is cast to sea

in a boat. He wears an amulet of a seahorse. He

is led back to his Etruscan homeland by destiny,

after having been captured by Greek pirates and

then having gone through a multitude of adventures

in Sicily, then the Italian mainland where he encoun-

ters the Cumean Sibyl.

THE ROMAN SHRINE OF VOLTUMNA

The Tuscan colony in ancient Rome had a shrine to

Voltumna not far from the sacred precincts of the temple

of Castor and Pollux.

See more posts about CERAMIC SCULPTURE on this link:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/ceramic%20sculpture

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

DAUGHTER OF THE MOUNTAIN

by Eric Whollem

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Anthropology, mythology, Etruscans, seahorse, Voltumna.

MERMAID GODDESS/ a figurative ceramic sculpture by eric whollem

Mermaid Goddess

1999

by Eric Whollem

earth pigments in acrylic emulsion on white clay

Collection of the artist.

11"

Photo copyright by the artist.

A Goddess of the Sea

This sculpture depicts a goddess with braids in

the Greek fashion. In her crown are two stylized

dolphins; and on her gown are two seahorses

kissing.

AEBH/ The Celtic Eve/ a figurative ceramic goddess sculpture

                                                           

                                                                Aebh

                                                                2006

                                                                by Eric Whollem

                                                                oxides on earthenware

                                                                Collection of the artist

                                                                4.5"

                                                                    Photo copyright by the artist.

The Mother of Manannan mac Ler

Ler, the Irish god of the sea, bore through his first wife Aebh,

a magical son, Manannan mac Ler. Aebh is pronounced eev.

It is not far fetched to see her correspondance to the Biblical

Eve, as first queen of the sea.

NECHTAIN/ guardian of the well of the salmons of knowledge/ Celtic Lore/ Figurative Ceramic Sculpture

                          

                               Nechtain

                               2006

                               by Eric Whollem

                               earth pigments in acrylic emulsion on earthenware

                               Collection of the artist

                               4 1/8"

                                    Photo copyright by the artist.

THE WELL OF SEGAIS

In the legends of old Ireland the Well of Segais is

very famous. It was the source of the Salmons of

Knowledge who spread poetic and mythic inspiration

among the Celtic people.

Nechtain was guardian of the well. His wife Boand

ultimately broke the bounds of the well and released

the enchanted salmons into the River Boyne.

_______________________

See my posts on CELTIC MYTH:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/celtic%20myth

BELOW IS A VIDEO

THAT FEATURES MORE OF MY

CERAMIC SCULPTURES

 ERIC WHOLLEM                                   

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Celtic mythology, anthropology.

PERI/ a figurative ceramic fairy sculpture by eric whollem

                                       

                                            Peri

                                            2005

                                            by Eric Whollem

                                            earth pigments and oxides on terracotta

                                            Collection of the artist

                                            6 5/8" x 6.5"

                                                     Photo copyright by the artist.

The Fairyland of Ancient Persia

In archaic Persia, now referred to an Iran, there was a

development of fairy legends very much akin to stories

found in Europe.