CERAMIC AMULETS/ Neoclassical Ceramic Sculpture by Eric Whollem/ CLAY PENDANTS/ Goddess Art/ Figurative Ceramic Sculpture

Erato

2006

by Eric Whollem

oxides on white earthenware clay

PHOTO COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

The Muses

The nine Apollonian Muses included Erato, the

Muse of Erotic Poetry.

The ceramic sculpture depicted here is an amulet

rendering my own modern version of Erato in

profile. 

The Centaur

2006

by Eric Whollem

oxides on terracotta

PHOTO COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

 CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

The Centaurs

Greek mythology incorporated a variety of imaginary

beings, among which the Centaurs are well-known.

The amulet shown here depicts a Centaur's head with

a stylized helmet, featuring a rendition of a horse's mane.

  

Aurora

2006

by Eric Whollem

oxides on terracotta

PHOTO COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Attic Art Revisited

Attic Art was one of the early phases of ancient

Greek art. The figures on Attic vases often are

shown with highly stylized faces, which often

included oversized triangular noses.

This modern ceramic sculpture recapitulates the

Attic phase of art, which was always highly geometric.

Clio

2006

by Eric Whollem

oxides on white earthenware clay

PHOTO COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Clio

Clio was another of the Muses of Apollo.

She was the Muse of History.

The Griffin

2007

by Eric Whollem

oxides on white earthenware clay

PHOTO COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

A Short History of the Griffin

The Griffin was a heraldic animal that originated in Crete.

The Griffin is part eagle and part lion.

The Griffin became popular in Central Asia much later. . .

in places such as Kazakhstan, Persia and Armenia.

It eventually entered into the symbolic language of heraldic

emblems and was utilized throughout Europe.

The image above is my own modern version of the Griffin,

designed as a pendant to be worn on a necklace.

_________________

Check out Wikipedia for more about GRIFFINS:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griffin

Those interested in the APPOLONIAN MUSES should see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muses

See my posts of CERAMIC AMULETS on this link:

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

Ceramic Sea Horse Pendants and Wallpieces.                      

My general posts of CERAMIC SCULPTURES can be accessed here:

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

Ceramic Sculpture Video.                                      

Some readers may want to see my posts on MYTHOLOGY:

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

Also of interest might be my posts on MYTHOGRAPHIC ART:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/mythographic%20art

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THE SEA NYMPH/ 'MERMAID MICRONATIONS'/ Mermaid and Sea Horse Cinderella Stamps by Eric Whollem/ Selkie Artistamps/ CYBERSTAMPS FROM THE JESSAMINE ISLE

The Sea Nymph

THE JESSAMINE ISLE

2010

by Eric Whollem

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

 CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

The Sea Nymph

Eric Whollem

2010

The Sea Nymph

THE JESSAMINE ISLE

2010

by Eric Whollem

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

A Mermaid Micronation

What is a micronation? It is a land that is totally fictional, an

artistic creation. Many hobbyists with a cultural bent develop

micronations, inventing flags, coats of arms, history, maps, as

well as stamps and coins.

I have developed a variety of aquatic micronations over the

years, mostly as an extension of my interest in faux postage

stamps.

The Jessamine Isle is my most recent imaginary mermaid

nation.

THE MYSTERY OF THE MERMAIDS

On the links at the bottom of this post you can find stamps from

mermaid nations such as Merreminde, Undinia, Amphitritonia,

Amphora, and Delphys. My book, 'The Mystery of the Mermaids:

Goddesses and Gods of the Sea'~now out of print~may explain

my interest in the theme.

See this Wikipedia article to get a more complete story:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micronations

The Sea Nymph

THE JESSAMINE ISLE

2010

by Eric Whollem:::

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

_________________

The links below will take you to posts of stamps from more of my MERMAID MICRONATIONS:

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

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

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

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

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

THE GREAT CLAM

a stamp from Undinia

by Eric Whollem

My general posts of MERMAID ART may be of interest:

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

BELOW IS A SAMPLE

STAMP VIDEO

WHICH SHOWS

MERMAID

ARTISTAMPS

FROM

MERREMINDE

ERIC WHOLLEM                                

More stamps from the JESSAMINE ISLE may be accessed here:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/jessamine%20isle

A VIDEO ABOUT

STAMPS OF THE JESSAMINE ISLE

MAKARI AND THE MYSTERIES OF THE MERMAIDS   

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ARTIST STAMPS

Artistamps, cinderella stamps, cyberstamps,

fantasy stamps, faux postage,

mail art, micronation stamps,

virtual stamps; digital art.

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CERAMIC MASKS/ Shamanic Clay Sculpture by Eric Whollem/ 'The Lore of the Aquatic Shaman'/ MEDICINE ANIMALS/ 'The Divers'/ 'Woctolly'/ 'The Shaman's Mask'/ Figurative ceramic wallpieces

Moon Cat

2004

by Eric Whollem

oxides on white earthenware clay~

flax cord

Private collection

PHOTO COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Ceramic  Masks by Eric Whollem

Many readers, familiar with the ethnic arts of the Eskimos,

will notice design parallels with a number of the wall pieces

displayed on this blog post. The Eskimos are well-known for

a distinctive style of mask, which incorporates smaller fetishes

attached around the periphery of the piece.

I have attached clay fish and clay moons to a few of these works.

I utilize flax cord, which is a strong material, having been used

for centuries by sailors as a cord for patching canvas sails at

sea.

Feline Mask

2004

by Eric Whollem

oxides on white earthenware clay

Private collection

PHOTO COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Animal Mask

2004

by Eric Whollem

oxides on white earthenware clay~

flax cord

Private collection

PHOTO COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Medicine Animals

Many cultures have the concept of the medicine animal.

Not just shamans, but normal individuals, may identify

with certain animals out of a feeling of harmony with the

habits and characteristics of the respective animal.

I designed the above animal masks when I had my studio

in the remote reaches of the forests of the Sierra Nevada

Mountains. My nearest neighbors were a quarter of a mile

away. And to the north of my cabin, there were forty miles

of unpopulated forest before one would emerge on the Lake

Almanor area.

Many animals would come near my studio. A bear trail

ran next to the north wall. I would hear and see bobcats

repeatedly. I once viewed a lynx. And I have seen mountain

lions~ twice~very close to my cabin; and I heard their calls

quite often in the woodlands nearby.

I had a cat, Keetah, who was very sensitive to the proximity

of the animals that would come close. She would run upstairs

and growl near the window, if she sensed any danger. In this

respect she was an excellent guard animal. Dogs, as you know,

often bark, attracting attention. The cat is more discreet. In

Thailand, Buddhist monks have used Siamese cats for centuries

to guard their temples.

Fish Man

2004

by Eric Whollem

oxides on white earthenware clay~

flax cord

Private collection

PHOTO COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Fish Man

THE LORE OF THE AQUATIC SHAMAN

This mask is a fanciful interpretation of the concept of the

merman shaman. Historically the first mershaman was Ea, who

was a fish man who rose from the waters of the Persian Gulf.

He was a teacher of ettiquette and civilization to the peoples

of Mesopotamia. Ea's name means 'wisdom.' 'Ea' is related

etymologically to the Sanskrit word, 'jnana,' which means

knowledge.

THE DIVERS

The Eskimo shaman is called Angakok, which designation

means 'diver,' as the shaman's powers are symbolized by the

diving duck. The duck can fly high, but also dive deep into the

water. This symbolizes the penetration into all dimensions.

The shamans of Central Asia are also called divers. The

Huttorarie is one such shaman from the remote reaches of

Asia. Ethnologists have long noted that the peoples of Central

Asia are the ancestors of the Native American peoples.

Odin from Scandinavian lore is an example of a diety whose

transformative powers include taking on the form of a fish.

Odin could easily be interpreted as a shamanic being.

WOCTOLLY

Woctolly is the name of a merman shaman from Northern

California. The Maidu and Cato Indians of the Sierra Nevadas

and the Coast Range have tales of Woctolly. See my links at the

end of this post for my account of the legend of Woctolly.

Shaman's Mask

2004

by Eric Whollem

oxides on white earthenware clay~

flax cord

Private collection

PHOTO COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

The Shaman's Mask

Mircea Eliade has one of the best accounts of the lore of the

shaman. His book, 'Shamanism,' is a classic and should not be

missed by those seeking an interesting and comprehensive

overview of the role of the shaman in world cultures.

Eliade made an excellent anthropologist, as he never deprecated

the cultures that he described. He was always respectful in his

observations.

The Central Asian Altai word, samana, is the basis of the English

word, shaman.

A video by Eric Whollem, 2011

___________________

My post about WOCTOLLY THE SALMON MERMAN can be found here:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/2011/01/concow-maidu-legends-mask-of-woctolly.html

Readers interested in my CERAMIC SCULPTURE should see:

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

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE 

GREEN FISH

ceramic wallpiece

by Eric Whollem

MANCO PAPAC

ceramic sculpture

by Eric Whollem

This link will take you to my articles on SHAMANISM:

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

This link will take you to my posts on ANTHROPOLOGY:

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

Those who enjoy MYTHOLOGY may want to see:

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

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TWO SELKIES/ Mermaid cyberstamps from the Jessamine Isle/ Cinderella stamps by Eric Whollem/ VIRTUAL STAMPS/ Faux postage cyberstamps

Two Selkies

THE JESSAMINE ISLE

2010

by Eric Whollem

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Stamps From the Jessamine Isle

by Eric Whollem

2010

Two Selkies

THE JESSAMINE ISLE

2010

by Eric Whollem

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Two Selkies

Cinderella Stamps by Eric Whollem

Two Selkies

THE JESSAMINE ISLE

2010

by Eric Whollem

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Two Selkies

THE JESSAMINE ISLE

2010

by Eric Whollem

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Selkies

According to Celtic Mythology, a Selkie is a mermaid.

They are considered to be shape shifters. The term

'Selkie,' in fact means 'shifter.'

A Selkie can manifest as a deer, a rock, a tree, a wave,

or any natural object.

Shape shifting for a being such as a mermaid represents

her empowerment as a spirit being to manifest in a form

appropriate for her purposes. Mermaids are considered

to be angels in many cultures. Hungarian churches, for

example are filled with images of mermaids.

Mermaids, as the Fays of France, are protectors of the

wells and fields.

In India, many of the Gods and Goddesses are aquatic

beings. Matsya, the Merman, was the first incarnation

of Vishnu. He also manifested as a Turtle and a Lion

in other incarnations. These are examples of the shape

shifting characteristics of the mermaid or merman.

Each culture gives us a little different picture.

RABBIT MAN OF THE SEA

See my posts on Celtic Mythology for more stories about

the Selkies. I especially recommend my very first post for

Art Blog/Eric Whollem, entitled 'Rabbit Man of the Sea'

for an interesting account of my meeting up with a

spiritually realized Irishman who referred to himself as a

selkie. He related many points of great interest that are

not of common knowledge concerning the mysteries of

the mermaids.

Not only may selkies manifest as seals, but as hares

or other animals, according to traditional Irish lore.

The story of Liban from Ireland tells us of a salmon

mermaid who was a protector of wells.

The Irishman I talked to said that the hare manifests as a

protector of the people.

________________

See more of my stamps from the JESSAMINE ISLE on this link:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com

A VIDEO ABOUT

STAMPS FROM THE

JESSAMINE ISLE

MAKARI AND THE MYSTERIES OF THE MERMAIDS    

My post entitled RABBIT MAN OF THE SEA is on this link:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/2009/12/rabbit-man-of-sea.html

My posts about SELKIES can be found here:

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

Those interested in MERMAID ART should view:

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

Mermaid stamps from Merreminde.           

My posts on the subject of CELTIC MYTHOLOGY can be accessed here:

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

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ARTIST STAMPS

Artistamps, cinderella stamps, cyberstamps,

fantasy stamps, faux postage,

mail art, micronation stamps,

virtual stamps; digital art.

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URANIA/ Faux Postage Stamps From the Jessamine Isle/ THE MYTHOLOGY OF APHRODITE'S BIRTH/ 'The Triple Goddess'/ Mythopoetic stamps featuring Aphrodite Urania/ VIRTUAL STAMPS/ CYBERSTAMPS FROM A MERMAID MICRONATION/ Cinderella stamp editions by Eric Whollem

Urania

THE JESSAMINE ISLE

2010

by Eric Whollem

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Aphrodite Urania: the Crone Aspect of the Triple Goddess

Urania is the name given to the third aspect of Aphrodite,

the Crone. Aphrodite Urania was anciently concieved as a

Goddess of universal love and beneficence. As the Crone she

exemplified wisdom. The bird of the Crone is the swan.

The three aspects of Aphrodite were the Virgin, the Matron,

and the Crone. Pandemos was the virgin; Marina the Matron;

and Urania the Crone. The three aspects of Aphrodite represent

the Triple Goddess concept. The three colors of the Triple Goddess

are white, red, and black.

The bird of Pandemos was the dove. The bird of Marina was the

swallow.

URANIA AND URANOS

Ura was an ancient name for Urania. The Greeks designated the

primordial male God as Uranos. Uranos represented the Ether,

or cosmic space; basically he was the sky God. His mate was Gaia,

the Earth Goddess.

Ura is said by some commentators to have been the original name

of the Sphinx, which as an androgynous being, was male/female.

Much of the Greek mysteries came out of Egypt as well as Sumeria.

In one account of the birth of Aphrodite, she is said to have been

born of the mutilated form of Uranos, who manifested as the sea

foam. Another mythic account of the birth of Aphrodite sees her

born of a sea shell. A third account, from the Neareast, has her

born of duck's eggs on the rivers of Mesopotamia. And she is

said also to have been born of Zeus and Dione in yet another

classical account from Greek mythology.

THE HORAE AND THE MORAE

As the three Horae, Aphrodite was known as Tyche, Dike, and

Nemesis. As the Morae (or three Fates) she was designated as

Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos.

Urania

THE JESSAMINE ISLE

2010

by Eric Whollem

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Faux Postage Stamps From the Jessamine Isle

by Eric Whollem

2010

Urania

THE JESSAMINE ISLE

2010

by Eric Whollem

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

This stamp shows Aphrodite in her Crone aspect; as Aphrodite

Urania, the Goddess was anciently worshipped as a Goddess

of Universal Love.

Urania

THE JESSAMINE ISLE

2010

by Eric Whollem

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

This stamps shows Aphrodite as Pandemos, the Virgin.

As the Virgin she was conceived of as the White Goddess.

______________

Readers interested in viewing more stamps from THE JESSAMINE ISLE should see this link:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/jessamine%20isle

A JESSAMINE ISLE

STAMP VIDEO

MAKARI AND THE MYSTERIES OF THE MERMAIDS    

My posts on the topic of the GODDESS can be accessed here:

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

This link will take you to my general posts of FAUX POSTAGE STAMPS:

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

See the article on APHRODITE in Wikipedia for more information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphrodite

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ARTIST STAMPS

Artistamps, cinderella stamps, cyberstamps,

fantasy stamps, faux postage,

mail art, micronation stamps,

virtual stamps; digital art.

MYTHOLOGY

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