Swede's Flat
1985
by Eric Whollem
mixed media on paper
20 3/4" x 14 7/8"
Collection of the artist
COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST
My Approach to Pictographic Abstraction
I have long appreciated the works of European artists such as Paul Klee
and Joan Miro, who were the principal forerunners of pictographic
abstraction. My European mentors utilized the inspiration of the paleolithic
artists of their own continent.
My studies of the rock art of the American Indians has been highly
influential in the pictographic design of my own art. I have travelled to
locate rock art sites in numerous places in California, the state with
the largest quantity of petroglyphs. Texas is second in numerical
quantity of such art. The Native American arts of Utah and the
Southwest have been given the most focus by the general public; this
may be due to the spectacular scenery in which the art is found.
CONCOW MAIDU INDIAN CULTURE
I lived off and on for thirty-five years in very close proximity to
Concow Maidu Indians in Northern California, where I assimilated
a great deal of Maidu cultural lore, which is often reflected in my art.
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An art video by Eric Whollem, 2011
Readers interested in my posts on PICTOGRAPHS AND PETROGLYPHS should see:
See my ABSTRACT ART:
Figurative Abstractions Video.
See MAIDU INDIANS:
Concow Maidu Art Themes Video.
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