NEITHER CONSCIOUSNESS, NOR FORM, NOR FEELING, NOR PERCEPTION, NOR AWARENESS/ watercolor and wax resist on paper/ A PICTOGRAPHIC ABSTRACTION BASED ON MY STUDIES OF CALIFORNIA INDIAN ROCK ART/ a tribute to prajnaparamita

          

              Neither Consciousness, Nor Form, Nor Feeling, Nor Perception, Nor Awareness

              1984
              by Eric Whollem
              watercolor and wax resist on paper
              Collection of the artist
              9" x 6"
                      Copyright by the artist

An Esoteric Work

When an artist creates a work, he often names it based
upon those things that were being imprinted on his mind
at the time of the work's inception. This could be music,
landscape, events, or philosophical ideas, as in the case
of this work.

FISH OF THE MAGIC/ gouache resist with wax medium and plastic emulsion on paper/ A PICTOGRAPHIC ABSTRACTION

              Fish of the Magic

              1985
              by Eric Whollem
              Collection of the artist
              9" x 6"
                      Copyright by the artist

A Visionary Fantasy

A number of people have told me that this painting
reminds them of the Beatles' animated film, "Yellow
Submarine."  I saw that film when I was in college.

GARDEN OF THE NIGHT/ watercolor on paper/ AN ORGANIC ABSTRACTION STYLISTICALLY RELATED TO THE PICTOGRAPHIC DESIGN ELEMENTS FOUND IN INDIAN ROCK ART

                                                     Garden of the Night

                                                     1979
                                                     by Eric Whollem
                                                     watercolor on paper
                                                     Private collection
                                                     3 7/8" x 6 1/16"
                                                                                          Copyright by the artist

THE VIDEO BELOW
PRESENTS A SELECTION OF MORE
OF MY ART BASED ON PREHISTORIC PICTOGRAPHS

                                           Video by Eric Whollem

 

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Abstract art, early works.

ELF MATRIX/ gouache and parafin resist on paper/ A VISIONARY FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTION

    Elf Matrix

    1998

    by Eric Whollem

    gouache and parafin resist on paper

    Private collection

    24" x 18"

                Copyright by the artist

The World of the Elf

This fanciful abstraction, in it's vibrant

color, brings to life the visionary experience

of the world of fairies and elves. This is the gift

of art, to take us into other dimensions.

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Abstract art, mixed media painting, visionary art, fairies, pictographs and petroglyphs.

MERMAID GODDESS/ a figurative ceramic sculpture/ NOTES ON MERMAID MYTHOLOGY/ The Astral Waters/ The Mermaids of Silver and the Mermaids of Gold

                                                     Mermaid Goddess

                                                     1999
                                                     by Eric Whollem
                                                     oxides on white clay
                                                     Collection of the artist
                                                     11 1/4"
                                                                                              Photo copyright by the artist

A Kore of the Sea
MERMAID MYTHOLOGY

This sculpture incorporates bas relief images of
seahorses and dolphins. Many ancient Goddesses
were mermaids: Atargatis, Amphitrite, Derceto,
etc. Many Goddesses have been associated with the
dolphins. Demeter, the Great Mother, was such a
dolphin Goddess. Amphitrite, a wife of Poseidon,
whose name translates as Triton of the Waters, was
a dolphin mermaid.

Though it is little recognized, Persephone may have
been a mermaid. Persephone, from the Eleusinian
mysteries, was depicted fish-tailed  in a sculpture
left by Greek Colonists on the coast of Southern Italy.
Barbara Vivino related this story to me, having seen
it.

Thus we can interpret the "Descent of Persphone"
into the Abysos, as the descent of Persephone in her
mermaid form. Thus is explained the watery element
of the River Styx, the subterranean river: it was the
vehicle of the soul of Persephone, the Initiate.

THE ROSY MATRIX/ an alchemical allegory/ GEOMETRIC ABSTRACTION

    The Rosy Matrix

    1984

    by Eric Whollem

    gouache and wax resist on paper

    Collection of the artist

    3" x 4 1/4"

     Copyright by the artist

Homeopathic and Sympathetic Alchemy

Artistically there are two main alchemical functions: homeopathic

and sympathetic. The homeopathic function includes those

transmutations involving the inclusion of natural materials such

as earth pigments, vegetable matter, or other substances imbued

with special significance. These materials may be added to paint

or applied to sculpture with the goal of raising consciousness: this

is the magnum opus, or Great Work, to take the artist to a higher

level of being.

The sympathetic function involves that art that imitates actions

or intentions. This could be exemplified in art that depicts in a

literary way prayers or perhaps political or social issues. Picasso's

'Guernica' is a good example of the sympathetic alchemical function

in art that has a political statement, while there are innumerable

spiritual icons from diverse cultures that exemplify the sympathetic

function: the evocation of the divine. The ancient alchemists were

people who aspired to enlightenment through the study of mysticism

and science.

My image, entitled 'The Rosy Matrix' is sympathetic insofar as it

depicts the nexus of the cross, a spiritual symbol found, of course,

in Christianity, but also in Chinese Taoism, where it is called 'rice'

and represents the breath, which could be interpreted as prana.

Many practitioners of yoga revere the cross form as it universally

appears in the vision of meditators as the gateway to the other

dimensions. The ancient alchemists of Europe always incorported

Christian symbolism into the Magnum Opus. However we do not

want to forget that it was the Arabs who first invented Alchemy.

Galen, was one of the first alchemists, famous for establishing the

four elememts: earth, air, fire and water as primordial.

Chinese alchemy always added 'metal' to the primordial elementary

statess of matter and spirit, while the alchemists of India added

'ether.' 

It was Paracelsus, a Swiss alchemist from the time of the Renaissance,

who threw out Galen's earth, air, fire and water, and established his

own theory that the elemental states were much more diverse in

character than exemplified in the Galenic system. This eventually lead

to the discovery of the Table of the Elements that is now found in

modern chemistry.

_______________

See my posts on the subject of ALCHEMY on this link:

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

A POSTER STAMP FOR ART BLOG/ERIC WHOLLEM

King of the Wood

by Eric Whollem

earth paints on panel

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

My EARTH PAINTINGS, which are prime examples of homeopathic alchemy can be seen here:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/earth%20paints

Those interested in my GEOMETRIC ABSTRACTIONS should see:

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

Geometric Abstractions video.                                

My complete online posting of ABSTRACT PAINTINGS can be found here:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/abstract%20paintings

Read more about ALCHEMISTS on this link:

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

                                                                                      *

Abstract art, alchemy, metaphysical art, mixed media painting.

GARDEN OF THE TURTLE/ earth pigments, gouache, and acrylic emulsion on paper

Garden of the Turtle

by Eric Whollem

Copyright by the artist

Card for 2010

This card is an advertisement for Art Blog/Eric Whollem.

Many of poster stamps were developed from layouts for such

cards.

The image above is a mixed media painting that incorporates

earth pigments made into paint, in conjunctin with gouache.

______________

See POSTER STAMPS on this link:

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

*

ANGAKOK/ the transformation of an Eskimo shaman into a seal/ WATERCOLOR AND INDIA INK ON PAPER/ a figurative pictographic abstraction

               Angakok

               1983

                by Eric Whollem

                India ink and watercolor on paper

                Collection of the artist

                9 x 6"

                                                                               Copyright by the artist

The Eskimo Shaman

Angakok is a name given to the shamans of the Eskimos
in Alaska. The angakok is related to the shamans of Siberia,
where metaphysical practitioners are called "divers." This
diving relates to the duck, which is a bird which can fly high,
but also dive deep into the sea.

WISDOM'S NEUTRALITY/ a multicolored abstraction utilizing the color gray as a symbol of Wisdom

    Wisdom's Neutrality

    1984

    by Eric Whollem

    India ink, gouache and plastic emulsion on paper

    Collection of the artist

    5 1/2" x 4 1/4"

        Copyright by the artist.

THE DIAMOND BODY/ earth pigments, polyvinyl resin, and watercolor on paper/ A GEOMETRIC ABSTRACTION/ metaphysical symbology

                                       The Diamond Body

                                       1981

                                       by Eric Whollem

                                       earth pigments, polyvinyl resin, and watercolor on paper

                                       Collection of the artist.

                                       10" x 7"

                                               Copyright by the artist

THE YELLOW MASK/ abstract art/ MIXED MEDIA ON PAPER/ a figurative abstraction

    The Yellow Mask

    1984

    by Eric Whollem

    India ink and wax resist on paper

    Collection of the artist

    4 1/2 x 2 1/8"

                Copyright by the artist

SONG OF THE PEOPLE/ an abstract work depicting the Kakinim, or spirits, who are evoked in the singing of traditional Maidu Indian music

         

                     

   Song of the People

   1984

    by Eric Whollem

    watercolor, plastic emulsion, and wax resist on paper

    Collection of the artist

    9 x 6"

           Copyright by the artist

The Kakinim

The Kakinim are those beings who are called

spirits or ghosts by the Concow Maidu Indians

of Northern California. Kakini is the singular

form of the word.

The Sutter Buttes in the Sacramento Valley are

called Histayami by the Maidu. Histayami is

divided into three spirit levels by the Maidu.

Kakinimkodom, or Spirit Country, is the highest

level.

This painting gives an imaginative visual form

to a Maidu song. . . a surrealistic interpretation.  

BELOW IS A VIDEO ABOUT

CONCOW MAIDU

CULTURE

                           ERIC WHOLLEM

An excellent album of Maidu songs was issued

by Pacific Western Traders in Folsom. I used to

live in the house of one of the singers on that album,

Herb Young, a shaman of the Maidu.

_______________

SPIRIT ANIMALS OF THE CONCOW MAIDU

 Video by Eric Whollem

See my posts about the Maidu Indians on this link:

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

SEED FIRE/ a mixed media abstraction symbolizing the life force in seeds

     Seed Fire

     1984

     by Eric Whollem

     watercolor, parafin, earth pigments and polyvinyl resin

     Collection of the artist

     6 x 9"

         Copyright by the artist

NEW COLUMBIA/ a mixed media abstraction on paper

    New Columbia

    1984

    by Eric Whollem

    watercolor and wax resist on paper

    Collection of the artist

    9 x 6"

           Copyright by the artist

SHASTA HOMEOPATHIC/ mixed media: bronze paint, acrylics, and pumice from Mt. Shasta in polymer emulsion/ ALCHEMICAL TRANSMUTATION

                                       Shasta Homeopathic

                                       1983
                                        by Eric Whollem
                                        mixed media on paper
                                        Collection of the artist
                                        4 3/16" x 3 3/4"
                                                                 Copyright by the artist

Transmuting Emotive Energy Through Art

This painting utilizes earth paints made from volcanic
pumice from Mt. Shasta in conjunction with a variety of
other paints. In this work I attempted to reengergize my
art with earth from a sacred place. The pigment used here
was gathered on the McCloud side of the mountain.

MAGIC BIRD ROCK/ a drawing inspired by the avian sanctuary near Tule Lake, not far from the Petroglyph Section north of the Modoc Lava Beds in Northern California

                                   

      

     Magic Bird Rock

     1983

      by Eric Whollem

      India ink on paper

      Collection of the artist

             Copyright by the artist

The Birds of the Petroglyph Section

MODOC ROCK ART, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Tule Lake used to be much larger than it is today.

Thousands of years ago many of the rock promontories

in the desert north of the Modoc Lava Beds were islands

in the lake.

LITTLE OLD MAN/ a pictographic mixed media abstraction based on California Indian rock art

  

    Little Old Man

    1984

     by Eric Whollem

     India ink and wax resist on paper

     Collection of the artist

      9 x 6"

                         Copyright by the artist                  

___________________

See more of my FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTIONS on this link:

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

Pictographic Abstractions Video.                           

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A figurative abstraction.

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ETHERIC ORGANIC/ an abstract work of art

   

    Etheric Organic

    1984

     by Eric Whollem

     gouache and wax resist on paper

     Collection of the artist

     6 x 9"

                   Copyright by the artist

DAYDREAMS/ India ink, wax and plastic emulsion resist on paper/ ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM/ PICTOGRAPHIC ART

      

             

                 Daydreams 

               1984

               by Eric Whollem

               India ink, wax and plastic emulsion resist on paper

               Collection of the artist

               5 1/2" x 4 3/16"

                  COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

SEE MORE OF MY ABSTRACT ART

ON THIS VIDEO

Figurative Abstractions by Eric Whollem                      

*

BOX BLOCKS/ a geometric abstraction in watercolor medium

              Box Blocks

              1981
              by Eric Whollem
              watercolor on paper
              Collection of the artist
              3 3/8" x 2 1/4"
                            Copyright by the artist