ORPHIC INITIATION by Eric Whollem/ Mythographic Art: the Ancient Mysteries/ FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTION/ Notes on the Eleusinian Mysteries

ORPHIC INITIATION

1981

by Eric Whollem

wax emulsion on paper

10" x 8"

Collection of the artist

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

MYTHOGRAPHIC ART

The Ancient Mysteries

Orpheus is said to have brought the rites of the Egyptian mystery religion to

ancient Greece. He brought the cult of Demeter, the Mother Goddess from the

realm of the Nile north to Greece, where at the time the cult of Dionysius was

in full sway.

The image above depictss the Abaton, or Pit of Initiation. The Hierophant with

his rod of initiation ministers to an inititate, who envisions the Goddess as part

of the initiatory process.

The Eleusinian Mysteries were just one of a number of mystery schools that

developed in Greece over the years. The Eleusinian Mysteries, from their

center in Delphi, were famous for their oracle to which people from all across

the Mediterranean world came for insight.

ORPHIC NEOPHYTE

An earlier post of mine, 'Orphic Neophyte' gives a good account of the

Eleusinian Mysteries. Below is the lead image for this post:

ORPHIC NEOPHYTE

1983

by Eric Whollem

mixed media on paper

Collection of the artist

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

See my post:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/2010/02/orphic-neophyte-symbols-of-initiation.html

________________________

See my posts on INITIATION for more insight into the ancient mysteries:

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

THE VIDEO BELOW

PRESENTS MORE OF MY FIGURATIVE PAINTINGS

Figurative Paintings by Eric Whollem                       

See more of my posts of ABSTRACT ART:

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

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'CONCOW MAIDU RELIGION Kuksu in the Art of Eric Whollem'/ A video from Eric Whollem's Youtube Channel/ Yongkodom, Hipiningkodom, and Kakinimkodom/ THE THREE LEVELS OF THE MAIDU SPIRITWORLD

HIPININGKODOM

The Valley of Heaven

1985

by Eric Whollem

mixed media on paper

21" x 15"

Collection of the artist

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CONCOW MAIDU RELIGION

The Concow Maidu Indians of Northern California divide their Heavenworlds

into three zones. Hipiningkodom, or the Valley of Heaven, is the second level.

The painting above shows the spirit of Aki the duck.  Aki is a leading symbol of

the Kuksu Religion, as traditionally practiced by the Maidu. In the upper left hand

corner is seen Hiki, the great snake whose movements created the valleys and

canyons of the world.

See my video below for an overview of Maidu traditions in regards to religion.

                         A video about the religion of the Concow

Yongkodom

The first level of the Maidu heavens is the Flowerland. The painting

below shows Aki in the flower country.

In the Flowerland each person becomes a flower after death. Good

people get the best places in Yongkodom, while the bad people get

places of inferior beauty, but everyone becomes a flower.

AKI IN YONGKODOM

1985

by Eric Whollem

mixed media on paper

9" x 6"

Collection of the artist

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

Kakinimkodom

Kakinimkodom, the Country of the Spirits, is the highest level

of the Maidu heavens. The heavenworlds manifest in the realm of

Wonomi, the Earth Initiate, who lives at Histayami, the Sutter

Buttes, a small mountain range in the center of the Sacramento

Valley.

KAKINIMKODOM

1985

by Eric Whollem

mixed media on paper

21" x 15"

Collection of the artist

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

_________________________________________

See more of my posts about the MAIDU INDIANS on this link:

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

See more about KUKSU:

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

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THE KUKSU/ Concow Maidu Traditional Dances Reflected in the Paintings of Eric Whollem/ COLLECTION OF HERB PUFFER/ Notes on Frank Day, the last of the old time leaders of the Concow Maidu/ EARTH PAINTS

DANCE OF THE KUKSU

1985

by Eric Whollem

mixed media on paper

21" x 18"

Collection of Herb Puffer

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

THE BIG HEADS

The sacred dances of the Concow Maidu Indians of Northern

California include the Big Head dancers, who wear oversize

headdresses. These represent the spirits. Frank Day, the last of

the old time leaders of the Concow Maidu, was pivotal in

reestablishing the traditional dances of the people.

Frank Day was a great artist, making many of his paints from

natural pigments that he gathered himself.

The religion of the Maidu is called Kuksu, based on the legends

of the first man, Kuksu, who was born of mud on Table Mountain

above Oroville, California.

KAKINI

1985

by Eric Whollem

earth pigments in polymer emulsion on panel

8" x 10"

Collection of Herb Puffer

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

The painting above is an earth painting by Eric Whollem,

made from earth colors ground in a mortar.

A 'kakini' is a spirit being. The Maidu word used here is linguistically

related to the Hopi 'kachina.'

The Maidu are said by some to be distant relatives of the Mayans

who migrated north.

__________________________

See more about KUKSU on these posts:

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

Concow Maidu Culture in the Art of Eric Whollem                

See more of my EARTH PAINTINGS:

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

                

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PANO KAKINI/ Concow Maidu Shamanism in the Art of Eric Whollem/ Medicine Animals/ MIXED MEDIA PAINTING

PANO KAKINI

1985

by  Eric Whollem

21" x 15"

India ink, parafin, tempera on paper

Collection of the artist

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

THE BLACK BEAR

Pano, or the black bear, is a medicine animal highly

regarded by the Concow Maidu Indians of Northern

California. Pano kakini translates as 'bear spirit.'

Maidu shamans, or doctors, in the old days would

personify the black bear, who is said to have healing

powers.

The doctors who used  the old ways would dress up

in a bear skin and advance towards the patient with

moth coccoon rattles. This would frighten the sickness

from the sick person.

There also is a history of other bear doctors who were

not so good. These were the Grizzly Doctors. They

were greatly feared.

OTHER POSTS AND LINKS

The links below will take the reader to other blog posts

about the Concow Maidu. I have also shown one of the

fantasy stamps that I created as an art project; it shows

an image of the 'Bear Doctor.'

I have created a number of videos that show my art that

relates to Maidu culture. The music soundtracks are by

Kevin MacLeod, whose work he calls 'Thunderhead' recalls

the sound of the rattles used by Maidu shamans.

Sokotem is the old  Maidu word that means 'moth.'

_______________________

See my posts on SHAMANISM:

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

THE VIDEO BELOW PRESENTS

MORE OF MY ART THAT

RELATES TO MAIDU CULTURE

Concow Maidu Video           

See my posts on MEDICINE ANIMALS:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/medicine%20animals  

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

PANO KAKINI

bear doctor Maidu fantasy stamp

by Eric Whollem

SPIRIT ANIMALS

by Eric Whollem

THE VIDEO BELOW

TALKS ABOUT THE SPIRIT ANIMALS

OF THE CONCOW MAIDU

ERIC WHOLLEM                                   

                       

See my posts that talk about the CONCOW MAIDU INDIANS:

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

THE VIDEO BELOW

RELATES MORE ABOUT THE

KUKSU RELIGION OF THE

MAIDU

ERIC WHOLLEM                                      

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THE SUNBOAT by Eric Whollem/ An ancient pictographic archetype/ FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTION/ Notes on Jung's Collective Unconsciousness and Heyerdahl's Theories of Cultural Diffusion

THE SUNBOAT

1984

by Eric Whollem

mixed media on  paper

9" x 6"

Collection of the artist

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

ARCHETYPES OF THE COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUSNESS

Carl Jung, the famous psychologist, developed a theory to the effect that

human cultural expressions often manifest as emanations from what he

termed the 'collective unconscious.'

The generally accepted opposing theory is that similar cultural expressions

in regions far removed one from the other are manifestations of diffusion,

wherein motifs are spread through migration, exploration, or other contacts

made by travellers.

The Sunboat, is an archetype that appears in very diverse locations: such as

Siberia and Egypt. This might suggest that it was developed independently,

or is a proof of Jung's theory of the collective unconsciousness. In my own

art I created the Sunboat design originally without any awareness of the

controversies surrounding the image. It seemed to arise from my own

consciousness, rather than any book or image that I happend to view.

The painting above is not my first (and 'innocent') depiction of the Sunboat

motif. I have painted it numerous times subsequently, as in the case of the

image depicted above.

The Sunboat

1985

by Eric Whollem

earth paints on panel

4' x 3'

Collection of the artist

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

This earth painting, made from natural pigments, painted in 1985 depicts

the Sunboat in the form generally seen in artistic images around the world.

The Sunboat is said to be comprised of a ship form with a central mast to

which a circular form with a cross is affixed.

I am not personally a Jungian, in fact, I champion such advocates of

diffusionism as Thor Heyerdahl, who posited years ago that seafarers

have for centuries been able to travel vast distances across the oceans

of the world. Heyerdahl's Ra and Kon Tiki expeditions, featuring ocean

going reed boats bear witness to the plausibilty of his theories.

Jungians favor the example of the widespread maze forms found in

greatly diverse areas of the world, as 'proofs' of Jung's collective

unconsciousness theory. Jung may have derived his theory in part from

the works of Helene Blavatsky, who in her book, 'The Secret Doctrine,'

spoke of the 'collective consicousness.'

________________________

See more of my PICTOGRAPHIC ABSTRACTIONS on these posts:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/pictographs%20and%20petroglyphs

THE VIDEO BELOW

DEPICTS MORE OF MY

WORKS OF A PICTOGRAPHIC CHARACTER

Video by Eric Whollem                               

See more of my posts on ARCHETYPES:

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

This link will take you to my posts on THEOSOPHY, for those interested in the works of Helene Blavatsky:

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

Readers may be interested in what Wikipedia has to say about the SOLAR DEITY:

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

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PATH OF THE GODDESS by Eric Whollem/ CONTEMPORARY ART/ Figurative Abstraction

PATH OF THE GODDESS

1984

by Eric Whollem

mixed media on paper

9" x 6"

Collection of the artist

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

___________________

See more of my CONTEMPORARY ART designs:

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

THE VIDEO BELOW

SHOWS SOME OF MY ABSTRACT ART

Whimsical Abstractions by Eric Whollem                         

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ALTAR OF THE GODDESS by Eric Whollem/ Goddess Painting/ FIGURATIVE PICTOGRAPHIC ABSTRACTION

ALTAR OF THE GODDESS

1984

by Eric Whollem

gouache resist on paper

9" x 6"

Collection of the artist

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

_________________

See more posts on the topic of the GODDESS:

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

THE VIDEO BELOW DEPICTS

SOME OF MY GRAPHIC DESIGNS

THAT DEAL WITH GODDESS

SYMBOLISM

Artistamps from Amphora                                 

THIS VIDEO PRESENTS IMAGES OF

MY CERAMIC GODDESS

SCULPTURES

Ceramic Goddesses                                        

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HAWK WOMAN by Eric Whollem/ Earth pigments in resin with gouache on paper/ MIXED MEDIA ABSTRACTION/ 1981/ Figurative Pictographic Abstraction

HAWK WOMAN

1981

by  Eric Whollem

earth pigments in resin with gouache

on paper

Collection of the artist

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

___________________

See more of my FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTIONS on these posts:

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

This link will take you to my posts on SHAMANISM:

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

THE VIDEO BELOW

PRESENTS A SELECTION OF MY

FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTIONS

Video by Eric Whollem                                     

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CERAMIC MERMAID SCULPTURES by Eric Whollem/ Notes on Celtic Mermaids/ Selkie Art/ FIGURATIVE CERAMIC ART

THE DARK SELKIE

1998

by Eric Whollem

oxides on white clay

6"

Private Collection

PHOTO COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

CELTIC MERMAIDS

The peoples of Scotland and Ireland refer to the mermaid as a

'selkie.'  This term literally translates as 'shifter.'

The archaic religion of the Celts posits metempsychosis, or

reincarnation as the order of things. After death a soul is said to

undergo transformation. This means a person could manifest as

an animal, a stone, a tree, or another person. This is one aspect

of the 'shifting' which is indicated for the selkies. However there

are special cases where the shifting occurs magically during the

life of a being. For example, Morrigan, the Sea Queen, is said

to have been able to take the form of many different animals.

One of the most popular conceptions is that Celtic mermaids

manifest as seals. This is only one form that the soul might take

in the Otherworld. The Irish Celts called the Otherworld Emania,

while the Celts of Wales referred to this land a Annwn, the

Summerland.

It is said that nine mermaid Goddesses tend cauldrons at the

bottom of the sea off the Galway Coast. These cauldrons are

said to represent the wombs of metempsychosis. Many of the

archaic Gods and Goddesses had special magical cauldrons.

Also the Sidhe, or Celtic fairies, are said to have kept cauldrons

hidden in lakes.

THE CELTS THROUGH HISTORY

Galicia, Breton, Liguria, Gallo-Helvetia, Persia, Scythia, etc.

The Celtic peoples are not limited historically to Ireland and

the British Isles. The Celts of France live in Breton, or Brittany.

The Celts of Spain and Portugal live in Galicia. While Liguria,

in northern Italy is the traditional Celtic region of that country.

The Gallo-Celtic peoples of Helvetia, are the Swiss Celts.

The regions north of Greece are tradtionally Celtic. Many students

of ethnic lore also posit Turkey as a pivotal location for much

Celtic migration. The Vikings, especially from their center in

Denmark, represent the northern migrations of the Celts. The

curvilinear designs in Scandinavian art are very distinctively

Celtic, being from the Scythian ancestors of the Celts. Many

songs of the Norwegians and others have a very Irish and

British feel to them. But Galician music from Iberia in many

cases is nearly indistinguishable from Irish music.

The Celtic peoples have their traditional ancient homeland

in Persia and Scythia, where they migrated to other parts of the

world. There are generally two major migrations: the northern

Celts and the Southern, who travelled through Phoenicia and

Egypt to Spain.

ERIC WHOLLEM CELTIC PLAYLISTS

See my playlist of Galician music on Youtube for good examples

of lesser known Celtic music.

Among my  other Celtic playlists are the music of Liguria, Lombardy,

as well as Ireland, etc.

On my Romanian playlist there is a beautiful rendition by Maria Tanase,

entitled, 'Bun il vinu' ghiurghiuliu,' a song which indicates a link to the

Celtic music of Lombardy, insofar as the Romanians are largely derived

from Italian colonists.

You can find a link to the ERIC WHOLLEM CHANNEL on the left

hand column on this blog.

THE RED SELKIE

1998

by Eric Whollem

earth pigments on white clay

6"

Private Collection

PHOTO COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

_______________________

See my posts about SELKIES:

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

Read more about CELTIC MYTH:

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

THE VIDEO BELOW

PRESENTS A VARIETY OF MY

CERAMIC SEA HORSE SCULPTURES

Video by Eric Whollem                                    

Read more about the CELTS on Wikipedia:

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

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Mythographic Sculpture/ THE HARPY by Eric Whollem/ 'Bird Women: the Ancient Scourges of the Gods'/ Notes on Greek Mythology: Hesiod, Homer and Aeschylus/ FIGURATIVE CERAMIC SCULPTURE

THE HARPY

1985

by Eric Whollem

pumice from Mt. Shasta, polymer emulsion,

on white clay

2.5"

Private Collection

PHOTO COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

BIRD WOMEN

The Ancient Scourges of the Gods

Harpies sometimes have a 'bad reputation' as being entities

with a malignant disposition. This reputation comes from a

patriarchal bias.

The Harpies are bird women, having traditionally the bodies of

birds but with the heads of women. Ancient Greek lore, especially

the works of the poet, Homer, made these beings well known.

The Harpies are synonymous with the Sirens, the supposed 'mermaids'

that lead Odysseus to his doom. These correlations come from the

play of Aeschylus: The Eumenides.

The Sirens are not vile sedeucers, if one reads archaic lore right.

Odysseus was a black pirate, and a blasphemer of Athena and

Poseidon. The Harpies or Sirens served as the police of the Gods

in ancient Greece. Their designation was that of 'scourges' or

punitive officiants.

The Sirens also served in the Mysteries, having their place in the

Abyssos, along the River Styx, where they served as the Chorus

of the Naiads.

The Sirens were Naiads, or river mermaids, being the daughters

of Achelous, the River God. The Nereids, the daughters of Doris

and Nereus, were the benign oceanic mermaids of the Greeks.

Hesiod posits the parents of the Harpies as Thaumas and Electra.

Archaic mythology has contradictions, as mythology is a general

consensus of poets. And poets of various ages utilize mythic beings

in varying contexts.

The Bird Women of preshistoric Europe are very ancient prototypes

that may be ancestral to the development of Greek mythological

notions about Sirens and Harpies. Marija Gimbutas and other

feminist writers popularized Bird Woman in the 1980's.

Today the Harpy is an archetype that many Jungian psychologists

utilize in their observations on human nature.

________________

See my posts on the NAIADS:

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

THE VIDEO BELOW

PRESENTS A VARIETY OF IMAGES

OF MY CERAMIC SCULPTURES

Ceramic Sculpture Artist Stamps Video                         

See more of my CERAMIC SCULPTURES:

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

See my posts on MYTHOGRAPHIC ART:

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

Readers may be interested in my articles on MYTHOLOGY:

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

See WIKIPEDIA'S listing on the HARPY:

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

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