PRIEST OF THE JAGUAR/ A Mesoamerican Fantasy by Eric Whollem/ FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTION/ Shamanism in the Americas

PRIEST OF THE JAGUAR

1984

by Eric Whollem

mixed media on paper

Collection of the artist

4.5" x 6"

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

SHAMANISM IN THE AMERICAS

The jaguar is sacred in many cultures in Mesoamerica.

Jaguar shamans are highly respected.

The jaguar spirit in Mexico was called a 'nagual,' an being that

would protect the shaman as he travelled to different dimensions.

As such the jaguar was indeed a 'medicine animal.'

Read Wikipedia's article about Jaguar shamans:

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

See my posts about shamanism:

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

My posts on medicine animals:

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

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My online image gallery of ABSTRACT ART:

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

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

THE BEETLE

mixed media on paper

by Eric Whollem

THE DANCING GODDESS

mixed media on paper

by Eric Whollem

READERS INTERESTED IN

SHAMANISM

MIGHT ENJOY MY VIDEO

ABOUT THE KUKSU RELIGION OF THE

CONCOW MAIDU INDIANS

ERIC WHOLLEM                                      

ALCHEMICAL SYMBOLS IN MODERN ART/ 'Roasted Night Jewels' by Eric Whollem/ Pictographic Abstraction

ROASTED NIGHT JEWELS

1985

by Eric Whollem

wax medium on paper

Collection of the artist

9" x 6"

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

ALCHEMICAL SYMBOLS IN MODERN ART

This painting attempts to evoke the uses of the alchemical retort:

reducing materials to their elemental base. In eastern symbolism

one often hears about the 'mani jewel' being the quest of enlightenment.

The 'jewels' in the above painting seem to be minerological specimens

that take on seeming organic functions as well. This interfusion of

symbolic levels is part of the Great Mystery.

Some of the pictographic symbols in this painting appear to be types

of alchemical appartus. Retorts with extended necks are part of the

design.

Alchemists used to try to understand geology, biology, as well as

stellar phenomena; all branches of modern science have their roots

in the studies of the alchemists of old.

__________________________

See my posts on ALCHEMY:

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

See my online image gallery of ABSTRACT ART:

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

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE

THE ALCHEMIST'S TABLE

by Eric Whollem

BELOW IS A VIDEO

ABOUT MY USES OF

NATURAL MATERIALS TO MAKE

PAINTS

EARTH PAINTINGS BY ERIC WHOLLEM              

COMPARATIVE MYTHOLOGY: Notes on the Symbolism of Saturn/ 'Old Saturn' by Eric Whollem/ A contemporary pictographic abstraction/ MODERN ART

OLD SATURN

1985

by Eric Whollem

gouache resist on paper

Collection of the artist

15" x 20"

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

COMPARATIVE MYTHOLOGY

Notes on the Symbolism of Saturn

Saturn is said, in some mystical astrological systems, to symbolize

the Mesoamerican racial groups. Saturn, or Cronos, in Greek

mythology is said in that mythic tradition, to have devoured his own

children.

Artistically I attempted to indicate the cultures of ancient America in

the above painting, by utilizing pictographic stylization.

________________

View more posts on MYTHOLOGY:

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

THE VIDEO BELOW

PRESENTS LORE

FROM ETRUSCAN MYTHOLOGY

ERIC WHOLLEM                                 

CERAMIC SCULPTURE/ 'Bird and Her Children' by Eric Whollem/ An Imaginative Interpretation of the Myth of Bird Woman/ CONTEMPORARY MOTHER GODDESS ART

BIRD AND HER CHILDREN

1994

by Eric Whollem

iron oxide on white clay

3" x 10" x 7"

Private collection

Photo copyright by the artist

BIRD AND HER BROOD

This sculpture is an imaginative interpretation of the myth of Bird Woman.

Bird Woman is an ancient motif of Eastern European Mother Goddesses.

Marija Gimbutas made Bird famous in her writings in the 1980's. Bird also

is featured as a Great Goddess in the Rig Veda, those song poems brought

by the Aryan migrants into ancient India.

The rounded eyes in the sculpture above relate to the stylization often seen

in archaic Mesopotamian art.

________________________

See my online image archive of FIGURATIVE CERAMIC SCULPTURES:

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

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE

RED BIRD

Goddess pendant

by Eric Whollem

BIRD WOMAN

by Eric Whollem

See my posts about the GODDESS:

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

BELOW IS A VIDEO

THAT FEATURES MORE OF MY

GODDESS SCULPTURE

ERIC WHOLLEM                                 

BIRD STONE/ A pictographic abstraction by Eric Whollem/ CONTEMPORARY ART

THE BIRD STONE

1984

by Eric Whollem

mixed media on paper

9" x 6"

Collection of Calvin Sandborn

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

________________________________

View my online gallery of ABSTRACT ART:

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

BELOW IS A

VIDEO FEATURING MORE OF MY

FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTIONS

ERIC WHOLLEM                           

See my blog posts about PICTOGRAPHIC ART:

http://artblogericwhollem.blogspot.com/search/label/pictographs&petroglyphs

BELOW IS A SAMPLE

IMAGE OF MY

PICTOGRAPHIC STYLIZATIONS

FANTASY MAP STAMPS FROM URISSAKZILLIA by Eric Whollem/ Faux Postage Stamps/ MICRONATIONAL STAMP CREATIONS

A MAP OF URISSAKZILLIA

Republika Urissakzillia

2011

by Eric Whollem

virtual stamp

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

A TOPOGRAPHICAL VIEW OF URISSAKZILLIA

The Republic of Urissakzillia exists on the Continent of Eronyk.

The capital city, Namsel, lies on the shores of the Sea of Zelt.

Melmon, the industrial center, is to the north, set on the shores of

the beautiful Lake Tatipi.

These stamps were printed in on the Virtual Press of the Urissakzillian

Mint, which is in a castle on an island in the Lake of the Daymoon.

Virtual stamps exist only in that portion of etheric space common to

cyberstamps. Urissakzillia, as a modern fairy republic, stands aloof

from those fairy kingdoms whose stamps exist on the material plane,

printed on common paper with crude adhesive material. See the

link below to find out more about the curious customs of the

Urissakzillians.

The map of Urissazillia seen on this stamp was created through the

science of microtopological photography, which was developed by

Dr. Futonno of the Urissakzillian Topographical Institute. Insofar as

these are faux postage stamps; some might well conjecture that this

scientific discipline is 'pseudo scientific.' The Urissakzillian Philatelic

Agency, however informs me that microtopological photography

is in fact a generally approved branch of fairy research as promoted by

the University of Namsel. The sciences of the human world beyond

Eroynk are considered beneath the rational consideration of educated

Urissakzillians.

A MAP OF URISSAKZILLIA

Republika Urissakzillia

2011

by Eric Whollem

virtual stamp sheet

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

______________________________________

See more stamps from Urissakzillia on these posts:

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

BELOW ARE A FEW

POPULAR STAMP IMAGES FROM

URISSAKZILLIA

(copyright by the

artist)

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE

DAY OF THE BUTTERFLY

SYRINX

MUSE OF THE WILDS 

BELOW IS A

VIDEO

THAT FEATURES

SOME RECENT STAMP

ISSUES FROM

URISSAKZILLIA

ERIC WHOLLEM                                 

VOICES OF THE ANCESTORS: The Mysteries of Initiation/ Figurative Expressionism by Eric Whollem/ Mixed media painting/ CONTEMPORARY ART

VOICES OF THE ANCESTORS

1985

by Eric Whollem

mixed media on paper

20" x 15"

Collection of the artist

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

VOICES OF THE ANCESTORS

The Mysteries of Initiation

This painting delves into the human subconsiousness, to evoke the

mysteries of initiation. Among many mystery rites into warriorhood,

the initiate must enter into the realm of the ancestors. The ancestors

represent the sum of the collective knowledge of the race; but on a

more intimate level may represent the psychic history of a tribal group.

This is all parcel of shamanism, as has been practised for centuries in

many cultures and in many places.

For example, among the Concow Maidu Indians of Northern California,

initiation into warriorhood is made at special dreaming places, where

the initiate is expected to contact the ghosts of people who have lived

before. Usbuki is the dream power. It is represented by the great white

lizard. The dream of the ancestral voices is the gift of initiation.

THE VIDEO

BELOW EXPLORES SOME

OF THE SHAMANIC

BELIEFS OF THE

CONCOW MAIDU

                                    ERIC WHOLLEM

Among the ancient Greeks, inititation was symbolized in the ritual

sequestering of the initiate in a sacred sarcophagus. In these rites life

and death were merged into one.

Among the Phoenicians, the rites of Dagon, wherein the mystic initiate

was enclosed for three days in 'The Belly of the Whale,'  was the pattern

if initiatory practice. A chamber that was located in the abdomen of a great

statue of Dagon was reserved for the visions of the otherworld.

__________________________

See my blog posts on INITIATION:

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

Read more about SHAMANISM:

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

See what I have to say on MYTHOLOGY:

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

THE VIDEO BELOW

SHOWS MORE OF

MY FIGURATIVE

EXPRESSIONISM

  ERIC WHOLLEM                               

CONCOW MAIDU INDIAN CONCEPTS in the Art of Eric Whollem/ 'Kakinim' 1984/ Mixed media on paper/ FIGURATIVE PICTOGRAPHIC ABSTRACTION

KAKINIM

1984

by Eric Whollem

mixed media on paper

9" x 6"

Collection of the artist

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CONCOW MAIDU INDIAN CONCEPTS IN THE ART OF ERIC WHOLLEM

The term 'kakinim' means 'spirits' in the language of the Concow

Maidu Indians of Butte County, California. I have fancifully created

a number of pictographic images representing the spirit world. My

symbols are of my own creation, and are not related to any traditional

forms in Maidu art or culture.

The Maidu Indians are of different designations: those of Butte County

are Concow (which are subdivided into various cultural groups); those of

the High Sierra are Mountain Maidu; while those further south are Nisenan,

I lived at Black Earth Village for many years, known as the original site of

the Mooretown Rancheria.

Some of the representations, one might note, are gridlike forms,

suggesting basketry. Some might be seen as animals: perhaps dogs

or coyotes. Dogs, of course, represent the modern time frame, after

European immigrants came into contact with the People.

According to traditional belief trees, stones, as well as animals and

people have spirit forms. 'Kakini' is the singular form; while 'kakinim'

is the plural of the Maidu designation. There are legends of small beings

much like leprecauns from Irish lore among some Maidu storytellers.

In the Kuksu Dream Religion, the Saltu are the highest order of Kakinim.

Kakinimkodom, or Spirit Country, is the highest level of the Maidu

Otherworld, or Heavenworld, which is traditionally centered at Histayami

in Sutter County.

________________________

See my posts about the MAIDU INDIANS:

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

BELOW ARE SOME VIDEOS

THAT DEAL WITH THE

CONCOW MAIDU

AS ILLUSTRATED BY MY ART

CONCOW MAIDU INDIAN LORE               

CONCOW MAIDU RELIGION                 

CONCOW MAIDU CULTURE            

See my posts on KUKSU, the Maidu Dream Religion:

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

                 

THE ANATOMY OF SPIRITLAND/ A figurative abstraction by Eric Whollem/ Mixed Media Painting/ CONTEMPORARY PICTOGRAPHIC ABSTRACTION

THE ANATOMY OF SPIRITLAND

1986

by Eric Whollem

mixed media on paper

11" x 8.5"

Collection of the artist

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

CONTEMPORARY PICTOGRAPHIC ABSTRACTION

A fortuitous blend of expressionistic technique utilizing

universal pictographic elements here resulted in this image

entitled, 'The Anatomy of Spiritland.'

Much of my art over the years has been an exploration

of styles found in rock art and calligraphic art from cultures

across the world.

The video below displays a variety of images based on these

studies.

               CONTEMPORARY ART Eric Whollem

______________________________________

See a complete image gallery of my ABSTRACT PAINTINGS on this link:

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

View my posts about PICTOGRAPHIC ART:

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

*

FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTION/ 'The Pilot of Lemuria' by Eric Whollem/ An expressionistic pictographic abstraction

THE PILOT OF LEMURIA

1984

by Eric Whollem

mixed media on paper

Collection of the artist

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

_________________________

View my complete image gallery of ABSTRACT ART:

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

These posts deal with the topic of LEMURIA:

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

I HAVE CREATED A SERIES OF

FANTASY STAMPS FROM

LEMURIA

BELOW ARE A FEW

SAMPLE IMAGES

(Copyright by the

artist)

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE

MT. SHASTA

CASTLE CRAGS

MT. SHASTA FROM ABOVE LAKE OF THE HEART

See my posts of FIGURATIVE ABSTRACTIONS:

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

BELOW IS A VIDEO

OF MY

FIGURATIVE ART

ERIC WHOLLEM                             

BELOW IS A VIDEO

OF MY LEMURIAN

FAUX POSTAGE

STAMPS

ERIC WHOLLEM                                   

FIGURATIVE EXPRESSIONISM/ A mixed media abstraction by Eric Whollem/ 'The Mountains of Persia' 1985/ With a link to my complete abstract art image gallery on Picasa Web Albums

THE MOUNTAINS OF PERSIA

1985

by Eric Whollem

mixed media on paper

6" x 9"

Collection of the artist

COPYRIGHT BY THE ARTIST

THE COLORS IN PERSIAN MINIATURE LANDSCAPE PAINTINGS

This abstract painting is an interpretation of colors found

in old Persian miniatures, which are ususally highly

colored, with notable brilliant blues.

_________________________

See a complete image gallery of ABSTRACT PAINTINGS on my Picasa Web Albums:

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

THE VIDEO BELOW

SHOWS MORE OF MY

MIXED MEDIA PAINTINGS

ERIC WHOLLEM                               

FIGURATIVE EXPRESSIONISM/ 'BRIDGES' by Eric Whollem, 1984/ A contemporary pictographic abstraction

BRIDGES

1984

by Eric Whollem

mixed media on  paper

11" x 8.5"

Collection of the artist

COPYRIGHT BY  THE ARTIST

______________________________

See more FIGURATIVE EXPRESSIONISM:

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

THE SAMPLE IMAGES

BELOW

  SHOW SOME

OF MY APPROACHES TO

ABSTRACTION

(Copyright by the artist)

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE

BIRDS AT THE CRUX OF NIGHT

FIGURATIVE CONSTRUCTS

INTUITIVE BEINGS

THE VIDEO BELOW

IS  ONE OF MY UPLOADS FROM

ERIC WHOLLEM'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

ERIC WHOLLEM