Just moving paint about for no obvious purpose…
oil on board
8 1/2 by 11 inches
Author: babylonbaroque
I am a painter and printmaker working towards creating a body of work that reflects my own developing aesthetic.
New work ,first link.
The second link is an on-line portfolio.
Paradise Completed
When I last posted on this painting, link HERE I received many warm responses for which I am grateful. Last evening I finished the painting and I can now, at last look at it clearly.
Gnosis…and the Old Gods Were Pleased
2014
oil on canvas
48 by 24 inches
When I last posted my progress the painting was about 70 percent complete, I’ve since made a few changes.
Most of the changes have been made to the female character, who is not Eve ; she is in fact Zoe, daughter of Sophia, bearer of light and wisdom (Gnosis), as Adam lacked the spiritual spark (the source of information and inspiration for this painting was a BBC podcast In Our Time, the topic of discussion being the Gnostics , link HERE ).
I’m happy were her now, my inspiration was in many respects the Grey Eyed Athena and I captured what I wanted…pretty much.
Another, initial inspiration was the sculpture of “Eve in Temptation” by my favorite Giselbertus (1150); I strayed a bit but I know the spark.
My impetus to finish this painting was entry in a juried show at a local museum-an artist alliance exhibition. The following paintings have also been entered:
Resurrection of the Father
2013
oil on canvas
50 by 40 inches
Temptation of St.Anthony of the Desert
2013
oil on canvas
48 by 36 inches.
Wish me luck! I will post the results, good or bad news,
until that time,
be well, Lg
Mirth…or just keeping your head above water.
I submitted a few pieces to a juried exhibition devoted to work on paper, my Jumping Tlaloc from the last posting and this oil painting which I have titled Mirth.
Mirth…or just keeping your head above water
oil on cardboard;reclaimed frame with painted decoration
35 by 22 inches
2014
The theme of the exhibition ( I hate themes frankly) is Celebration. Although I have a lot to be happy about my work doesn’t always reflect that fact; it is often dark and moody, certainly bizarre at times. I scrambled to come up with something suitably celebratory. My Tlaloc I find amusing, he jumps to attention and makes me laugh-that seems a reason to celebrate.
But Mirth is more personal, in fact I dedicate it as a psychological portrait of my first partner Douglas who couldn’t keep his own head above water. I see Douglas in this clown’s eyes and I’m saddened.
As someone who has wrestled with depression and self-doubt my entire life, my attraction to Douglas and his dark ways makes a great deal of sense. But when Douglas finally succumbed by his own hand, I became more determined not to give in. As anyone who works through these issues knows,it is difficult. Douglas’s choice has a romantic appeal at times, but then its final. Really final.
There are days I am just stunned Douglas is no longer here, although the romantic love for one another faded, there are days I would love to share a passage from a book I might be reading or a particularly delightful treasure I find in the trash . One such treasure is the rickety frame “his” portrait is framed in. I was delighted to find it on the street soon after moving back to LA-I took it as a good sign. To further enhance its awful teal ridiculousness I painted a little smiling clown-demon.
Douglas would have loved it.
detail
My life now, even with dark days is amazing. David , my spouse (I cannot yet say husband-too much baggage I suppose) is incredible. We have our rows and differences, but his tender empathy and good cheer stuns the hell out of me consistently. So often I feel engulfed and he floats by graceful as a buoy and reminds me of another brighter perspective.
For that I celebrate.
Take care, be well,
Lg
Great Jumping Tlaloc
My friend and mentor, the very talented artist, Clive Hicks-Jenkins (link to his site) inspired me to work with maquettes some time ago. He thought that the flexible little paper mannequins would aid my compositions.
They have, but they have also become a joy unto themselves.
I make them because they bring me pleasure. I recently found myself inspired to craft an uber-maquette of the great rain god Tlaloc. I figured since he was such a flexible fellow he would make a fine mechanical doll, a Jumping Jack or if you want to be fancy, a pantin. My Nana would bring me German-made pantins as a boy; this mega Jumping Tlaloc brings me the same joy although he is considerably larger than my childhood playthings, he measures at 41″.
Tlaloc
acrylic on cardboard, brass fasteners, string
41 inches high
There is a certain degree of elaborate stringing to make the fellow “jump”, but once strung he is quite lively. Below you will find the great god in his relaxed state.
As I experiment with depictions of the rain god, I have been dressing him in a fearsome mask. But under this fearsome exterior one finds a gentle god. Seems reasonable given he brings forth rain and life. I was inspired by this colonial image of Tlaloc.
And his mask is based upon traditional depictions typically found on vessels.
I need to paint the brads still and make a few adjustments with paint and string, but he so delighted me, I was eager to post the fellow.
After I figured out the logistics of pantin-making I stumbled upon this handy-dandy template. Pretty much the same as my own but thought I would share I ( I do not know the pattern’s maker, please let me know if you do).
Well until next time, take care,
Lg
Time and Gratitude
As the year comes to a close I have been fretting about Time; the familiar angst of many, of not having enough and of too much that has slipped through my fingers. My own face has betrayed this passage of time and although I am mortified by my own vanity I find the evidence of my mortality excruciating . I chuckled at myself while at the gym this morning, these pretty rosy-faced boys milling about and I gaze at the endless mirrors at my own visage-I have in attempt to distract from the effects of gravity , half heartedly started growing a beard, sadly I do not look ruggedly handsome but more like a destitute reprobate.
Vanity, there is a reason it is one of the Seven Deadlies.
I can chuckle at myself so that is a good sign, particularly as I had the thoroughly un-original epiphany that the only effective solution to aging is Death-I’ll pass for now.
Death and the Maiden
oil on canvas
2011
This silly fretting about time is absurd particularly given how many loved ones I have known, including my first partner Douglas, that have died far, far too young. It seems trite ( and frankly untrue) to say I appreciate the wrinkles of Time but I will give gratitude a shot this year.
Wish me luck and wishing all a rich and fulfilling 2014.
With gratitude and sincerityLg
Sometimes you just want to draw…prepping for 2014
I have for the last several months been ruminating upon a large canvas to tackle. I want a big scene, along the lines of my beloved Pousssin, but as usual tackling a Meso/metaphysical theme. Old gods, Gnosis, toppled usurping false gods all play a part in this newly conceived project. After notebooks of doodled ideas , oil sketches,elevated renderings and readings, I have begun fleshing out details.
A familiar cast of characters, including from right a little Teotihuacan fellow, Tlaloc with lightening/storm cloud staff, Quetzalcoatl descending from above, She of the Serpent Skirt,Coatlicue, and the great and mighty war god Huitzilopochtli clutching his mother’s serpentine skirt.
A bit of the process for tackling a large (or small) project.
Spontaneous sketching, confirming ideas.
More sketches, some in color,
Elevation renderings to help determine composition,
and now, working out details, what stays , what goes, more color compositional sketches…I’m daunted already.Looking forward to seeing how it professes, wish me luck.
Take care, Lg
Feliz Navidad
As the year winds down I am trying to complete a few last paintings.
This painting The Virgin Birth of Huitzilopochtli I finished last evening. A few little tweaks here and there, but it is complete…for now. This has been an aesthetic experiment and it has been a difficult birth (cheap pun, forgive me).
After departing Tenochtitlan I have been inspired by the geometric forms of Aztec visual expression. How in spite of their often fearsome appearance,I sense the humanity, the complexities of this culture. Even this narrative, the virgin birth of their most revered god, the fire/war god Huitzilopochtli (Tlaloc, the rain god a close second), which has obvious similarities to the Christian salvation narrative is imbued with both violence and tenderness.
The great goddess Coatlicue , She of the Skirt of Serpents, is miraculously with child, this new violent god who will bring the people wealth through tribute . His siblings the moon goddess Coyolxauhqui and her fellow siblings the Centzonhuitznahuah are full of rage at the dishonor such a claim makes. A virgin birth, through a stray feather is as absurd as a teenage Hebrew girl chatting it up with the Angel of Yahwah. They set upon their wayward mother ready to tear her to pieces; miraculously Huitzilopochtli is born fully armed and prepared to smite the usurpers. The famous (and spectacular) Coatlicue Stone a striking indigenous illustration of the carnage.
The following is my own interpretation , imbuing the narrative with traditional nativity tenderness, let the blood-letting hold for the moment.
The Virgin Birth of Huitzilopochtli
2013
oil on canvas
24 by 36 inches
I have placed the lunar goddess Coyolxauhqui in the upper right corner, her siblings the vengeful Centzonhuitznahuah sitting in judgement on the left; as a hint of hope the Plumed Serpent Quetzalcoatl splashes about awaiting his own return. For perspective , I have enclosed some traditional examples of this great pantheon:
Coatlicue-National Museum of Anthropology
Coyolxuahqui-Templo Major
Huitzilopochtli-not sure of source other than wikipedia.
I have more work ahead , but I was eager to finish this painting before my own celebration of that OTHER virgin birth.
Viva la Virgens!
Take care, Lg
Honoring the Virgens
As the feast day of the Virgen de Guadalupe dwindles to a close I have been busy working on a relief print of the OTHER virgin birth, that of Coatlicue bringing forth the fearsome fire god Huitzilopochtli.
Sanctified Huitzilopochtli
Artist’s proof, relief print on paper
This is just an artists proof, it will be part of my series of “Bodega Baroque” votive candles dedicated to the Old Gods.
What I love about living in this region, where devotion to the Virgen is so widespread, is this sense of WHICH Virgen are we speaking of on this feast day?
The kindly brown skinned girl we all love, or the ancient madonnas of Mesoamerica?
Many scholars believe ( as do I) that the dark Roman Catholic Madonna is in fact an ancient, browner goddess.The goddess Tonantzin, “Our Mother”, being a reasonable predecessor ; this link provides some interesting and concise opinions.
Tonantzin-Our Mother (image sourced from link above ).
I’m enchanted most particularly with She of the Skirts of Serpents, mother of us all, but most particularly of the brutal and demanding Aztec fire god Huitzilopochtli. She was about to be torn to shreds by her wrathful children, indignant by her so-called “immaculate conception”; but in a grand bit of theater, Huitzilopochtli swoops in fully armed and annihilates his siblings. A far cry from a sweet nativity setting, but what an engaging narrative.
Coatlicue, from our recent trip to the Museum of Anthropology.
I’ve been working on three paintings, one of which is this virgin birth, almost finished, here is an early peek.
As this is the season of Virgin Births, I have been working on holiday cards. Sadly without a proper press, relying upon the old wooden spoon, suffice to say my right side is aching. Thus far 25 on this “Chinois” paper, still counting.
Well I must get back to work,
until next time take care,
Lg
Tzimmes and the Maize God
Chanukah begins this evening and tomorrow is Thanksgiving .
As I prepare for tomorrow’s feast, our first “official” dinner party since moving back to LA I am feeling particularly grateful for the diverse influences that have shaped the person I am today. My first partner Douglas and his lovely family were German Jews, from them I was exposed to the joys of Jewish culture , including Chanukah. Tzimmes ( a tasty treat loosely translated from the Yiddish as a “big mess/deal/fuss”of stewed sweet potatoes, carrots and prunes) was always on the Chanukah table this time of year and my own pot of this aromatic stew bubbles away.
I am also in the thick of preparing the centerpiece. Given that it is Thanksgiving , I am honoring our indigenous ancestors with prayer candles to the Maize God, Hun Hunuhpu. Thus far 10, and counting…
Without my relatively recent exposure to this rich culture through a marvelous professor ( who I now consider a friend), my infatuation with all things Meso may never have been. For that I am also grateful.
Like little soldiers, my Maize God prayer candles stand at attention waiting for their place on tomorrow’s banquet table. St Stephen, first Christian martyr leads the troops.
The diablo vase was from a ceramic class I had taken a few semester’s back. I may very well be the WORST ceramicist ever, but surprise, surprise, I like decorating vessels. This, I decorated post firing with oil colors, won’t last forever, but at least until I croak!
I’m thinking of marketing these candles, not just Maize God but a variety of Meso deities , plus other saints, Christian and otherwise, sacred and secular. What seems a fair price? Not looking for extravagant profit but a reasonable price-thus far the candles themselves are a little under two bucks. Feedback very welcome.
Well happy Chanukah, happy Thanksgiving,
be well, be safe,
until next time,
Lg
Progress in Paradise
It has been awhile since I have posted progress on my painting And the Old Gods Were Pleased. Frankly it is difficult for me to expose a painting that is less then complete. But in the spirit of loosening my chains of restraint, here goes:
Detail And the Old Gods Were Pleased
(essentially just the naughty bits)
And in the beginning, there was Sepia:
So I’m coming along.
I have two other paintings, about the same size that I am working on simultaneously . They are definitely experimental for me and I haven’t worked the nerve to show them yet.
I’m not at all sure if they are any good or just loopy.
Will have to wait and see I suppose.
Pardon the terrible glare, it is 7 pm here, sun long set and my studio lighting is quite harsh. I need to work on that but I really haven’t a clue as to what is best.
Suggestions for lighting welcome.
Well I must walk the monsters, they have been patient for much of the day; it is a lovely drizzly evening here, quite the treat in LA.
Be well,
Lg
