SPALENKA EYE

The Divine Nature Oracle Deck inspires the curiosity in everyone... including Luna, who is the animal companion to Starbird (who shot this video). The card that Luna picks is perfect.

"They say an elephant never forgets, and now is the time to emulate her powerful spirit. She knows who she is and carries the wisdom of the ancestors in her veins and the song of the earth in her mighty step. Her grace and power remind us we need only honor our own nature and embrace its natural shape in order to embody remembrance.

Allow yourself to take up all the space you need to express your particular genius. Allow yourself to love who and what you love, unabashedly. Make no apologies for what feels most natural and alive to you. Now is the time to remember who you were before the world told you who you should be."

–Angie Sullins

White Deer 41”x42”

Cyanotype emulsion on chromogenic print. Limited Edition.

Showing at Wolf Gallery - Located at Music Hill Ranch 16219 Navajo Trail Austin, TX 78738

Within the great story of reality, we enter into the canopied forest of our life, then emerge into the sunlight of our transformation.

The white deer holds a place in the traditions of many cultures. Native Americans believed the female white deer represented benevolence, kindness, creativity, spirituality, renewal, connectedness. A white stag symbolized longevity, virility, abundance and endurance. Symbolically, antlers represent sun rays of the great spirit.

The Celts considered white stags to be messengers from the “other world” and their appearance was said to herald profound change in the lives of those who encountered them. White deer are also a symbol of higher knowledge and to remind us of our spirituality.

Combining masculine and feminine principles, Deer with Stag, God with Goddess, creates a synergy of alchemical forces. Personal transformation is the goal.

My experiments with cyanotypes and early historical photographic processes reflect a type of alchemy in the elements of earth, fire, water and air. The symbolic elements of EARTH are found in the film, paper, and emulsion, FIRE is the sun’s rays exposing and transforming the chemicals into light and shadow, WATER develops and transfigures the image, AIR finishes the process of manifestation. This technique includes painting with the emulsion, destroying and rebuilding the image and repeating the process. Each piece is an evolution. Resurrecting concepts of Spirit and Alchemy in this manner, allows me to reflect upon aspects of my own personal evolution.

Working on a new cyanotype piece for a show at the Wolf Gallery in Austin Texas. Here we see the interior life of the cyanotype negative... its potential to create magic with the cyanotype alchemy- earth, water, air, fire.

Making these short little videos is a fun way to explore the creative process.

 The cyanotype experiments continue...  

I am still exploring the alchemical mastery inherent in this historical photographic process. Seen here are the prints taken out of the water they were developing in. We can see the transitions from negative to positive image.

I consider these sketches while working out the dynamics of the process. Ultimately these will be larger pieces closer to 42"x42"

 Dreams of Alchemy, (sketch) is an image in progress. I can see anomalies in the developing process. There is a serendipitous quality to the cyanotype method... hence it is very difficult to create a series where every piece looks exactly the same. Learning to surrender to the unique properties that this technique offers is a spiritual practice.

I created and edited the background visuals and simple animations for Danaë Vlasse's Mythologies concert which was held at the University of AL in Huntsville. 

Ming of Void Visuals in Germany helped with fractal imagery and motion graphics expert Chris Friend in Los Angeles was incredible with some animations. I was able in less than two weeks to whip up a video presentation for the entire show. I still do not know how I did it. Here are a few excerpts.

Sopranos: Sangeeta Kaur & Hila Plitmann

Tenor: Camron Gray

Piano (Principal): Robert Thies

Piano: Melody Ng

Violin: Joshua Burel

Cello: Paul Vest

Lyra & Percussion: Danaë Vlasse

Charcoal drawing of Death from Sandman in The Art of Greg Spalenka book. This video showcases my process of sketching out the figure then adding clothes and other items to enhance the story. Music by Montana Jose.

 Did you know that Tarot and Oracle deck YouTube reviews are a thing?

 Most of the reviewers did not know who I was, whereas others like Raecine Ardis of Fire, Grace and Beauty had some framed prints of my art.

The final version of the Divine Nature Oracle Limited Edition Altar set.

Thank you to everyone who supported it.

Thank you also to Angi Sullins for her insightful prose and US Games for helping produce a beautiful Oracle deck, Rachel Watkins for the elegant plate and bowl ceramics, Matt Campos for the beautiful mala beads, Roxana of Illuminated Perfume for the hand made incense, Mother Nature for the exquisite rose quartz, and the Bees for the pure wax tea lites.

I just received a new box of the Art of Greg Spalenka - Visions From the Mind's Eye books from London! Nine years after it has been printed, it is still a thrill to open a package of these.

The video is a recent drawing I placed in one of them. If you have not seen the book it represents 30 years of my art career and the printing is absolutely gorgeous... literally glows on the pages. It took a year working with my good friend and graphic designer, Jeff Burne to review all the work and design the book. In my opinion, it is one of the most impressive projects Jeff has produced in his career.

I am grateful that a decade ago, Titan Books embraced me to be included in their amazing collection of artists. 

COLLECT

I am part of a group show in Austin, Texas at Music Hill Ranch, opening Friday, Feb. 24 with a new experimental body of work. This is the first of many explorations on themes of the Goddess and historical photographic processes.

R-Evolution The Triumph of Alchemy & the Sovereign Goddess

6'x3' Triptych of cyanotypes on paper.

10,000 years ago was the golden age of the Great Goddess. Women were venerated as creators of life. During this time, communication, art, beauty, tolerance, balance, peace, creativity, prevailed with a caring respect for nature. Conflict was minimal and war almost non-existent. The shift to patriarchal rule upset the balance between men and women, initiating the decline of basic human values. Gods rose above the Goddess, hiding her in shadow.

Alchemy is an ancient mysterious doctrine. Transformation is the goal of all alchemical exploration, but the "Great Work” of creating a Philosopher's Stone was the prize. The perfection of this essence was termed “the absolute.” Turning lead into gold was considered real and symbolic. However, enlightenment was most desired. It was perceived and realized as the Beauty of all Beauty, Love of all Love, and the High most High. True alchemy was misunderstood and so during the fourteenth century this science fell into grave disrepute, and many good practitioners suffered prison and death.

The Great Goddess and the Great Work as forces of nature and spirit live on, revealed in the power of personal transformation. As I learned more about these sacred concepts, I envisioned the Goddess of Sovereignty returning to the consciousness of the world… reviving the Divine Feminine and the Anima Mundi – the World’s Soul. To embolden the R-Evolution of Humanity.

My experiments with cyanotypes and early historical photography processes reflect a type of alchemy in the elements of earth, fire, water and air. The symbolic elements of EARTH are found in the film, paper, and emulsion, FIRE is the sun’s rays exposing and transforming the chemicals into light and shadow, WATER develops and transfigures the image, AIR finishes the process of manifestation. This technique includes painting with the emulsion, destroying and rebuilding the image and repeating the process. Each piece is an evolution. Resurrecting concepts of the Goddess and Alchemy in this manner, allows me to reflect upon aspects of my own personal evolution within the realms of nature and spirit.

This event is a ticketed event with exotic food, bar, live music!