SPALENKA EYE

 I am honored to be working with Mei Jin Lu, a master of Feng Shui and the I Ching. We are creating an I Ching Oracle deck together. The art above is a little peek at what is to come. Stay tuned.

The White Deer symbol is associated with myths and lore from around the world. In 2023, I created a  White Deer artwork inspired by these stories, which is an important piece in my ongoing Goddess cyanotype series. 

As I contemplated this cultural phenomenon more deeply, a poem rose up within me, reflecting upon life's transitions, especially from childhood to adult. This piece of poetry inspired more artwork and a graphic novel concept was born. There is a classical flavor to the rhyming words with a hint of children's book prose.

I feel the timeless theme represented in White Deer's symbolic Rite of Passage is a timely fit with the world of popular art culture.  I intend to have the project finished by the end of 2025, along with a musical composition to accompany a multi-media event. Stay tuned.

Here is an excerpt from the poem, with a sketched panel from the graphic novel above.

White Deer by Greg Spalenka

In the depths of nature's core
A truth awaits, forevermore
That life's enchantment never ends
I evolve, transform, transcend

Innocence is a mystic trance
A childhood's eternal dance
Where laughter echoes, free and bright
Hearts whispering with delight

Forever young, in morning's light
Waxing old at twilight
Growing up is a heavy weight
Burdened with weary fate

Childhood Dream

I awoke, but my eyes were sleeping
Lucid, yet still was dreaming,
There was a pond, an ancient mirror
A girl, then a ghost white deer

Startled by this vision,
An omen's premonition
A message for me foretold
Be ready, be strong, be bold

This rite of passage – girl to crone
Ancient wisdom, we learned to own
This looming fate was much to near
I do not want to face this fear

The sun, reborn in its glory
Renewed its symphonic story
My dream vanished like morning dew
Radiance lit a youthful view

Fauna played, birds alighted
World’s of dark and light collided
While mushrooms rose in sodden nooks
My berries grew by babbling brooks

Innocence is a mystic trance
In light of day, where shadows dance
The gifts of nature can be found
In verdant woods of fabled ground

A little video I made from a recent trip to Chaco Canyon, New Mexico with Earth Walks and the ancient wisdom from Bea Duran of Tesuque Pueblo. The massive buildings (now ruins) of these ancestral indigenous peoples of this area still testify to their amazing organizational and engineering abilities. From 850 to 1250 CE, Chaco canyon was the NYC of the southwest, with tribes making pilgrimages from across the continent and South America for a myriad of celebrations.

The strata and petroglyphs in the cliffs are remarkable.

In 1989 I was asked by Silas Rhodes, president of the School of Visual Arts in New York City where I lived at the time to create a piece of art for their subway series of posters that lined the NYC transit stations. I was honored to be a part of this tradition that had been around for decades and had enjoyed seeing many of them while riding the subway. 

Dee Ito (Marshall Arisman's wife) conjured up the copy for the poster I was to illustrate… "Even a great idea is just an idea until you make it real."

During that time in the 80’s the subway system was not in the best shape, it was depressing and the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) was attempting to clean it up. So I thought I would put an angel in the subway to uplift the environment in a small way. The image I produced shows an angel in a small jail like room, painting a landscape with paint from her wings that are painting palettes.

The posters (hand silk screened in Paris!) looked great in the subway, but within a week or two I was noticing they were disappearing from the walls. No one at SVA knew why this was happening and so I contacted the MTA directly and asked why they were being taken down.

They said to me, “We are sorry Mr. Spalenka, but people are stealing your posters!”

I loved being a part of that SVA history!

SVA is presenting “Underground Images: A History,” a new exhibition showcasing the full collection of the College’s Subway Posters, which have covered the walls of NYC subway stations for almost 75 years. This is the first time the entire collection of more than 200 posters will be shown to the public.

In addition to the posters, this rich time-capsule tribute to SVA's history will include multimedia installations, progress sketches and paintings and a recreated NYC subway platform. Presented by SVA Galleries in partnership with the SVA Archives, “Underground Images: A History” will be on view through Saturday, October 14, 2023, at the SVA Chelsea Gallery, 601 W 26th St., 15th floor, New York City.

Birth of Venus conjures up aromas of verdant flowers on a sandy beach with a whisper of sea air. This art was created as a compliment to the Page 47 botanical fragrance produced by Illuminated Perfume and also a nod to Sandro Botticelli, Italian painter of the Early Renaissance.

Venus was said to be ‘born of the sea spray’, representing love, beauty, freshness, spring and femininity. Delicate jasmine flowers dropped from her hands herald her arrival along the seascape, imbuing the salt air with their beautiful scent– a blossom that is prevalent in the perfume.

The seashell behind her and various shells on the seashore symbolize fertility, and the subconscious.

The Page 47 scent with its citrus rind unfurling into a rich, nectarous jasmine bouquet laced with underpinnings of champa, driftwood and golden amber, reminded me of 1800's Parisian posters, hence the hint of Art Nouveau in the diaphanous dress.

This signed limited edition (10), 18"x24" digital print with a white border is made with archival inks on museum quality acid free paper. 

Recently at Sweetwater Harvest Kitchen I conjured up a culinary performance art piece with some very talented people. We celebrated the Divine Nature Oracle Deck while exploring facets of our senses, including that of intuition. Joining me were Roxana Villa, Christine Remy, Starbird Inès, Lester Fu, along with Soma Franks who opened her awesome restaurant to this event. Below was the menu-

We received glowing reviews from the guests; "Loved it"... "More than Generous"... " A Delight!" Ritual of the Senses was a first step into creating experiences that compliment my art and personal vision while collaborating with other talented souls. The goal is to produce more theatrical pieces that accompany a gallery opening or similar. 

It appears I am always biting off more than I can chew... but as I mentioned in my art presentation my mantra is... Am I more than I am? and of course... Onward and Upward!

Special thank you to Kim Aronson who shot the video footage on his iPhone.

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.