Virgin Land: Myths & Narratives is an exploration of the mythological canon of the American West. The title reflects a mindset that helped fuel westward expansion, an image that depicted a vast territory teeming with unclaimed resources ripe for the taking — a veritable Eden-like wilderness ready to be conquered and brought to heel. It was the land itself that… Read more →
The eye, the organ by which the world is seen, has long held an elevated place in collective mythology. Recall the eye of Horus, commonly represented with a spiraling line below it like that of a hawk, who soars above all and sees all. In some spiritual traditions such as Hinduism, the eye (known also as the third-eye) represents the… Read more →
‘Astral Crown’ was the result of my hearing the American Indian story of Sky Elk, an elk who found respite from relentless pursuit by jumping into the heavens. The final painting is a commentary on mythology and an inquiry into modern perception on nature, tradition, and the sancrosanct, all of which are under intense pressure from our technological society and… Read more →
While discussing the power of storytelling and the tradition of rites of initiation with Joseph Campbell, Bill Moyer, in ‘The Power of Myth’, asks whether movies today have replaced the ancient rituals wherein the young are given instruction in the mythology of the tribe. Campbell agrees, but offers the following reflection. “That might be our counterpart to mythological re-enactments –… Read more →