As 2014 comes to an end and we welcome 2015, it is always good to look back at our own challenges, lessons and
accomplishments for the year as well as look forward to what lies ahead with
optimism and a mind full of creative possibilities. For me, this year
represented change in many fronts. My wife and I moved from Savannah, Georgia
to Houston, Texas so this has been the opening of a new exciting chapter in our lives.
In my new studio I was able to complete the paintings that eventually went to
La Luz de Jesus gallery in Los Angeles.. After having my first solo show
in California I find new exciting horizons to explore and the
prospects for the future look bright. Now that I'm about to become 40 I can
feel the Uranus opposite Uranus energy in my natal chart slowly shedding its
light onto my present creative spirit.
Alchemista Rex. 2014. Oil and metal leaf on triptych panel 23 x 24 inches
Many of the
greatest artists throughout history, from Michelangelo to Pollock have
encountered their own creative breakthroughs around this age. In archetypal
astrology this is known as the Uranus opposite Uranus effect. Others call it
the mid-life crisis. It denotes the position of the planet Uranus in one's
birth chart at the time it is exactly opposite to where it was at the time
one was born, this is from the age of 38 to 42. The planet Uranus is the planet of
revolution, technology, originality, inventiveness, creativity, the Promethean calling, radical new
ideas, the power of the youth, breaking away from traditions and old rigid authority. This is the energy
that moves artists to create their best masterpieces, scientists to discover new
theories and revolutions and reforms that change whole countries. This kind of energy
is also often compared to that of thunder as it is so sudden,
unpredictable and it can either kill or start a fire. But it's also the liberating epiphany that enlightens and inspires the mind and soul of anyone who creates.
Detail of Surviving Doomsday. 2013. Oil and metal leaf on triptych panel 36 x 35 inches
At the present on a
global scale we are going through a Pluto square Uranus transit. Pluto being
the planet associated with the masses, terrorism, unseen forces, the wild, magical and occult aspects of nature. It is sex, death, regeneration and the possibility of alchemical transformation in all things. It's a dark, intense energy lying underground
and within the darker side of humanity and also with money, greed and
corporations. So it is not surprising at all to see how the world events have
unfolded in the past years. As we can see the notable increase of mass
protests, police abuse, acts of global terrorism, historic changes in global policies and planetary changes at
an environmental scale, the Plutonic and Uranian energies start to show their
colors now not only through the news but in our own lives and in the art and media
we feel attracted to.
Detail of Mare Magnum. 2014. Oil and gold leaf on triptych panel 48 x 30 inches
Of course as with any other planetary
transit, it is cyclic and it will pass. This specific transit is expected
to fade out by 2020 but felt at its peak in the coming years 2015 and 2016. As
an artist I have studied archetypal astrology and see how these planetary transits have affected my
work. This knowledge has made me more consciously aware of the hidden energies
that have influenced me as an artist not only in the past year but for my whole life. This is not to be taken as a Sunday newspaper horoscope reading.
It is much more complex, deeper and meaningful on both a personal level as well as on a
global scale.
Spraying Global Occupation. 2011. Oil and metal leaf on triptych panel 25 x 18 inches
As I look back 7 years ago when I developed my master thesis
Iconsumer at the Savannah College of Art and Design, I can appreciate the
growth I've had ever since. With what started as a series of paintings
linking Spanish Colonial art and Catholic Iconography in retablo paintings with Consumerism, Pop culture
and our present cultural neo-colonialism, in time it became more complex as
I studied and added other subjects to the pictorial
discourse. From ancient mythology to modern archetypal astrology and
from the Tarot to the study of archetypes, the work I have produced in the past
years has been evolving with every reading, every experience and
every self discovery I make.
Detail of The Gathering. 2014. Oil on canvas 60 x 36 inches
At the present I've been studying Latin, the
ancient language of the Roman Empire and the Catholic Church. My journals
are filled with notes from history, mythology, politics and religion to my
own dreams and life experiences. I guess the work of an artist is to
deal with all this information, put it together and try to make sense
of it all while creating something "new and beautiful when creating a work of art. I shall
delve deeper into many of these topics and share my insights with the
world not only through my art but in future blog posts such as this one.
As the Uranian energy as well as the Plutonic continue to exert their
influence in our lives and become more and more palpable in the world around us, it becomes
important to recognize and channel these cosmic patterns and invisible archetypal
energies that actively influence our art, culture and society. In the meantime, Happy New Year to everyone and may 2015 shine the best of blessings into your lives.
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