Category Archives: ancient sites in Europe

The Circle – Symbol of Wholeness

20 Wednesday Jun 2018

Posted by in ancient sites in Europe, ancient symbols, archetypal symbols, Uncategorized

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Glen Rogers, ‘Ancient Circle’, 12″ x 9″, Monotype Print w xerox transfer, 

Looking up at the sky, one can see two great circles, the sun and the moon. Here I find inspiration to create art using the most universal of shapes. The Circle is an archetypal symbol of wholeness and unity. Its roundness implies the feminine as the straight line does the masculine. This geometric shape, formed by a curving, never-ending line, creates a closed space which speaks of protection and inclusiveness.  It is the simplest form, yet the strongest because it has no corners, no weak points.  Circles pull me towards them with their promise of protection, like the warm embrace of a mother.

In the studio I am open to an intuitive approach to creating art – going with the flow and being open to the possibilities. Often, a circle appears as I apply the ink to a plate and begin a new monotype print. Inspired by the circles of old, I use them as a point of departure to weave my own tale. (Here I’ve used a xerox transfer process to integrate the old stone circles from El Mesquita, in Cordoba, Spain).

Black Elk, an Oglala Sioux Holy Man, said it best:

“You have noticed that everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the Power of the World always works in circles, and everything tries to be round… The sky is round, and I have heard that the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind, in its greatest power, whirls. Birds make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours…Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves.”

 

Architectural Details from Spain Inspire My Newest Paintings

08 Tuesday May 2018

Posted by in ancient sites in Europe, archetypal symbols, Glen Rogers, painting, Uncategorized

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On my travels, I am always keeping an eye out for symbols – archetypal symbols inspired by nature and integrated into ancient sites and architectural details.  I zero in on stone carvings found at Neolithic sites of Europe or at the Pyramidal sites such as Uxmal or Monte Alban in Mexico. Working with these universal symbols like the circle and the seed inspires my art and provides me with a spiritual and artistic anchor.

In general, visiting churches in Europe or Mexico is not my ‘thing’.  I prefer the ancient sites.  Ofcourse there are exceptions, I visited the Familia Sagrada in Barcelona and El Mesquita – a combination Mosque/Cathedral in Cordoba, Spain.  I was drawn to the architectural details carved into stone.  I photographed them and brought them back to the studio to use as inspiration for my artwork.

This detail from the facade of the Seville Cathedral, inspired a new painting. I appropriated the basic form and added my own style. Emphasizing the seed, the flower, the roots – all speak of renewal and regeneration – new life. Below is ‘Primavera’, 40″ x 34″, Oil on Canvas.

Seville Cathedral, Spain
Primevera , Oil on Canvas, 40″ x 34″

Below is an sculptural detail on display inside El Mesquita, in Cordoba, Spain. The resulting painting is “Lunar Phases”, Oil on Canvas, 40″ x 34″. As you can see, I use the photograph as a point of departure – then let the creative juices flow.

Sculptural detail inside El Mesquita, Cordob
Lunar Phases, 40″ x 34″, Oil on Canvas

By focusing on these simple forms, my goal is to transcend the ordinary and to evoke a mystical connection to something greater than myself, beyond my everyday reality.

The Language of the Goddess

27 Friday Nov 2015

Posted by in ancient sites in Europe, Art, sacred sites

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In the early 90’s, Marija Gimbutas’ book, The Language of the Goddess, (Harper & Row, San Francisco, 1989) had a huge impact on my work. In this book, Gimbutas, a revisionist anthropologist, provided a fresh look at the Neolithic Goddess Culture, cataloguing the artifacts and symbols found on cave walls, rocks, sculpture and pottery from Old Europe. These matrilineal societies, peaceful and agrarian, existed long before our current patriarchal system. (The Chalice & The Blade, Riane Eisler)

At the time I discovered Gimbutas’ book, my artwork focused on the female figure in a feminist vein.  But while an artist in residence at KALA Institute, I began creating large-scale monotype prints that reflected many of the symbols I’d found in her book. The spiral, the pubic triangle, the chevron and concentric circles began appearing in these 42” x 55” monotypes. It was at that point, my art shifted direction to focus on archetypal symbols with a decidedly feminine nature, inspired by the ancient goddess cultures around the world. My work today still carries the influence from this pivotal point in my career.  Here are some of these early prints, some of which are still available. Contact me if you are interested is seeing more.

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Vortex

Power of Three Comb_monotype_55 x 42

The Power of Three – Comb

Chevron_monotype_55.5 x 42

Chevron

Circular Passage_monotype_54.5 x 42

Circular Passage

Grotta de Poesia, Puglia, Inspires the Artist

13 Friday Nov 2015

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I was told that “once upon a time”, a sibyl, a divine prophetess, offered up her predictions in this grotto on the Adriatic Coast of Italy near Lecce.  Our most gracious host, Monica, drove us there one afternoon.  There were two grottos – one where people were swimming and enjoying the day (I was sorry I hadn’t brought my swim suit – the water was so gorgeous), the other was fenced off and foreboding – but that was the one that held the mystery. Ignoring the ‘no entry’ signs, we squeezed through the fence and started down the scaffolding. My companions chose to stay at the first level, but I descended further into the grotto to get a sense of the space and to listen for the whispers of the ancients.

We happened upon an exhibition of artifacts from the Grotto at a nearby castle  that enlightened us about the usage, the rituals, and the time frame.  Grotta de Poesia was in use during the Final Bronze Age – middle 4th to 2nd century B.C.  The name, poesia, comes from an ancient Greek word meaning ‘source of fresh water’. But it sounds like poem, doesn’t it? – I like the double meaning. The caves follow a circular pattern deep underground. Some of the items found were vessels, small abstract figures, and a bronze double ax (associated with the goddess according to Marija Gimbutas.) There were numerous votive inscriptions and symbols on the cave walls as well.

A couple of weeks later, working at Scuola Int’l de Grafica in Venice as an artist in residence, I re-visited the images of the Grotta de Poesia. The shimmering water, the range of blues, spoke to me. I did a series of 14″ x 11″ monotype prints (one of a kind images) trying to capture the movement and intensity that I felt there. I discovered a rich cobalt blue that I had never used before and love the result.

Walking in the Footsteps of the Ancestors – Caves in South of France

03 Friday Jul 2015

Posted by in ancient sites in Europe, Caves in South of France

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‘Notes from Font de Gaume’, Monotype Prints by Glen Rogers, 7″ x 5″, 1995

Like so many, I was entranced by the cave drawings from Lascaux, France – exquisite renderings that seem to come alive on the walls of this ancient cave dating back tens of thousands of years. The pigments – red, sienna, ochre, black and white – made from fresh earth, were still vivid and alive, and the exaggerated graphic quality and simplicity of line rivaled the drawing skills of any modern-day master.

Although Lascaux was no longer open to the public, I knew that artists were sometimes given permission to enter and I requested such. When I received no answer, I began researching the Valley of the Caves in the Dordogne region of France. Rather than visit the replica of Lascaux, I wanted to feel the magic of place and actually walk in the footsteps of our ancient ancestors.

So instead, I visited Font-de-Gaume, a small cave outside the town of Les Eyzies. We followed the guide through this dark winding cavern as he used his flashlight to illuminate the drawings.

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‘Lascaux VI’, Monotype Print by Glen Rogers, 7″ x 5″, 1995

Caves were held sacred by the tribes and were used by shamans on their visionary journeys, as places of magic and ritual deep within the womb of Mother Earth.  I was thrilled to see, first-hand, the images of the sacred feminine, vulva shapes in the form of simple triangles, or more organic renditions scratched into the walls. Caves are symbols of birth and death, the passages between worlds. Walking this space was a deeply moving experience that I cherish to this day.

Since it was impossible to get photographs of the cave imagery, I carried these images in my memory. Back in the studio, I created a series of small 5″ x 6″ monoprints with textural lines scratched into the copper plate.  These intimate works, created with colors of the earth, seemed to hold secrets from an ancient time and evoked the magic I’d felt in the caves. This was years ago – 1995 – one of the first pilgrimages I took with the intention of visiting ancient goddess sites. This experience and these prints still hold meaning for me today.

Inspiration of the Artist: Energy Vortices and Spirals at Newgrange, Ireland

10 Wednesday Jun 2015

Posted by in ancient sites in Europe, archetypal symbols, European Neolithic Art, Ireland, monotype, Newgrange, painting, prehistoric mounds, sacred sites, sculpture, spirals

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Entrance Stone, Newgrange

 Before I visited Newgrange in Ireland, the spiral had already become a mainstay of my visual and artistic vocabulary.  But seeing this symbol of renewal and regeneration inscribed into the stones by the hands of the ancients gave me a greater sense of connection with those who had come before me. The huge horizontal entrance stone covered with intertwining spirals is regarded as one of the finest achievements of European Neolithic art.  Some believe the spirals represent energy vortices within the mound. Awe-inspiring and sublime, these simple swirling lines have made their way into my art again and again – from paintings, prints, drawings and sculpture. 


Newgrange, is a prehistoric circular mound, built by a people in touch with the movement of the heavens. The inner chamber is naturally illuminated each dawn on the Winter Solstice. Newgrange was built more than 5,000 years ago – before the Great Pyramid of Giza and Stonehenge – and is part of a complex of mounds in the Boyne River Valley.
From my book, Art and Sacred Sites: Connecting with Spirit of Place: 
I was thrilled to enter the sacred passageway. It was dark, with a low ceiling, and I walked steadily and mindfully towards the small central chamber. There on a pedestal was a large granite vessel, no doubt used for ritual. Some believe that passage mounds such as Newgrange were built to mimic the birth chamber, as sacred space for giving life. It was an incredible feeling to be in this ancient place where, no doubt, extraordinary events had occurred. For me, it was a moment of profound serenity and connection.
 Artwork by the author:
Phoenix, Oil on Canvas, 5′ x 10′

Three Wings, Stockton, CA

Monotype, from the Form & Spirit Portfolio

Visit my website to view more images: www.glenrogersart.com