My Interview with Karen Kinney in her Divine Feminine Newsletter

05 Friday Aug 2022

Posted by glenrogers in Sacred Feminine in ARt

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archetypes, Divine Feminine, Glen Rogers, inspiration, Sacred Feminine, Spiritual in Art, spiritual journey

1.) Tell us as little bit about your path with the divine feminine. When were you first drawn to the goddess, and what did that look like for you?

Reading books in my late twenties like The Chalice and the Blade by Riane Eisler and When God was a Woman by Merlin Stone opened my eyes to a world of early Matriarchal cultures and the Sacred Feminine. I learned of ancient Goddess cultures, where women rulers and priestesses presided and held court in peaceful agrarian societies. Women were honored in each stage of life – maiden, mother, crone and as sacred life-givers, healers, and wise leaders. With these new revelations, I began choosing a spiritual path that honored that Goddess energy via my connection to Mother Earth and La Luna. Through meditation, my stream of creativity, and a connection to nature, I felt Her presence as a guiding light. I began traveling to sacred sites such as Paleolithic cave sites in South of France, representing the womb of the Mother and Newgrange in Ireland, with womb-like tunnels replicating the birth canal. Feeling that Goddess energy and walking in the footsteps of the grandmothers inspired and continues to inspire me.

2.) How would you describe the process of giving birth as a creator?

The act of creating is one of the most beautiful things in my life and I am grateful every day. In the early morning, sitting with my coffee and journal, I receive some of my most inspired ideas. These are just seeds of inspiration that I write or sketch out–and it’s up to me if they germinate and develop into something worthwhile. At this early stage and later in the studio when I’m in the flow, I often feel that I’m co-creating with a higher power which I call the Goddess energy. Listening to Her message and my intuition are part of my art practice. As a visual artist, I follow the writer’s adage “show up at the page.” Which means whether I’m in the mood or not, I go to the studio, because inevitably something happens. (And it is a sure thing that if I don’t show up–nothing will.) I always have a couple of projects going on at the same time to keep my juices flowing. Right now I have a large-scale charcoal drawing on my painting wall, a series of small monoprints in the works and an accordion book called Seed of the Divine that I just completed. The Sacred Feminine and her symbols, like the moon and the spiral, appear throughout–and all are inspired by my recent trip to Ireland. I travel a lot for my inspiration, taking pilgrimages to ancient Goddess sites around the world. My book, Art & Sacred Sites: Connecting with Spirit of Place, is about these journeys and the art inspired by my experiences. Creating art is truly a birthing process for me that requires time, focused energy and love.

3.) This November, you are offering a divine feminine gathering for women in San Miguel. How did the vision for this gathering initially form and come into being?

The idea for Calling the Circle started to take form as I was promoting my second book, Symbols of the Spirit: A Meditative Journey Through Art in California in 2019. While I was giving book talks and sharing my journey to mainly female audiences, I began looking for more ways to inspire through my stories and artwork. As my friend and mentor, Priestess and Doctor of Chinese Medicine Dr. Ratka Mira Popovic and I were brainstorming ideas, we envisioned a women’s gathering in San Miguel de Allende Mexico where I live. I realized that San Miguel is the perfect location for our Gathering – a beautiful city with a definite spiritual and feminine energy. Even though Covid hit shortly after, the seed had been planted and I began forming an advisory council of women in the community to help birth the event. I think we were all feeling a hunger for this Gathering – as a way to connect to each other and to ancient Goddess wisdom. We join women around the world who are looking for ways to reclaim their spiritual roots and connect to the Sacred Feminine. Especially after Covid, we want to create an event filled with inspiration and empowerment.

Karen Kinney is a writer, visual artist, and teacher and has recently published her 2nd book Doorways to Transformation: Everyday Wisdom for the Creative Soul. I am honored to have Karen on our Advisory Counsel for the Calling the Circle Gathering in November. If you would like to sign up for Karen’s Divine Feminine Newsletter, contact her through her website. karenkinney.com

Sedona – Visiting a Spiritual Vortex

10 Tuesday Aug 2021

Posted by glenrogers in Uncategorized, Vortexes

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Bell Rock, Crescent Moon Park, inspiration, Sacred Feminine, Sedona, Spirit of Place, spiritual journey, Spiritual Vortexes

In May, I drove up to the Southwest United States from Mexico (where I live) with a couple of friends. My main reason was to deliver some of my Spirit Card oracle decks and latest book, Symbols of the Spirit to bookstores along the way. I’d also been wanting to visit a dear friend who lives in Sedona. But ofcourse seeing the beautiful desert landscape after being cooped up during the pandemic was a definite plus. We also looked forward to visiting friends and family who hosted us on the trip. (We had our vaccinations and followed Covid Protocol like mask wearing and social distancing wherever we went.)

Our itinerary followed a loop around the Southwest with stops in Tubac, Tucson, Phoenix/Scottsdale, Sedona, the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Santa Fe, Taos, Ghost Ranch/Abiquiu, Albuquerque and back thru Tucson to the Nogales Border. It was a whirlwind 2 1/2 week trip with amazing landscapes. And with this agenda, we were also able to see lots of art galleries, meet with artists and visit some private studios, something that we were also interested in.

Visiting Sedona was a high point in terms of incredible landscape and spiritual essence of place. I had only visited once before in the early 1990’s and had an incredible experience. Sedona is known for it’s Vortexes, special centers of energy that connect you to Gaia, Mother Earth. Places to sit and meditate, feel the energy, and go deeper within yourself – a place to recharge. We visited a number of these Vortex sites; Airport Mesa, Bell Rock and Crescent Moon Park. The latter of the two were the ones I really connected with.

At Crescent Moon Park with Cathedral Rock in the background.

Crescent Moon had a shaded path besides a babbling creek – gorgeous and serene. But I was pulled towards a field just to the left -there I could see the towering formation of Cathedral Rock as well as hear the water nearby. As I laid on the ground my hand found a small triangular rock with a hole in the center, to me – a power symbol. With that in one hand and my crystal in the other, I did a grounding meditation, sending my roots deep into Mother Earth. Sitting up again, I immediately saw the Priestess in the rock formation. She was in profile in her throne and facing an American Indian Chief. Here were the protectors of this Sacred Land – the Divine Feminine and the Spirit Keeper. (Has anyone else noticed these images??!)

The next day we visited Bell Rock where we were able to hike and climb on the undulating red stone. Such feminine, curving shapes like the Great Mother herself! I pulled off from my companions to find my meditation spot, where I could commune with the Spirit of Place. I left feeling blessed that once again, I had the opportunity to feel her energy. Often when I visit a sacred site, I return to my studio newly inspired. Let’s see where this journey will lead me…

And yes, on my trip, I successfully consigned my books and Spirit Cards to:

Changing Hands Bookstore in Phoenix

Sedona Creative Life Center

Garcia Street Books in Santa Fe

Please visit the shops and check them out if you’re in the area.

My books are now available thru Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Glen+Rogers+Spirit+Cards&ref=nb_sb_noss

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Glen+Rogers+Symbols+of+the+spirit+book&ref=nb_sb_noss

Spirit Cards, an oracle deck inspired by universal symbols that honor the Sacred Feminine.

31 Monday Aug 2020

Posted by glenrogers in archetypal symbols, Oracle Cards, Spiritual symbols

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Ancient oracle, archetypes, divination, inspiration, meditation, Oracle Cards, Sacred Feminine, spiritual journey

This deck of 50 oracle cards is a contemporary approach to an ancient tradition. The images, inspired by universal symbols that honor Mother Earth and the Sacred Feminine, were created over a 30-year period by artist Glen Rogers. In her books Art & Sacred Sites: Connecting with Spirit of Place and Symbols of the Spirit: A Meditative Journey Through Art, she shares her pilgrimages to sacred sites around the world and her interest in archetypes and their universality. For Glen, creating in the studio is a form of meditation and a way to evoke a connection to the Divine Spirit. Her paintings and prints share a mystical quality that transcend into the spiritual realm. Spirit Cards were conceived during the covid quarantine, a silver lining to troubling times.

These unique oracle cards are 5 3/8″ x 3 1/2″

In Man and His Symbols, Carl G. Jung refers to certain symbols as archetypal: images that all of us can tap into through our unconscious mind, dream states and the creative process. He believed that “the greatest and best thoughts of man shape themselves upon primordial images,” and that archetypes—symbols from the collective unconscious—are metaphysical in nature. On my travels to sacred sites around the world, I learned firsthand that there truly is a universal visual language that connects us all.

Throughout my adult life, I have consulted various divination methods—astrology, psychics, the I Ching—all with eye-opening results. One of my favorites is Angeles Arrien’s interpretation of the Thoth deck in her Tarot Handbook. From her perspective, the ancient wisdom of the Tarot offers an opportunity to see life as a process of “walking the mystical path with practical feet.” Spirit Cards are a form of divination as well, a way of seeking clarity on an issue, and a simple-to-use form of reflection and contemplation to add to your daily practice.

Oracle cards can be a tool on your journey of self-discovery, a way to inspire and awaken the Light within. For some, they are synchronicity at work through both image and word, allowing the unknown to become known. Open your mind, heart and spirit to the messages you receive and reflect on how they resonate with you. Meant to inspire and offer food for thought, each Spirit Card you choose is the right card for you at that moment. Comes with booklet with instructions and interpretations.

Pre-order Now! Introductory price $25 USD plus shipping. Visit my website to purchase: glenrogersart.com

Special Offer: The first 50 orders received includes a beautiful gold pouch to store your cards!

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Tranquility – Find your Peace

01 Wednesday Apr 2020

Posted by glenrogers in Art, Artist studios, Covid 19 Pandemic, inspiration, monotype

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Artist studio, Covid 19, inspiration, inspiration and creativity, peace, podcasts, self-discovery, tranquility, without fear

Imagine yourself in this landscape – enjoying the night time stillness at water’s edge, full moon shining. Breathe in and experience your inner peace.

During these strange times, it’s important to stay centered and not give in to FEAR. Fear constricts and immobilizes. Yes, follow the protocols set out for us during our Covid-19 enforced home-stay. But after that, find your peace. Come up with your stay-at-home schedule. Be kind to yourself.

Perhaps this is the time you’ve been craving. The gift of Time!

I’m a list maker (the Capricorn in me!) Make a list of the things you want to accomplish.

Keep a journal. Set out on a journey of self-discovery. Write down your thoughts and feelings each day.

Listen to inspirational podcasts while you are working. Here are a few of my favorites: Caroline Casey, The Visionary Activist; New Dimensions Radio with Justine Toms; Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations; Fresh Air with Terry Gross.

“By the Light of the Moon”, 12”x12”, Oil on panel with gold leaf
Recently created for the Audubon Society of San Miguel auction (new date to be announced)

I would love to hear your comments. How are you dealing with it all?

Wishing you well! Keep your creative juices flowing!

Symbols of the Spirit: A Meditative Journey Through Art

15 Friday Mar 2019

Posted by glenrogers in ancient symbols, archetypal symbols, Art, Glen Rogers, Uncategorized

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ancient symbols, artist book, inspiration, meditation, spiritual journey, Spiritual symbols

I’m happy to present my recently published book, “Symbols of the Spirit: A Meditative Journey Through Art” .

Cover of Symbols of the Spirit

On the back cover: Glen takes us on a journey to explore eight iconic symbols that appear universally in early civilizations. She introduces archetypes—the bird, the circle, the lotus, the moon, the seed, the spiral, the vessel, and the vesica piscis—delving into both their meanings and their metaphors. She believes all are connected to the spiritual realm and have an undeniable link to the Sacred Feminine. Glen engages us with her unique style of art to illustrate each chapter and shares her personal stories and inspiration.

Excerpt from the Forward by Janet Blaser:

Through research, intuition and a deep sense of creativity and interconnectedness, the author explains with words and visual images how these symbols with their hidden messages can enrich our daily lives and anchor us firmly on our spiritual path.

Carl G. Jung in his book, Man and His Symbols, referred to certain symbols as archetypal—images that all of us can tap into through our unconscious mind, dream states and the creative process. For the last 25 years, Glen’s artwork in abstract symbolism has attempted to capture the essence of such imagery. While in her previous book, Art & Sacred Sites: Connecting with Spirit of Place, she described her pilgrimages to sacred sites around the world as inspiration for her art, in Symbols of the Spirit, she focuses on the symbol.

In these pages, Glen explains her intimate, personal encounters with the energies of these symbols, and how they’ve been a bridge to a more spiritual and connected life for her. She then goes one step further to share with the reader a meditation on each of the eight symbols, so they, too, can connect with these energies. It’s a powerful formula, backed by Glen’s years of exploration and experience, and a unique opportunity to enter a perhaps previously unthought-of spiritual territory.

While one could – as I did, for so long – look at her prints and paintings merely as beautiful works of art, there’s a deeper level of connection and meaning to be found. To paraphrase Glen’s words, I urge you to experience this book “from the heart, not the head,” and allow the images and meditations to become a part of your visual and spiritual vocabulary too.

Designed by Margery Cantor in collaboration with the artist. 104 pages, 9″ x 9″, soft cover, full color images, printed in Mexico City, $25usd. Add this book to your own collection or give to that special friend as a gift!

To order, contact me at: glen@glenrogersart.com

The Circle – Symbol of Wholeness

20 Wednesday Jun 2018

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

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Glen Rogers artist, inspiration, monotype printing, printmaking, the circle as archetypal symbol

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.”

“A Room of One’s Own”

24 Wednesday Jan 2018

Posted by glenrogers in Artist studios, Uncategorized

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A room of her own, Artist studios, Creativity, inspiration, Mazatlan, painting, printmaking, San Miguel de Allende, Virginia Woolf

The famous line by Virginia Woolf, “A Room of One’s Own”, has always struck a chord with me. The quote comes from a series of essays she wrote in 1928 about carving out a space for oneself – both literal and figurative. It was later adopted as a feminist statement in the 60’s and 70’s. I translated this ‘room’ as a creative space, a refuge – a studio for the artist. As a young woman coming of age in the 70’s, it was important for me to have just that.

I claimed my first studio while still an undergraduate student at University of Florida. This was a shared space with some photographers, a rather bohemian situation. And even though money was hard to come by, living in student poverty as I was, somehow I found a way. I needed this creative space away from academia, boyfriends, and other distractions. I was in the process of defining myself as an artist and making that declaration to the world. To have a studio, ‘a room of one’s own’, was a commitment.

When I moved to California in 1979, I got a job right away as a graphic artist fulfilling my financial obligations. But needing to feed my artist side as well, I answered an ad in Artweek magazine for a studio partner in a printmaking studio in San Jose. Betty and I had a successful partnership sharing a studio for almost 20 years. We moved studio and presses twice – from a converted 2 car garage in Campbell to the Citadel, an old cannery warehouse on 10^th and Taylor, and later to the “new” Citadel on 5^th and Martha. Having a studio helped define me as a serious artist in the community.

I later moved to Oakland and developed a studio there as well – but not for long, as my heart was pulled in another direction – Mexico. In 1999, I bought a small house in Mazatlán’s Centro Historico (for $27,000usd!) and soon after, built a studio on the 2^nd floor. This was going to be my ‘studio abroad’ – my dream, my pie in the sky. I had envisioned South of France or Italy, but after one visit to Mazatlán, I was hooked. This beautiful city on the Sea of Cortez had just what I was looking for and was to be my haven away from the maddening crowds (and traffic!) of the San Francisco Bay Area. It didn’t take long, less than 2 years, to move there full time and create my dream life.

Fast forward to 2018. I am in San Miguel de Allende and just built a 3^rd floor studio with plenty of natural light, space for painting, printmaking and workshops. Here, I am in a city known for its arts community and gallery scene – and an opportunity to introduce my work to a new market. Call it the 17year itch – I was definitely ready for a change.

I have always considered an artist’s studio as sacred space – a place to grow, create, and thrive as an artist.

Glen at the Citadel in San Jose, CA, 1980’s

My 2nd studio in Mazatlan, 2007(?)

My new studio in San Miguel de Allende

Image

Fragments from the Ancient World

09 Thursday Feb 2017

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Ancient sites in Mexico, archetypes, inspiration, printmaking, solarplate prints, spiritual journey

As an artist, I draw from the ancient world, collecting symbols carved into stone. I’m intrigued by the simplicity of form and the repetition of shapes such as the circle and spiral in sites around the world. By visiting sacred sites, I feel a connection with those who came before me and feel the spirit of place.

Here are some mixed media prints that I created recently using images from Uxmal, Monte Alban, and Las Labradas (Mexico). My photographs of these fragments were used to create solarplates, a non-toxic form of photo-printmaking. I then hand-wiped and printed the images on rice paper, running the plate through an etching press. The images were then used in the chine colle process – pasting down the thinner paper to a heavier print paper as I printed a monotype image at the same time. (Kind of like a collage).The monotype provides the textures and subtle tones that pull the image together.

These three prints, Ancient Fragment I, II, III, are featured in an exhibition at Baupres Gallery, Mazatlan, Mexico through the end of February.

Ancient Fragment III

Ancient Fragment II

Ancient Fragment I

Fragment from Uxmal

Posted by glenrogers | Filed under ancient symbols, archetypal symbols, Art, monotype, Sacred Sites in Mexico, Uncategorized

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Ancient Openings/Aperturas Ancestrales

07 Wednesday Dec 2016

Posted by glenrogers in ancient symbols, Art, Uncategorized

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archetypes, Bienal de Grabado, Creativity, Glen Rogers, ICPNA, inspiration, Lima, Peru, printmaking, spiritual journey, travel

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I went to Lima, Peru in October, where I had a solo exhibition thru November 27 as part of the Bienal Internacional de Grabado (International Biennal of Printmaking) sponsored by ICPNA ( Instituto Cultural Peruano Norteamericano). There were over 40 exhibitions as part of the Biennal over a 2 month period and represented artists from Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Spain, the U.S., Finland, France, Italy, Mexico and Peru.

In this exhibition at Galeria ICPNA San Miguel, I had the opportunity to exhibit early large-scale prints along with recent works. I created most of these prints at KALA Institute in Berkeley, California in the early 1990’s, they represent the beginning of my exploration into symbolism as my primary artistic expression. My work continues along this line, and it was gratifying to see how seamlessly the work flowed.

All of the monotype prints draw from a universal visual language of primal forms created by early cultures and inspired by nature. The circle speaks of unity, oneness, wholeness, the sun and the moon; the spiral reflects renewal, regeneration, evolution and growth; the oval or ‘vesical piscis’ is a symbol from sacred geometry that implies the womb, the seed, birth, and the beginning of life. My intent over the last 20 years has been to create work that reflects the essence of these forms that can touch us on an intuitive level.

I visit sacred sites shrouded in mystery and imbued with the spirit of the ancients for inspiration. With each pilgrimage, I am drawn to the artifacts left behind by these early societies – sculptural details carved in stone, glyphs painted on cave walls, and designs found on pottery shards. In each location, repetition is found in the form of archetypal symbols such as the circle and the spiral – universal symbols that according to Carl Jung evoke a deep and unconscious response. Early on, I was drawn to Paleolithic and Neolithic sites where images of Mother Earth, the Divine Feminine, were revered. (Among them: Newgrange in Ireland, The Temple of Knossos in Crete, and the caves in the south of France.) My more recent visits to Machu Picchu, the Nazca Lines, and Sillustani in Peru also reveal a deep reverence for nature, Spirit and the cycles of life. For me, each site represents a mystical opening, a passage to something greater than ourselves, beyond the human experience.

In the studio, bold symbols emerge from the inked plate in a somewhat stream-of-conscious manner, my head and heart filled with new material. The monotype allows me a spontaneous approach and results in a one-of-a kind image. Scratching the plate with a drypoint tool, I create a textural surface suggesting primeval walls worn down by time. A mystical and meditative quality references the ritual of sacred space while the curvilinear forms refer to the Divine Feminine. Symbols create openings that can connect us to the past and to the spiritual realm. As I work the surface of the plate and access these ancient forms and markings, I feel an affinity with those who have come before me.

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The Ouroboros and the Eternal Return

08 Thursday Sep 2016

Posted by glenrogers in ancient symbols, archetypal symbols, Art, inspiration

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ancient symbols, archetypal symbols, contemporary painting, creative spirit, inspiration, monotype prints, Oaxaca Art Vacation, Ouroboros, printmaking

Ouroboros, monotype print, 30″ x 22″

In my Mazatlan studio, the Ouroboros rears her head and almost bites her tail.

The Ouroboros is an ancient symbol depicting the snake or serpent eating its own tail. There are many interpretations but in general it signifies Eternity or the never ending cycle – something constantly re-creating itself. Carl Jung named it the archetype of the human psyche. It is considered a symbol for introspection. In Alchemy, it is infinity or wholeness.

The Ouroboros has appeared in many cultures with the earliest siting in Egypt dating back to 1600BC. The Phonecians used it – then the Greeks who named the symbol, Ouroboros, which means devouring its tail. In Aztec mythology, Queztacoatl, was similarly depicted. More on the Ouroboros: http://www.tokenrock.com/explain-ouroboros-70.html

The Ouroboros is closely connected to the circle and the spiral, two universal symbols that also point to wholeness and regeneration. These two symbols have been mainstays in my work over the years – but I had never used the Ouroboros until recently.

hector-hernandez-drawing

What changed? After taking my group down to Oaxaca for the Oaxaca Art Vacation in July, I stayed for another week to soak in the city and the culture. I saw several works of art utilizing the Ouroboros symbol. I bought a watercolor by Hector Hernandez – a very simple cobalt blue rendition painted over some sheet music. I had recently done a series using sheet music as chine colle in my monoprints – so that caught my attention. I had admired this artist’s work over the years.

On a tour of printmaking workshops in Oaxaca, the Ouroboros pops up again in this gorgeous large-scale woodcut entwined with figures.

As an artist, I draw my inspiration from ancient art to contemporary works. Whose to say what and where will get the juices flowing….We all have our on voice, our own style and way of working with the imagery at hand.