• About the Author
  • Book: Art and Sacred Sites: Connecting with Spirit of Place
  • Book: Symbols of the Spirit: A Meditative Journey Through Art
  • Oracle Deck: Spirit Cards

Art and Sacred Sites

~ Glen Rogers shares her artist's journey of travel, inspiration, and creating art.

Art and Sacred Sites

Tag Archives: Peru

Ancient Openings/Aperturas Ancestrales

07 Wednesday Dec 2016

Posted by glenrogers in ancient symbols, Art, Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

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

img_8623-1

p1010483p1010484

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.

p1010474p1010487p1010492

 

 

 

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Like this:

Like Loading...

10 Guidelines for Visiting a Sacred Site

27 Monday Jun 2016

Posted by glenrogers in ancient sites in Peru, sacred sites, Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

inspiration, Ollantaytambo, Peru, pilgrimage, sacred sites, spiritual journey

P1000334

Ollantaytambo Ruins, Sacred Valley, Peru

  1. Ask permission to enter from the Ancestors, Mother Earth, Spirit of Place and give gratitude for the opportunity.
  2. Enter quietly, with reverence and respect.
  3. Allow yourself to be in the moment and feel the essence of this sacred site.
  4. Be aware of the organization of space and its connection to nature.
  5. Try to imagine the daily lives and rituals of the people who inhabited this ancient place and picture yourself among them. Let your imagination flow….
  6. Connect with the mystery and spirit hidden within these walls. “If these stones could speak…”
  7. Remember the sounds, colors, textures, structures, and feelings you experienced.
  8. Choose a comfortable place off the beaten path and sit quietly.
  9. Do a silent meditation, some yoga or tai chi.
  10. Write down your observations in a journal, or sketch with pencil or watercolor.
P1000323

Glen at Ollantaytambo Ruins

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Like this:

Like Loading...

Inspired by Travel: Peru

13 Monday Jun 2016

Posted by glenrogers in ancient sites in Peru, ceremonial sites in Peru, Lima, Machu Picchu, TRESS, Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Glen Rogers, inspiration, Lima, Machu Picchu, Peru, Peru Art Vacation, Sacred Valley, Taller TRESS

P1000231

Machu Picchu

As an artist, I have been traveling for over 25 years to gather inspiration for my art. (Thus my book, Art & Sacred Sites: Connecting with Spirit of Place). And now I realize – I am also inspired as a person, as a human on this planet. To go out in the world and meet people from other cultures, to see how they dress, how they live, how they make their money, how they spend their creative and leisure time – that is inspiring! Language is not always relevant – it is what we take in with our eyes and with our heart. To record the differences and the similarities – to acknowledge that we are all one.

P1000128

The group at Saqsayhuaman

 

On my recent trip to Peru I took a group of mainly artists on my first Peru Art Vacation.  We visited sites in the Sacred Valley where we walked in the footsteps of the ancients – sites such as Saqsayhuaman, Moray, Ollantaytambo, and ofcourse – the jewel in the crown – Machu Picchu. Each day we were awed with a new site.

We finished up with 5 days in Lima, a wonderful metropolitan city bustling with art and culture.  We funneled our new inspiration into creating monotype prints at Taller TRESS, one of a kind images painted with ink on an acrylic plate and transferred to paper with the use of the etching press. Thank you Lara, Sue, Lorraine, Sissel, Synnøve, Dan, Veronica, Carol and Judy for your love of adventure and great spirits!

IMG_7105[1]

At Taller TRESS, Lima

What a fabulous trip! Truly life changing! I loved the places that we stayed and Second Home Peru (in Lima) was so special. Christina and Rueben of Taller Tress were very welcoming and the studio well equipped.  Thank you for a great experience.  And thanks to everyone in the group for being such wonderful traveling companions. I can highly recommend this trip.                                               Sue Gilchrist, Santa Cruz, CA

It was a pleasure and thank you so much for let me be a part of this adventure<3
Feeling happy and inspired back in my routine life:-) My head is full of ideas, and all I want is to print! 
Synnøve Krokstad, Norway

What an amazing trip! Thank you Glen Rogers for making this trip happen, for the printmaking at wonderful Cristina’s studio, for Machu Picchu, Cuzco, the Sacred Valley, Pisaq, and all the lovely people who came together to make this such a great experience. Lara Speyer, San Francisco Bay Area

I will be organizing another Peru Art Vacation for May 2017. Contact me if you are interested. Space is limited to 10 people.  glen@glenrogersart.com

 

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Like this:

Like Loading...

Meeting the Shaman, Sacred Valley, Peru

14 Tuesday Jul 2015

Posted by glenrogers in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Amaru community, Apu Organic Cafe, ayahuasca in Peru, coca leaves, Pachamama, Peru, pilgrimage, Pisac, Sacred Valley, shaman, spiritual journey

quinoa growing

As I was planning my trip to Peru in May, I saw this as a spiritual journey and dreamed of having an encounter with a shaman,  an intermediary between the natural and supernatural worlds. I even considered taking ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic plant, commonly used by the native people.  But trying to book something like that online was daunting to say the least. I needed to meet the person and have a mutual trust before committing. So I left it to the universe to help me find the right person when I was in the area.  

Once in Peru, I kept my eyes, heart and intuition open to the possibilities. One day while visiting Pisac, a village in the Sacred Valley known for its textile market, I asked a local for recommendations on a lunch place, and he directed us to a small cafe, Apu Organic.  Right away, I could see the owner was into the spiritual and perhaps they could put my friend and I in touch with a shaman.  Maria Elena agreed to connect us with ‘El Viejo’ (the old man), which she referred to as a paco, not a shaman.

On the appointed day, Isaiahs, our translator and guide met us at the Apu Cafe and took us up to the mountain to meet ‘El Viejo’. It was a beautiful walk through fields of quinoa, wheat, maiz, and assorted vegetables – all laid out in free-form plots. As we walked, Isaiahs pointed out herbs used for medicinal purposes and textile dyes. This alone was an extraordinary experience.

Glen with Isaiahs, our guide and translator

Glen with Isaiahs, our guide and translator

Having reached a simple adobe structure at the top of a hill, we learned this was the home of Don Jesus or ‘El Viejo’. Upon meeting us, he took each of us by both hands, looked deeply into our eyes, which felt like he was looking into our souls.  As he sat on a blanket on the dirt floor, he started by pouring coca leaves into a cloth, having me lay my hands over them while concentrating on my questions. He then read the coca leaves as they dropped from his hand, answering our questions about the future in his native Quechuan language while Isaiahs translated to us in Spanish. After we were satisfied, he proceeded to make a large bundle of various herbs, minerals, shells, milagros, seeds, metal, etc. that he had brought with him in small packets of newspaper. After deliberately placing each item on a square of paper, he folded it up, and began chanting over this offering to Pachamama, Mother Earth. He then had Isaiahs walk us further up the mountain to burn the offering. Reaching a well-used fire pit, Isaiahs showed us how to blow the clouds away since it was threatening to rain. We brought Port Wine, as directed, as an offering to Pachamama as part of our ritual and despite the sprinkles, we felt our offering was successfully received.  This was one of my most treasured moments in Peru, and I left the mountain feeling positive, encouraged, revived and hopeful about the future.

at Apu Organic

At the Apu Organic Cafe in Pisac with Maria Elena (center)

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Like this:

Like Loading...

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 910 other followers

Recent Posts

  • Calling the Circle A Sacred Feminine Women’s Gathering, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, November 7-9, 2022 May 22, 2022
  • In Her Power: Images of the Sacred Feminine December 18, 2021
  • Sedona – Visiting a Spiritual Vortex August 10, 2021
  • The Flowering – Re-birth and Renewal March 25, 2021
  • Bernie Meme – being embraced in my ‘Throne for a Goddess’ sculpture. January 24, 2021
  • The Priestess – Feminine Energy in the Time of Insurrection January 13, 2021
  • Revisioning the Venus: San Miguel de Allende to Austria December 17, 2020
  • The Sacred Feminine Trilogy. Watch as a Large Charcoal Drawing develops in the Studio. November 19, 2020
  • ‘Throne for a Goddess’ sculpture in Austria launches Benefit for Rural Girls in Mexico October 6, 2020
  • Spirit Cards – my new oracle deck – arrived and ready to ship! October 3, 2020

Pages

  • About the Author
  • Book: Art and Sacred Sites: Connecting with Spirit of Place
  • Book: Symbols of the Spirit: A Meditative Journey Through Art
  • Oracle Deck: Spirit Cards

About Glen Rogers

An artist who approaches life with an adventurous spirit and a reverence for Mother Earth. One of my favorite quotes, "Leap and the net will appear", has propelled me on a life journey of art and discovery. Visit my website: GlenRogersArt

Visit my Archives

  • May 2022 (1)
  • December 2021 (1)
  • August 2021 (1)
  • March 2021 (1)
  • January 2021 (2)
  • December 2020 (1)
  • November 2020 (1)
  • October 2020 (2)
  • August 2020 (1)
  • May 2020 (2)
  • April 2020 (2)
  • March 2020 (1)
  • December 2019 (1)
  • October 2019 (1)
  • August 2019 (1)
  • July 2019 (1)
  • June 2019 (1)
  • April 2019 (1)
  • March 2019 (1)
  • February 2019 (1)
  • January 2019 (1)
  • December 2018 (1)
  • July 2018 (1)
  • June 2018 (1)
  • May 2018 (1)
  • January 2018 (1)
  • November 2017 (1)
  • June 2017 (1)
  • February 2017 (2)
  • December 2016 (1)
  • September 2016 (1)
  • August 2016 (1)
  • July 2016 (1)
  • June 2016 (2)
  • March 2016 (2)
  • January 2016 (1)
  • December 2015 (2)
  • November 2015 (4)
  • October 2015 (1)
  • September 2015 (4)
  • August 2015 (9)
  • July 2015 (4)
  • June 2015 (4)
  • May 2015 (3)

Blogroll

  • Archaeology News Most hand prints in caves are female
  • messy nessy chic Found in a junk shop- an undiscovered visionary artist
  • One Million Women A Movement of Women and Girls Addressing Climate Change
  • The Heritage Trust Erasing Australia – A journey to destruction

Social

  • View Glen Rogers Art’s profile on Facebook
  • View ArtistGlen’s profile on Twitter
  • View glenrogersart’s profile on Instagram

Art gallery

Blue Spirit
Blue Spirit
Notes from Monte Alban II
Notes from Monte Alban II
Notes fr Monte Alban V,
Notes fr Monte Alban V,
Phoenix, oil on canvas, 5' x 7'
Phoenix, oil on canvas, 5′ x 7′
Ancient Secrets II
Ancient Secrets II
Writing on the Wall
Writing on the Wall
Spirit of Place
Spirit of Place
Three Wings
Three Wings
Written in Stone
Written in Stone
Spirit Gate
Spirit Gate
Writing on the Wall series

Social

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • Art and Sacred Sites
    • Join 910 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Art and Sacred Sites
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: