The Flowering – Re-birth and Renewal

25 Thursday Mar 2021

Posted by glenrogers in ancient symbols, archetypal symbols, Spiritual symbols

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archetypal symbols, contemporary prints, Divine Feminine, Goddess imagery, monoprints, monotype printing, Sacred Feminine, spring, Symbols of Birth

The Flowering I, II, III – Monoprints, 7″ x 5″

The Flowering V, IX, X – Monoprints, 7″ x 5″

Spring is synonymous with terms like re-birth, renewal, and regeneration. With the Vernal Equinox which occurred on March 20, our days have started to become longer and there is more available light each day – buds have begun to emerge, flowers have begun to blossom. Spring is a time of hope and new beginnings.

In this new series of ten small monoprints The Flowering, 6″ x 5″, there are many metaphors to be found. Yes – seeds, flowers, opening, re-birth and renewal – all the images of Spring. The colors are bursting forth with a certain exhilaration – magentas and oranges, and various shades of reds. I use stencils of flowers, vines and mandalas to enhance and marry the images of nature. All of these prints celebrate an explosion of new life.

The Flowering also speaks to the Sacred Feminine and her role as Giver of Life. The focal point of these prints is an ancient fertility symbol, the rounded pubic triangle from which new life blossoms. As far back as the Paleolithic era, there are examples of the simplified vulva depicted on figurines and cave walls. These early markings point to fecundity and the miracle of life. Early ceramics from the Minoan and Cycladic cultures also use this motif to honor the birth-giving aspect of the Goddess. In this case, the female symbol was often flanked by sprouting seeds and young plants as the vulva was associated with the seed of wild fruit. (Sourced from Language of the Goddess by Marija Gimbutas)

In The Flowering, I borrow from a universal visual language to carry on an ancient tradition of honoring women in their role as Life-Giver. The vulva is an archetype, a vessel to hold new life. There is a promise of magic in the process of birthing something new…

If you would like to see more, or are interested in these prints, contact me: glen@glenrogersart.com

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

03 Friday Jul 2015

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

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Caves in South of France, Dorgdogne, Font de Gaume, Lascaux, Symbols of Birth

‘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.

Lascaux Vsm

‘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.