Dragonflies in flight are a wonderful sight to behold. Large, iridescent bi-winged creatures zooming and weaving as if playfully. They begin their lives as nymphs, aggressive aquatic predators that can remain in that stage as long as five years. By contrast, the adult stage we all know as the dragonfly proper is only the briefest part of its lifespan, at most a few months.
In much European folklore the dragonfly usually has sinister significance, associating them with devils or fairy mischief, an example of which is the English nickname of “the Devil’s darning needle.” By contrast they are held to be auspicious by many Native American tribes, symbolizing swiftness, renewal, purity. In some other parts of the world it is held to be a sign of good luck if a dragonfly lands on you. The japanese hold the dragonfly as a symbol of courage and happiness and often feature then in haikus.
Size: 2.25″ x 2.5″
Mixed media: oil, paper, ink, varnish, gold pigment, resin on canvas.
This work is no longer available.
Tagged as:
Dragonfly,
Elementals,
Mixed Media
The ouroboros, self-devouring serpent, is both the Prima Materia of Alchemy and the Soul of the World. Perfect, self-creating, self-destroying, it is a symbol of the human quest for self-realization as well as the universe itself, wherein creation and destruction, alpha and omega, are inseparable, locked in a cycle of transformation eternally. Used symbolically in esoteric practices, it is a kind of mandala to contemplate, toward realization of the nature of Nature itself.
Size: 2″ x 2″
Mixed media: oil, paper, ink, varnish, gold pigment on canvas.
This work is no longer available.
Tagged as:
Alchemical,
Chimera,
Dragon,
Mixed Media,
Ouroboros,
Serpent
A symbol that appears frequently in the emblematic illustrations of alchemy is the Green Lion. Typically he is shown grasping and devouring the sun. In metallurgic alchemy, the meaning of this is the power of sulphuric acid to dissolve all metals such as iron, copper, and even gold, the king of the metals (represented by the sun).
In organic alchemy, the alchemy of potions, the green lion stands for chlorophyll, made by plants “eating” sunlight. Modern interpretations of the “inner path” of alchemy see the green lion as a symbol of the way consciousness can be overwhelmed when bottled-up, intense emotions (the passions) are finally released. Have you ever loved something or somebody so much you wanted (perhaps irrationally) to simply devour them?
Size: 3.5″ x 2.5″
Mixed media: oil, paper, ink, varnish, gold pigment on canvas.
This work is no longer available..
Tagged as:
Alchemical,
Animal,
Illumination,
Lion,
Mixed Media,
Sun
The phoenix is an eagle-like bird that is said to be nearly immortal. Some variant of the phoenix appears in the mythologies of many of the world’s ancient cultures. In classical Greek myth the phoenix undergoes a death-and-rebirth cycle approximately every 1,000 years, by building itself a pyre of myrrh branches in which it is burned to ashes. From the ashes a new phoenix is born.
In modern times the phoenix is a symbol of the Lebanese people, who are descended from the Phoenicians, and of Beirut in particular, a city eternally reborn from its own ashes. In alchemy the phoenix represents the element of fire and the fiery aspect of sulphur. It also symbolizes the perfection of unified opposites, in that it reproduces from itself without need of an “other.”
Size: 3.5″ x 2.5″
Mixed media: oil, paper, ink, varnish, gold pigment on canvas.
This work is no longer available..
Tagged as:
Alchemical,
Eagle,
Mixed Media,
phoenix
Taurus, the bull, is an earth sign associated with Venus. Tauruses are earthy, pragmatic, seekers of comfort. They have a sensual side, and a powerful desire for both security and appreciation from others. Tauruses also have a strong sense of fairness and a love of animals. The constellation of Taurus is in the Northern hemisphere between Aries and Gemini.
Size: 2″ x 2″
Mixed media: oil, paper, ink, varnish, and gold pigment on canvas.
Etsy link.
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Tagged as:
Animal,
Astrological,
Constellation,
Mixed Media,
Taurus
In 79 AD, the Roman city of Pompeii was completely buried in ash by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, then completely forgotten until it was rediscovered in the mid-18th Century. Many of its citizens attempted to flee but few made it.
This image is a fanciful telling of a fugitive from Pompeii who dove into the sea and was changed by Neptune into an octopus. He now drifts in the depths, dreaming of his former life.
Size: 2.5″ x 3.5″
Mixed media: oil, paper, ink, and varnish on canvas.
Etsy link.
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Tagged as:
Chimera,
Mixed Media,
Octopi,
Pompeii,
Seamonster,
Tentacles
And there the lion’s ruddy eyes
Shall flow with tears of gold:
And pitying the tender cries,
And walking round the fold:
Saying: “Wrath by His meekness,
And, by His health, sickness,
Are driven away
From our immortal day.
“And now beside thee, bleating lamb,
I can lie down and sleep,
Or think on Him who bore thy name,
Graze after thee, and weep.
For, washed in life’s river,
My bright mane for ever
Shall shine like the gold,
As I guard o’er the fold.”
- William Blake, from “Night”
Size: 2.5″ x 3.75″
Mixed media: oil, paper, ink, and varnish on canvas.
Etsy link
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Tagged as:
Alchemical,
Animal,
Crown,
Elementals,
Feminine Divine,
Lion,
Sun
In alchemy things in threes tend to symbolize the three alchemical elements (Sulphur, Salt, Mercury) as well as the Christian trinity of God. This esoteric image depicts a three-headed eagle astride a globe in which is represented three winds over the sea.
Size: 2″ x 2″
Mixed media: oil, paper, ink, varnish, gold pigment on canvas.
This work is no longer available.
Tagged as:
Alchemical,
Animal,
Eagle,
Equinox,
Mixed Media,
Trinity
An allegorical emblem which connects the symbolic attributes of the planet Mars with the red lion of alchemy. Such attributes being strength, potency, fire, aggression.
Size: 2″ x 2″
Mixed media: oil, paper, ink, varnish, and gold pigment on canvas.
Etsy link
Tagged as:
Alchemical,
Animal,
Astrological,
Constellation,
Lion,
Mixed Media
An allegorical emblem depicting Venus, both as goddess and planet. She carries a lily branch with three flowers, often symbolizing a coming age of holiness.
Size: 2″ x 2″
Mixed media: oil, paper, ink, varnish, gold pigment on canvas.
This work is no longer available..
Tagged as:
Alchemical,
Astrological,
Feminine Divine,
Goddess,
Mixed Media,
Venus
