I’m working on this pair of paintings for my apartment, on geometrical and occult themes. They’ll hang in my living room for the moment,on either side of the door into my study/office/library. Here they are: on the right, “White Pillar”, topped by the yin-yang, and proceeding through the foursquare diamond of Chesed to the two seven-pointed stars of Netzach. This painting is half-white, half unpainted “natural canvas”, illustrating polarity even within the extremes of polarity.
On the left, just started tonight, is the new painting, “Black Pillar.” at the bottom is the Rondel of Hod or Mercury, containing an octagon, and two eight-pointed stars. Above it, just barely sketched out, is the Rondel of Geburah or Mars, and above that, even more barely sketched out, is the Rondel of Saturn or Binah. I’m calling them rondels here because they’re not joined by the lines that make up the Tree of Life (although that being the case, I’m not sure why I included their Hebrew names).
I “finished” (no painting is ever really finished, just abandoned or sold) “White Pillar” last night, particularly the sign of Netzach/Venus — and I’ve been absolutely assaulted by green growing things ever since. We’re in killer pollen season, and while I’m never affected by pollen count (or rather, I’ve never been so before), I’m really challenged the last couple of days. Part of me felt like working on “Black Pillar” would help balance things out, and take my mind off the fact that I’m a snot-rocket right now(not a pretty image, I know).
Esoteric readers likely know that there’s a middle pillar between left and right, one which dwells upon the themes of 1, 6, 9, and 10. I’ve been debating if I’ll paint that painting, and I’m strongly leaning against doing so. First, the middle pillar represents the balance between forces, and I want to be reminded of that balance as I walk between the two paintings on my way to work. But more, the middle pillar represents the forces we cultivate within ourselves: unity of purpose, creative power, imagination, and deliberateness in acting in the world. Those powers aren’t really present unless we are. And so the paintings are intended to remind the painter and the visitor alike to cultivate those powers, and enter into the mental states where we are capable of bringing those things to pass.
Two more rondels to paint, some black paint, and some gloss finish in places. To work.
